I remember vividly. It was end of May or early June. This picture perfect afternoon… Oh, no wait, that’s a song. Ah yes, it was autumn. Sam and I were walking through the neighborhood, when an unpleasant thought infiltrated my mind.
“So… like, I know you say I’m 'really fun,' bu-...”
“‘But’ what?” Sammy boy interrupts.
“But, like” I hesitated. “Am I… real?”
Sam looks at me, he seems slightly kerfuffled. He has this look he gives me when he thinks something’s up where he squints his eyes and crinkles his nose and raises one eyebrow. He looks away but says, “Well you’re real to me.” And I thought for a moment.
“So I’m not real to anyone else?”
“They say they can see you, but I don’t believe them.” He pats me on the back. I feel patronized, but I could never stay mad at Sam. Don’t get me wrong, I love him, I’m never really mad at him, but lately… I dunno, he seems different. He’s awfully interested in baseball, I think he gets that from me, but I just can’t help but feel… funny… I feel different. What happens when…. No, that could never. I've been with Sam through everything. When he lost his first tooth and when he finally decided that pirates were way cooler than cowboys. I was there when he failed his first multiplication test, through his first crush (Ah, Sally Jenkins, I remember like it was yesterday), through his first rejection (also Sally), his first rebound (Eyyy, Emma Fessinden! Boy, was she an upgrade)... And of course his parents' divorce, that's when Sam and I first met. Sam and I were inseparable, he could tell me anything, but... Sammy was growing up, he was nine when we had this walk. He's spending nights at Matt's house, and getting ice cream with the baseball kids. All while I'm expected to stay home and wait.
Anyways, back to our walk. We'd gotten about half way to the library when we decided it was time to start heading back. It was a nice day, temperate, calm. But... "I'm sorry, I just, I can't stop thinking about what you said. What do you mean 'I'm real to you?' Will... will I ever not be? I mean what happens if and when I stop being real? When is it going to happen? Will I know, will I feel it coming? Will I fade away to nothingness? Will I crumble up and live in your longterm memory forever? Will I find a new incredible best friend?" I think Sam had been expecting this conversation for a while now, he looked up at me with a teary-eyed smile. He said, "Frankie Marshall, co-captain of the S.S. Sammy, mayor/official pickle seller of Frankietown, you are the greatest man I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I have you to thank for my splendiferous vocabulary, my love of baseball, my impeccable taste in ladies." We both chuckled a little.
"Sam, you're nine. They aren't ladies yet, they're chicks."
He continued, "Mom did a good job raising me, but you being there for me, made it even more magical. I just... how do I put this... Okay, everyone you meet, every single person, is in your life for one of three things: a reason, a season, or a lifetime. People who come in for a reason are there to teach you something, a lesson or moral, and then they leave once you've learned."
"Like how Sally helped you learn to never trust blondes?" I interrupted.
Sam smiled, "Yes, exactly like that," he continues, "Now lifetime people are very rare, for most people, their only lifetime people are their family, like my mom." I saw Sammy's tears start getting a little heavier. "But season friends, are probably the most important, because those are the people who show up in your life when it seems like nothing can go right, they help you through a rough time. And when you don't need that person anymore, well, they're done with their season."
"Sammy what're you getting at? I don't... I don't think I understand."
"Frankie, I'm starting middle school next year. What I'm trying to say is... is... that your season's over. You've made me a remarkable student, and you've even given me your impeccable fashion sense. You helped me through so much. But..." Sammy's sniffling hard now, "I think the time has come."
Crap, now I'm crying. "Sammy Jai Richmond, it has been an absolute honor being your best friend. Never forget the good times we had. And just know, that I'll be here waiting, metaphorically speaking of course, praying that your new friends, be they for reasons, seasons or lifetimes, lead you in the right direction. I will leave my love in every bright light you see, so if you ever find yourself in a dark place, I can still be with you, so long as you choose to let me in." We hugged one last time, and that was it. That's all I ca remember from the last time I saw Sam. Now I'm stuck here in Wild Imagination Control, counting the days till my release.... Oh, uh I remember one more thing, when Sammy boy walked away that day, I shouted, "YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ODDLY PHILOSOPHICAL FOR A NINE YEAR OLD! YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT?!"
"ODD?" he shouted back, "I MUST'VE LEARNT FROM THE BEST!"
“So… like, I know you say I’m 'really fun,' bu-...”
“‘But’ what?” Sammy boy interrupts.
“But, like” I hesitated. “Am I… real?”
Sam looks at me, he seems slightly kerfuffled. He has this look he gives me when he thinks something’s up where he squints his eyes and crinkles his nose and raises one eyebrow. He looks away but says, “Well you’re real to me.” And I thought for a moment.
“So I’m not real to anyone else?”
“They say they can see you, but I don’t believe them.” He pats me on the back. I feel patronized, but I could never stay mad at Sam. Don’t get me wrong, I love him, I’m never really mad at him, but lately… I dunno, he seems different. He’s awfully interested in baseball, I think he gets that from me, but I just can’t help but feel… funny… I feel different. What happens when…. No, that could never. I've been with Sam through everything. When he lost his first tooth and when he finally decided that pirates were way cooler than cowboys. I was there when he failed his first multiplication test, through his first crush (Ah, Sally Jenkins, I remember like it was yesterday), through his first rejection (also Sally), his first rebound (Eyyy, Emma Fessinden! Boy, was she an upgrade)... And of course his parents' divorce, that's when Sam and I first met. Sam and I were inseparable, he could tell me anything, but... Sammy was growing up, he was nine when we had this walk. He's spending nights at Matt's house, and getting ice cream with the baseball kids. All while I'm expected to stay home and wait.
Anyways, back to our walk. We'd gotten about half way to the library when we decided it was time to start heading back. It was a nice day, temperate, calm. But... "I'm sorry, I just, I can't stop thinking about what you said. What do you mean 'I'm real to you?' Will... will I ever not be? I mean what happens if and when I stop being real? When is it going to happen? Will I know, will I feel it coming? Will I fade away to nothingness? Will I crumble up and live in your longterm memory forever? Will I find a new incredible best friend?" I think Sam had been expecting this conversation for a while now, he looked up at me with a teary-eyed smile. He said, "Frankie Marshall, co-captain of the S.S. Sammy, mayor/official pickle seller of Frankietown, you are the greatest man I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I have you to thank for my splendiferous vocabulary, my love of baseball, my impeccable taste in ladies." We both chuckled a little.
"Sam, you're nine. They aren't ladies yet, they're chicks."
He continued, "Mom did a good job raising me, but you being there for me, made it even more magical. I just... how do I put this... Okay, everyone you meet, every single person, is in your life for one of three things: a reason, a season, or a lifetime. People who come in for a reason are there to teach you something, a lesson or moral, and then they leave once you've learned."
"Like how Sally helped you learn to never trust blondes?" I interrupted.
Sam smiled, "Yes, exactly like that," he continues, "Now lifetime people are very rare, for most people, their only lifetime people are their family, like my mom." I saw Sammy's tears start getting a little heavier. "But season friends, are probably the most important, because those are the people who show up in your life when it seems like nothing can go right, they help you through a rough time. And when you don't need that person anymore, well, they're done with their season."
"Sammy what're you getting at? I don't... I don't think I understand."
"Frankie, I'm starting middle school next year. What I'm trying to say is... is... that your season's over. You've made me a remarkable student, and you've even given me your impeccable fashion sense. You helped me through so much. But..." Sammy's sniffling hard now, "I think the time has come."
Crap, now I'm crying. "Sammy Jai Richmond, it has been an absolute honor being your best friend. Never forget the good times we had. And just know, that I'll be here waiting, metaphorically speaking of course, praying that your new friends, be they for reasons, seasons or lifetimes, lead you in the right direction. I will leave my love in every bright light you see, so if you ever find yourself in a dark place, I can still be with you, so long as you choose to let me in." We hugged one last time, and that was it. That's all I ca remember from the last time I saw Sam. Now I'm stuck here in Wild Imagination Control, counting the days till my release.... Oh, uh I remember one more thing, when Sammy boy walked away that day, I shouted, "YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ODDLY PHILOSOPHICAL FOR A NINE YEAR OLD! YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT?!"
"ODD?" he shouted back, "I MUST'VE LEARNT FROM THE BEST!"
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