Real Friends..... And Stuff

Man. We all have people we call friends. But how many REAL friends do we have?
I have several, and a couple I've actually never met but became friends with due to constant interaction here on ATS. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes debating, sometimes just talking about life.
Yes. I will stand up and face a situation. I am always cognizant of things. And I will do whatever I need to do to make sure my loved ones are OK. Call me what you will, but I will do whatever to ensure they are safe. Even if it means I sound like a wiener.

I have a friend here. DUDE! You know who you are. I called him because I had a concern about something. He followed up in moments, then followed up again, and then again to make sure everything was OK.

You my friend are not just a credit to ATS, but a CREDIT to human kind.

Thank you my friend. I will never forget it.

reply to post by lombozo

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tell me you didn't do what i think you did.

reply to post by AccessDenied

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Nope. The exact opposite actually.

Life is amazing. What I mean is life can be so ugly it can amaze you.

lombozo I'd like to tell it from the opposite angle how those you thought were real friends can take you down and when the crap comes down we find out who really are our friends.

When I was younger I was a fool thats the only way I can describe myself for being so principled and trusting. Back then when I was in my twenties I watched as the way of earning a living engineering, construction, mining was taken from us and the industry was moved to where labour was cheaper it made a mess of us we couldnt even provide for our families anymore.

Instead of jobs they gave us the welfare state and heroin and cocaine and ofcourse alcohol. So things got #ty real fast and drug dealers became the authority in our community because they were the only ones making a living. Anti-social behaviour erupted and I stood there with my friends and watched as the weak were picked off. I couldnt take it in the end I lost it when thugs smashed up the house of an old women who lived near me.

For me and those I found out were my real friends this was the test, we came through it but at the cost of a divorce for me, all I can say is if I hadnt of done something how could I look myself in the eye and not have self-loathing for myself it was hard enough not being able to provide for my family nevermind being intimidated by a gang of thugs emulating their drug dealer.

Well enough of the preamble the long and the short of it I was eventually betrayed by a close friend, I was set up for a leg breaking or worse I knew it was going to be serious when it happened so a handfull of others left when we realised we couldnt win.

Some story people might say and all I can say is come with me and let me show you how bad life can really get. Those who stood with me are what life is really about, people of real character putting themselves on the line, giving their loyalty when they could of run away like most people did.


maybe I should of started a thread in the Rant forum.

[edit on 7-7-2009 by DiscoDave]

[edit on 7-7-2009 by DiscoDave]