What’s your longest running friendship?
 

Me. Larry. Our parents hung cloth diapers while talking to each other over the fence. 50+ years easy. We are planning a motorcycle journey together. There’s the logistical issue of he’s in Denver, I’m on the west coast.

But we get along no matter what.

Yours? Call mine 91% of my life.

John and me about 51-52 years. As we say, I don't know when I met John he's just always been there.

Mike, the kid that lived across the street from me. Exact same age, similar interest (for the first 20 years I have known him), walked to grade school together for many years. He now lives about 6 miles away in Pasadena. See him a couple times a year due to family, career and all the grown up things we have to deal with. He too wants to move to another state less crowded when his girl goes off to college in a couple more years. His kid is one year older our oldest.

I still have a few friends from grade school. 60 years ago. Holy crap, those guys are old!

Buddy Jimbo...his parents moved here when we were both grade school..,what? 1954 or so? His life much more adventurous than mine, but we've always been in touch. Since we first met..his dream; "I want to be a jet pilot"...and he was. Flew F-111's out of England for uncle, then flew for American until retiring at age 60....now living with his 2nd wife, a sweetheart of a lady, in Hawaii.

Jim & I talked, sort of, last week. After hanging up I cried. Jim has some form of dementia...sounds like close to the final stage. :(

Mr Jan and I. By chance we were born in the same hospital. Me at night him the next morning. We became friends in high school and our moms remembered eachother.

Jan has a very beautiful GF, and I've told her "With the mixups with babies back in the day I could very well be Jan and should be living with you, and Jan is actually Bill." Haha, I think she's getting sick of that joke by now.

Every morning I have coffee with someone I have known sice 82. I spend every Saturday with a couple guys I have known since 77 or so. I get together a few times every year with people I have known since 70. I dont have a lot of new friends but I have some great old ones.

I met my best friend our senior year of high school (1976). We did everything together until he passed away 5 years ago. **** cancer.

Close friends that I am in regular contact with:

Aaron since 1987.
My wife since 1995.
Justin 1997.
Jason 1998.
Jeff 1998.
Colin 1995.

Lots and lots of others since 2000.

My bestie Sharon. We met in under grad in '75. Been friends ever since.
She was my +1 at FB IIs wedding.

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Besides my brother (we share the same b-day, two years apart), I'd have to say it's my buddy Zeke. His grandma lived up the street from us. He was born in the town I grew up in, Santa Monica, but was moved back to KC MO at a young age. His dad was a big wheel at TWA and that's where their hub was located.
Zeke could fly for free so came out to visit his grandma every summer. He and I are the same age. We got to know each other at about the age of 8 or 9, so it's been about 61 or 62 years. We've managed to keep in touch thru the years for forever it seems. He is a great guy. Loaned me money to buy my first motorcycle. My brother sold him his old '67S when he was bucks up and wanting a P-car. Still has it but hasn't driven it in a long long time. We facetime now, just to keep us feeling young.

One of my friends from middle school in '78.

The one thing I look forward to is our annual local camping trip. What started this was a get together for those who went away for college during the summer. We used to drive up to the Sierra but not we dial back the drive and do it locally, normally in the hills north west of San Diego. We just went a few weeks ago.

The core group, the four of us, but now, some of their siblings and their families would come along. But the core group of the four of us shown up each and every year. Really puts a smile on our faces.

David. We were BFFs until about age 13. He is around. Trying not to be found somehow...
Scott. Since age 3. Not that close
A bunch from kindergarten.
Chip from 2nd grade
Scott and Marcus from 4th grade
Ben and Ben from jr high.

Had lunch with Ben last week.

Above is what happens when your parents don’t move.

I grew up in a small town; 33 in my graduating high school class. I went to kindergarten with 27 of them. I still keep in touch with about 1/3 of them. Only four of us showed up to the 30 year reunion.

My friend Dick who I've known since 1951. Unfortunately the last time I heard from him a couple of years ago, he had been experiencing a long period of poor health. I'm sort of afraid to try to contact him. He may not be around anymore. We used to hike in the mountains above the little town we lived in and plan for our escape there "when the Russians came." We maintained a stash of canned goods and other supplies in the mountains including a couple of cans of Prince Albert tobacco and rolling papers.

30 years and counting with these guys, yours truly at center in the blue shirt
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We've been buds since around 6th grade. Now we live all around the world and we still get together (usually just the guys but every once in a while with families) every year or so, getting together this August in Colorado as a matter of fact.

My two oldest friends im still in contact with often. One. I met in 7th grade, he went to college, I joined the military. Later in California, we ended up being room mates while we both were starting our Careers. (Good times) He's back in Oregon now, but we talk often.

The second, I met during my Sophomore year in high-school. We met while working at McDonald's together, then we quit there to work at a gas station. That was a cool gig, because we could work on our cars there after work. He owned the first motorcycle i ever rode. Unfortunately he also owned the first motorcycle I ever crashed which was that same bike later that day....yet he still a couple years later, after buying a brand new GSXR1100 let me ride it when I came home from boot camp.. I took it for a quick spin around the block and I swear he held his breath the entire time. I could see his relief when I pulled up. We still ride today. Usually a couple big multiple day rides a year in addition to trackdays and such. He's the best rider I know.

I have good friends that I've made as an adult. But there is something extremely comforting and familiar with those two guys..we did stupid kid stuff together, stupid teenage stuff driving my GTO way to fast and stupid together and now have finished our similiar careers paths together. Its funny, I'll soon be driving that same GTO up to my buddies house so we can use his lift to put a new Tremec transmission in it.. Some things never change.

Oldest friend I still see regularly is an Austrian woman who was an exchange student in my town when I was 13. She was 16 then. I've visited her in Austria about 20x since then and she's been here a few times since as well. Her son has visited me too.

Mr. FlatButt, what a lovely picture!

Career moves, moving for college and work has made people come in and out of my life. I don't count social media contact as a friendship. Friends are people who would come get you if you're stranded 300 miles away somewhere. I think there are probably only a few people who would do that for me. Probably my friend Lori who I've known for around 11 years is the longest friendship by that standard.

My friend Silvana would probably go to the ends of the Earth too. My buddy Salvadore who I've known for about 15 years would move Heaven and Hell for me, and I for him but he moves around a lot for his religious mission work.

My wife. Married 37 years this August, started dating in HS 1980.

I met my friend when I was 13. We still keep in touch. He has lived in Portugal for 20 years. We visit whenever I’m in Europe

I have several long term friendships.

my oldest is a woman who I went to Sunday school in the 7th and 8 the grade. That was in 1963-64 I worked with her for 2- years until she retired. We joke about our elementary school years all of the time.

I have a few HS 1964 -1968) friends, I stay in contact with.
My closest friend who I consider a brother I met in 1975. I worked for his family business. I know the entire family. They treat me like their own.

Over the years, I have built a network of collogues and friends - it's a close group.

I'm still in touch with several friends from my 1st and 2nd grade classes.

That is the one thing I just don't have. As an Air Force brat we would move constantly, and even if we spent two years at one place my friends were mostly Air Force brats and they would move. My high school friends were people I knew for two years, and a few for a while after high school, but then I moved to a city almost 900 miles away.

When I arrived in Oklahoma City in 1978 I knew my grandparents and a few co workers. All the co-workers were married at the time had had no interest in hanging out with the single guy after work. My grandparents were wonderful and I loved them dearly, but they are not a lot of fun to hang with as a 20 something single guy.

I met several great friends through PCA and I would have to say the 43 years I have been friends with some of those guys is the longest. We (wife and I) ate dinner just last week with a couple I met "back in the day" of the late 1970s.

So true lifelong friends is something foreign to me. I learned to make friends quickly, and how to talk to anyone since I was always the new kid at every school. From 1st grade to 11th grade every single year I heard the teachers say "class this is Glen the new kid" and I started with a clean slate.

When I was 5, I think, dad left the policy force and went back into the Navy. After the first year or two we moved every ~3 years. I did very little keeping in touch with folks after I moved.

I have 3 HS buddies as friends on FB. We keep in very casual touch via FB. We all live in different states from where we lived when we knew each other. I've known them since 1985.

I'm in contact with a couple of folks from college. I used to be really close to one and wish I still was, but we do still keep in casual touch. I've known them since 1989. We are all in different states (couldn't be spread much farther apart in the continental US).

My wife is my best friend. We've known each other 27 years now.

1962

My buddy Chuck, met in pre-k...soon will be 50 years.

My core group of friends are all from Jr high or High school church youth group (40+ years), with others who I've know for 20-25 years. I have acquaintances I hang out with, cannot stand BS and small talk, have lost a few friends too, like the guy who bailed because I didn't "loan" him 3000.00. At least I know the price of our friendship.

Met Ralph playing football in the street in front of the house in 1959. Having lunch tomorrow in Malibu, about half way from where we both live.

My two longest known friends are from 1981.

For the next dude, we're around 1993. He's the Army buddy that I watch the Army/Navy game every year since 2005 at the same bar.

But in 1999, I found this joint. Lurked for awhile, liked what I was reading.

Joined officially Mar2002, and next thing you know, I have an authentic handmade Chinese wok. Secret to Happiness my ass. Friggin' dream about 928's. ;)

And don't get me started on Thom. That sumbeech makes Luddites horny. SmileWavy

I count many of you here as close friends.

Yeah, I'm talkin to you Rick, Lee, Sid..and friggin' Chuck!!!
Never mind that I have your numbers as well, just don't confuse me with the facts.

I dont have friends i have associates.

They just keep dieing on me.

1. ARCHY..B24 pilot ww2..about 15 years he was 85
2. IAN..forgot more about spoons than i know. About 14 years..long illnes early 70s
3. Harry was in the Wild One wt Brando. 5 years 95
4. Jack electrical contractor 29.years congestive heart failure 81
5. Sandy 2nd Chair art collector author 14 years cancer 67

Longest term associate 1973 or 48 years..he is 82.

My mom shared a crib as a baby with the boy that grew up to be my dad's best friend and best man at their wedding. Mom's best friend lived two doors down, and was just one month older than mom. Dad's first date ever was with mom's friend. My parents knew each other literally all their lives but did not stat dating until coelleg age. They were married for 54 years before mom died.

1959. age 5.
same bs .....

That would be a certain Steve O'Grady.
He's long lean dude I met right after moving to Everett the 2nd time in 1974.
It was a new middle school for me and there was one other guy hanging out on the playground as tall (Albeit somewhat less geeky) than I was.
We started talking.

Haven't stopped for more than a month for 45 years now, 45 years of cherished memories and adventures together, backpacking trips, motorcycle rides and for the last 22 years we have camped and stayed at the Resort or Ross lake for 5 days usually.

I'm a lucky man to share so many good and tough times with Steve.
Even have our own lingo of references born from Firesign Theater, Monty Python etc, etc where nobody else could follow what the hell we are talking and laughing about.

One of our many trips up the Foss Lakes area, 1978.
Steve has run smack into a tree.
Again.

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I’m 46, and met my oldest friend when I was 13. There was an auto hobby store in Atlanta that I could not be kept away from, and David was a freshman Ga Tech student at the time who did the books on Saturdays, when I was there. My dad, bless his heart, took me there seemingly every Saturday from around age 11-12 until I could drive. Sometimes he had to threaten to leave without me to get me to leave, and once he actually had to do it, though of course he had to go back. David and I probably didn’t actually become friends until a few years later - there’s a big difference between 13 and 19 - but that’s when I met him so that’s what I’m sticking with.

I have two close friends in Minneapolis that I met in 1965 and 1966, which would be kindergarten and first grade, (two different schools and two new best friends). Ironically, they are both named Paul and I stayed with each of them in Mpls. last summer.

I would have referred to each of them as my best friend for many years of my life, Paul K. from age 7 to teenager and Paul S. from teenager until much later. I moved to CA. at age 23, so of course I have made close friends over the years here and have new best friends. My oldest close friend in Los Angeles dates from 1986 and I have several around the same vintage. My closest friend in Minneapolis as an adult is a guy I have been inseparable from since meeting in 1980. I knew his sister longer, from HS.

So basically, I'm getting old and have very long time friends. I've always had a knack for friendship and been blessed with great friends, it's something that I'm very grateful for. :)

I have 5 that I have hung out with since before 1st grade (actually 1 was 3rd grade). We see each other a few times a year. I am blessed to have them in my life. They are all very special to me.

Two from growing up in California, 5th grade. 1968.

One was the all CIF HS player of the year twice in football. Remarkable athlete. My other buddy and I played at a much less stellar level but, we like to tell ourselves, we somehow contributed.

We didn't.

I see those two once every five years or so but we chat three times a year on our birthdays. Odd, I know, but it works.

Three others from finishing HS in South Carolina. 1975.

I have a genuine admiration for all of them: they are all good men I shared apex moments with, low ebbs, all points in between.

They are all funny, btw, two in particular.

All that said, one of my sisters, the closet in age to me, 18 months older than I am, have always been close, friends. She means the world to me and I her, we still do. She made the journey easier and helped peel back the mystery of women. I am eternally grateful.

Us boys back in 1974 or '75

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