Best Friends

Would a best friend
Eat your last sweet
Talk about you behind your back
Have a party and not ask you?

Mine did.

Would a best friend
Borrow your bike without telling you
Deliberately forget your birthday
Avoid you whenever possible?

Mine did.

Would a best friend
Turn up on your bike
Give you a whole packet of your favourite sweets
Look you in the eye?

Mine did.

Would a best friend say
Sorry I talked about you behind your back
Sorry I had a party and didn't invite you
Sorry I deliberately forgot your birthday
- I thought you'd fallen out with me

Mine did.

And would a best friend say, simply,
Never mind
That's OK

I did.


From Wanted Alive by Bernard Young, Hands up Books, 2004