I had a couple "best friends" growing up. Jeff was one of them. We even joined the Navy the same time. I called his Mother MoM, he called my mother Mom, etc. He was with a girl that he lived with, he, her and I would go out partying together, etc. she used to babysit my son. (from another women). We were friends, but no more than that. Never flirted or anything. He got to drinking a lot. I mean like alcoholic drinking. He started changing. Only hung out with his good time friends from the bar. Started getting pretty nasty. Really started treating her like s@#t. She didn't deserve it. Started being an asshole toward me. It wasn't any jealousy thing. He knew we were just friends, her and I. He even said that. There wasn't anything going on. He would do weird shit when it was just him and her at their place. Like playing with his knives and guns to intimidate her. Saying freaky shit. One night, we were all hanging out at their place, and he and her got into it, in the house. I was outside, trying to mind my own business. She came out of the house scared shitless. She said she called her dad to come get her. She had tried making him leave for months prior to this. Like I said, he got freaky, and just refused to leave. He slept on the couch. He and I grew up together, but it was like I didn't know this guy anymore. He was somebody different. The booze really got to him. I rented an apartment, where I lived by myself. Anyway, her dad showed up, gave my buddy a piece of his mind, loaded up some things, and got her in the truck. She didn't know what to do with her stuff. I mentioned I had some room for her to put some stuff. I went home. Her dad asked her, where ya going kid? She told him, out to my place. It's been about twenty years, and she hasn't left yet. Guess she's having trouble finding a place. Since then, he straightened out some, and we are all still friends. Nobody has held any grudges. He is still an alchy though. Sad. We haven't hung out in quite awhile. No particular reason. Just the way things are. Jobs and time and stuff. Her and I started out just friends. It grew to be more in time. I don't think Harlequin will be contacting me though.
