The Testament to True Friendship

Another story that had been written as part of the material for a play, as a monologue, but it hadn't been worked into the context of a conversation, so it's more of a stand-alone story.

The testament to true friendship.

Once a man had a pair of friends, both close, both loyal.

The man one day decided to examine himself to discover which

of the friends was more dear to him. For hours, he weighed

the value that each of the men had to him; their histories,

their talents, their endearing qualities. And while one or

the other could be considered to have advantage in any single

category, he concluded that as to their strengths, the

friends were, in effect, equal.

The man turned his thoughts to weighing the negative

qualities of each man; the vices, the arguments, the debts,

the enemies, the shortcomings. Again, in their weaknesses,

on the whole, the men were equal.

But the thought occurred to the man: what about comparing

each man’s strength to his own weakness. Quickly, he did so,

point by point. It became clear to the man that both of his

friends were heavy to the side of weakness - and that he may

be better off to rid himself of these friends, for their

vices were also his, and may be contributors to his own sin.

The man called his friends together to let them know his

decision. The first friend he told listened to the news

carefully, and understood his friend’s decision. He left

without saying a word. But the second friend, his eyes

welling, punched the man in the face. Towering over his

fallen friend, he said, “You can’t get rid of me. I am your

friend.”

This is a testament of true friendship.