So, Will thinks he’s the new captain of the ship, does he? Not so, I’m afraid – yes, I’m back as I said I would be, and it’s thanks to a question I was asked a couple of weeks ago that I now feel the compulsion to answer. I feel like most people would be able to answer it quickly, confidently and knowledgeably, but when it comes to this I am not “most people”, because it requires a closed and definite but extensive reply that I am simply unable to give. What is this question, I hear you ask? Nothing quite as dramatic as I might be making it sound, but let me enlighten you.

It was Emily who posed it – not so much as a question, but a request. “Describe your three closest friends without using their names”, she said. Now, Emily and I have been talking rather a lot recently, to the extent that I could easily have included her in my description – indeed, I initially felt a little pressured to do so. But I could also have included Will, Deanna, Tamara and a number of others who have each been a big part of my life, and it was at that point that I realised I would find it really hard to nominate three of my friends as best ones, let alone to know what to say about them. You might think I’m too much of a wuss to commit to three choices for fear of upsetting the people left out, but I genuinely think of all my friends as being on an even keel, all equally as important to my life with personalities that would be sorely missed if they were to vanish. It’d feel wrong and against who I am to suggest any kind of hierarchy, or that one is more loved than another. To me, it is vital that everyone is treated equally no matter who they are and that mentality spreads to every part of my life, including this one. It’s why, when I’ve fallen out with people in the past, the whole predicament will stay on my mind for as long as it takes for the situation to be resolved – or, in the sadder situations, for me to move on from it.

Emily, I hope this answers your question to some extent. I know you’ve been waiting a little while for it and I apologise if it’s not quite what you were looking for, but the answer for me is simple as aforementioned, and I have given one that is as comprehensive as I can make it without lying to myself. If you’re a friend of mine, you should know you’re the best, and that as long as you’re near me you’ll be just as valued and appreciated as anyone else nearby.

Mason