Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Trey Smith

One aspect of this move that I haven't touched on is the issue of friends. In my own strange way, I have made many "friends" during my time in South Bend. However, only 2 of these many people could be termed close friends and that may be stretching it a tad. In all honesty, I really have only one close friend -- Della.

Most of the people I've met are workers at various businesses. Whenever I go into their store or we see each other in town, we converse. But with only a very few exceptions, I have never been to their homes or they to mine and we don't go out to do things together. I don't know their spouses/partners and, for the most part, I don't know their children. Though a stranger hearing our banter might think we are the best of friends, almost all of these people truly fall into the category of acquaintances.

As it stands, there are three guys I will miss: Paul, Dan and Steve. Of these three, I have only been to Paul's abode. I have only gone out to eat with Paul and Dan. But these three are the ones I would truly call friends.

And yet, I won't grieve leaving them behind. My contact with them has been limited because my forays into the social world are limited. I suppose this is one of the benefits of being an autistic introvert. While others can become distraught at leaving solid friendships behind, I don't make very many solid friendships, so that's not much of a problem. Besides, once I settle into my new normal, I will forget the old normal. That may sound sad to many of you, but that's just the way I operate.