December 21, 2006

Friends wrapped up in boxes

I've lately been reading Native Son by Richard Wright. One of the themes in the story is how everyone sees what they want to see and is blinded by their stereotypes/prejudices. For example, in the story, after Bigger, a black boy, kills a white girl, no one suspects him because it is assumed a black boy wouldn't dare kill a white girl.

Applied to my friends, this makes a lot of sense to me. Often times the only way I know what's going on in Matt's life is through his blog. I take him for granted and assume I know what's going on with him. Updates feel like talking to relatives: all facts, and basic facts at that. When I think about him I see him how he's always been, and I assume he's not changed. So when he posts on his blog, it often blindsides me. If I saw him one on one with a girl I'd assume he was a friend doing something nice for her, not a guy on a date. Chances are, since he's surprised me so much lately, that he'd be on a date.

I'm a little tired of not knowing my friends anymore. Being surprised by the changes in them. I feel like I see each of them so rarely. My daily interactions are with other friends; I miss my dear friends from Cheney.

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