Even Prison Bars Can’t Come Between Good Friends

When I was younger, I knew a boy who was the perfect example of that friend everyone considered a bad influence. He drank at a young age, got in trouble in school, and had a few minor brushes with the law — the sort of things you can kind of get away with when still young enough for police to drag you back to your parents for a stern scolding but would result in a fine or a jail time if done when older.

None of my family liked him, my father being the most vocal of them. He made it no secret that he wished I’d end that particular friendship — though, to his credit, as vocal as he was about disapproving, he respected my decisions enough that he never tried to force me to end our friendship.

I admit that [Friend] managed to drag me into a few minor forms of teenage rebellion — things my father might not have approved of but were relatively benign — but I had the good sense to say no to any of the more dangerous things.

Eventually, [Friend] pushed his boundaries too far and faced two, somewhat related, major problems in a row as a result, which seemed to scare him into straightening up. I did my best to support him through it all when he didn’t have anyone else to support him.

Around the time when I graduated from high school, I distinctly remember my father telling me that he had been wrong to tell me I should end my friendship with [Friend] since I’d been such a positive influence in helping him straighten out. It was a short conversation at the time, and I doubt my father even remembers it, but it was one that really resonated with me and meant a lot at the time.

I convinced [Friend] to join the military with me to help cover college costs, and eventually, we both signed up to essentially be contracted out by the military as security guards for a local prison. It’s a mind-numbingly boring job, but it pays for college, so I can’t really complain.

Of course, I discussed these plans with my family.

Father: “You know, I always said that if you stayed friends with [Friend], he’d eventually do something that would land you both in prison. I’ve been vindicated at last!”