How many friends do you have?

I have a best friend. Curiously enough I'm probably not her best friend! Ok, it's Sparkle and we'll be together as extended family forever, but she IS the person that I want to call and tell something new and exciting to. The person that I want to vent to, to call and tell her to go beat somebody up for me. We were both with the XI for years and know that torment, we both married again and had an AMA (Advanced Maternal Age) baby 2 months apart. When I need someone and need to ask for something big she's been there and the same goes for her asking me for things. It doesn't happen often but we both know that the other one is coming through just because it's a big deal to ask. My 'chosen sister'. Our biggest thing that keeps us apart is the miles between us, since I moved about 30+ miles away ten years ago. If she doesn't call me I call her and it's a pretty darn mutual thing!

I have another friend in that same town, I can pick up the phone and call her and it only takes about 20 minutes to feel like we've caught up except for the juicy details. She's another one of my friends that has kiddos the age of my big kids and then soooo many years later here comes one more! Yes, she was another AMA Mama, and we ought to stick together right?! There's only one 'problem' in our relationship and that is that she never calls. I'm always the one that picks up the phone, drops an email or swings by her house when I'm in town. Her oldest DD goes to college in my town, so she's here during the school year on weekends to drive her home just about every weekend, but hasn't popped in here. She's talked about it, but it hasn't happened. She has been here once and it was for my wedding back in 2005 and it was great that she and her girls made it, so she does know how to find her way here!

I started thinking about 2 years ago - probably after and 0pr@h show or something like it - that if I do all the calling then are they really friends, or just people that I know?

I guess I don't have a long list of things that are required to be a friend other than to get along and be able to have a whole buncha things in common, a bunch of things that are different so that we don't entirely bore one another and that the effort to communiate be mutual. Yes, I have other friends, although they are more like people that I know though. I can strike up a conversation with them and have some background history, we probably either worked together at a former job or they are parents of at least one of my kiddos. But really, those are people that I know, not real friends.

How many friends do you have? What makes them your friends vs people that you know? Heck, show me a link to an online friend test and maybe I'll double post today!

---