Mary

Mary, who would once have been described as 'my mate Iain's girlfriend', but who is now simply 'a friend'. It's funny how random meeting new people and them becoming an aspect of your life happens. It's happened with me with a few people in the last few years. Acquaintances who have become very close friends; colleagues and their other halves that I've got to know, like, and share time with with; people whose existence I would not have even been aware of a couple of years ago whose company I now savour; and many many more who I have met fleetingly, or simply in text online, who I'd like to get to know better.

There are people from school with whom I was best friends who I barely think about from year to year; and others who shared major crossroads in my life who I will likely never think about again, let alone see. In a smidgen over three decades on this earth I have probably met half the people I ever will, and by the time I depart will only know a tiny fraction of the people I've ever met. Some I thought I would know forever have already passed into vague memory; there remain more good, close friends to meet.

All the time I am me, and they are them, and there seems no reason to drift apart or together. But it happens, with some that are gone regretted, indeed some lamented, but most simply forgotten in the haze of the current. But friends are who you choose and friends are what they remain even if you don't know it anymore. And while Mary may not like this picture (though it appears she likes no picture of herself) it carries a significance beyond a regular meeting in the Sheep Heid to answer questions in a pub quiz.

How deep is that for just gone midnight? I need to get writing again...