Many people have good friends.
I have many. But when anyone asks who my best friend was in school, I have to say, without pausing, Neal. In the Northern Virginia area, home of the Transient Job Phenomena, having a friend that lasts more than a few years is rare. While your family may stay put, others move in and out ever few years with the lobbying tides of the Washington DC area. As may be evident in other essays, I was not Mr. Popular.