It is said that since Facebook
the term ‘friend’ is subject to
inflation. Another completely
nonsensical belief based on
nothing. Like anyone really
thinks that a Facebook-friend is
a friend, a friend according to the
demarcation criterion, however
you define that.
It’s hubbub, just like the idea that
150 is the natural maximum to
the amount of people that you
can tolerate around you. ‘Friend’
is a word as strong as an oak,
with roots going way back down
to the middle ages. Just like the
word ‘like’. It will survive a little
thumb, really, those words don’t
need our protection at all.
Opening a Facebook or Twitter
account might be seen as a life
changing event, by the way. How
many friends do you lose and
how many do you gain? More
than two, I reckon, plus and
minus.
More than half my life ago I met
Anna. I was one grade ahead of
her, but she transferred from
another level and stayed back
for a year, so she was one year
my senior. Older and even more
skinny. She rolled her cigarettes
(like me) and hated gym class – I
had managed to get a leave of
absence (something concerning a
weak spine), she just wouldn’t do
what she didn’t like.
In spring and in summer – and
spring started March 21st,
summer ended September
21st, the school was very strict
on those things – our classes
joined together for gymnastics
on the grass field next to the
school. The first couple of times
we took on the role of referee,
dragged around cones, or hung
around the sand pit where our
classmates did long jumps,
taking down the meters and
centimeters.
After a couple of weeks we didn’t
bother anymore and stayed in
the school yard during gym
hour instead. We rolled our
fags, listened to music on our
walkmen and talked boys. We
dug each other to the point of
love. We didn’t really care about
the boys. But just like those
boys I had a crush on and who
still sometimes visit me in my
dreams, Anna has become my
weak spot for all time.
No, not a weak spot. My strong
spot.
text from Miriam Rasch, Shadowbook page 82-84
image source: https://static.techspot.com/images2/news/ts3_thumbs/2018/09/2018-09-11-ts3_thumbs-2bb.jpg
