What's Past Is Prologue

This has been the friendship picture for Dylan and me on Facebook for years now.

(Source: stripedsweater)

This is Dylan, and he is my very best friend.

(I already did one of these before, and I probably have a few more up my sleeve at some point, because hey, I want to say things about my friends once in a while.)

Dylan and I have known each other since 2003, liked each other since 2005, and lived with each other since 2009. There is no person on the planet that I trust more, no one I admire more (well, most of the time), and no one else I’d rather have spent most of college living with.

I swerved across a lane on the highway last night, in front of a semi, because Dylan asked me to pull the car over. I would probably vote Republican if he asked me to, though I wouldn’t enjoy it.

Dylan’s magnanimity is so inspiring. I wish I could be like him in the way that he just gives himself to people, no matter who they are. I am too prickly, too self-centered, too irritable, to always be constantly available to everyone who has ever passed me on the street. He brings out the better parts of me all the time. If more people were like Dylan, the world would be a better place.

Dylan can’t pronounce certain words. He says his long os like he is Canadian. “So” becomes “sou,” “don’t” becomes “doun’t,” etc. He also has a hard time with oo sounds. I have probably given him a complex over the years, repeating the words he pronounces funny and then laughing maniacally. Whatever, he can handle it.

I introduce Dylan to everyone I know, everyone who I am possibly considering entering into a contractually-obligated friendship with, because if they don’t like him, they won’t like me. If they don’t like the guy who catches every reference I make to cartoons made between 1995 and 2006, why would I ever want to be friends with them?

When I put on Macbeth, I mentioned to Dylan how bummed I was that my parents couldn’t be there for me on opening night. “It’s just sad,” I said, “because I don’t think anyone’s going to be at the show for me on opening night.” He cancelled his work shift and showed up. And then he showed up the next night. And again on Sunday. All without being asked. How cool is that?

Friends like Dylan come along maybe once in someone’s life. I’m just lucky I found mine early.

A fun day in Conference Services 2 at MSU Model UN. Dylan drew this.

Fun fact, when the two of us get stuck in games of Never Have I Ever, one of us will inevitably say “I’ve never been dared to get a boner!” Then the other has to lower a finger.

I hate my friends most times.