Fishbowls and Memories

Here's a fun prompt. Let's write a poem or micro-story about meeting your first best friend. - Rick Henry Christopher

I couldn’t decide which one to write about. So I picked the five best friends that I thought made the best story.

Vee

I met Vee though a mutual friend in 2009. As student struggling with body image, bullying and mental health we had a lot in common and we got on well. We were able to laugh and kick off straight away which was something I had never been able to do before. Making friends and building genuine friendships was hard for me.

Someone offered to introduce me to their best friend which turned out to be Vee. Who I already knew, which was a fun coincidence. When that same person invited me to a birthday party in Brackley, me and Vee hung out and it was a fun night. Since then we’ve been to many concerts over the years. Between 2014-2016 we did a lot of road trips.

We don’t get to see each other like we used to. But I always go to Vegan Campout every year with her and her family. We always have a good laugh.

Dee

Dee was my best friend from college in 2011. She had just moved into England after living in Scotland (I think), and originally from Romania. Her mother lives in Italy and her dad and sister in Romania. We started talking pretty early within the college year.

She’s a polygot and she knows five languages, but she needed help with her coursework cause college were picky with language. And that’s how we became friends. She did a lot of stuff for the college and community and I tagged along.

I would not have had the guts to do half the stuff I do now if it wasn’t for her.

Gwyn

British anime and gaming cons have a reputation. People say that there is a lot of sex and a lot of drinking that happens within these cons. I wont confirm or deny them. Cons are what you make of them, but one thing is for certain: a lot of money is spent.

The convention I went to in London in 2017, had organised hostel accommodation. Every anime convention company in the UK has its drama, but if you can look past it, you can have fun in either one.

Gwyn was in the bunk bed above me. I remember Gwyn cosplaying as maid called Rin from a game that I can’t remember. They enjoyed their bottles of wine and had several of them. I had to help them off the floor. The morning after, they got everyone in hysterics. What happened? You’ll have to ask them yourself. Let’s just say whatever happened in the hostel, stays in the hostel. It could have happened to anyone on a night out.

It’s Gwyn’s birthday soon. They’re going to spend it in Oxford. They’re very redilliant and modest.

Sunyi

We have very different memories of how we met. I had come out of an abusive relationship and just wanted to party. Met up with friends of friends and got acquainted with their friends and friends of friends. This lead to lots of party games and fun raving. It was fun but was shy at the same time. And a nice person gave me a drink and we kept in touch.

That wasn’t how it went down at all. Sunyi noticed I was on my own, asked if I was okay and offered me a drink. It was the fishbowl and perhaps the biggest glass I had ever seen. Then he left me with it to talk to someone he knew. By the time he came back, I demolished the drink. It was nice, it was parmaviolet with lots of ice and berries in it. I was only meant to have a sip.

We are very close now. We have a sibling relationship. A lot of funny conversations and shenanigans in London, Birmingham, Leicester and soon Oxford.

Sean

When I first met Sean he had a shiny Umbreon onesie. He was in the same room as me, Sunyi and Gwyn. The onsie was awesome and I think he still, has it. We were all lucky that we got on with everyone in the room. I don’t remember the exact conversation but I remember the enthusiasm he had. We all played ring of fire, two truths one lie, cards against humanity and never have I ever. There was one drinking game that I slept on, which ended up with somebody having to be hospitalised to have their stomach pumped. I was glad to be out of that game. Fortunately it wasn’t any of my friends, but it could have easily been. Sean was there and he’s been there for all of us when we’ve had our downtime moments, even though he lives further north to all of us.