Friendship Fragile Like Eggs

Men say women don’t know what they want. Women say men don’t know what they want. The verbal table tennis goes on, generation after generation.

However, marriage and relationships are much easier because there are expectations that depend on culture, religion and class. Not with friendship. In the absence of paper maps or GPS, maintaining healthy friendship is a road fraught with pot holes, sink holes, cul de sac, two lane roads turned into one way without prior notice and roads closed altogether.

Marriage vows are broken on the regular but at least they exist. She promises to do this. He promises to do that. Not with friendship. You assume that somebody who is your friend or ‘my guy’ - as men call their friends - would tell you they are getting married. You don’t expect this scenario.

My guy. I need a loan. Wedding expenses are going through the roof.

Whose wedding?

Nomusa and I are doing it man.

Oh!!

This is just an example. Because friendship has no rules, the penniless groom is clueless. He didn’t tell his best friend he’s getting married, now he wants money. I’m assuming it is his best friend because of the loan request. You don’t borrow money from your locker neighbour at the gym.

Because there is no prenup like marriage, friendship is as fragile as eggs. We don’t detect warning signs. We put ourselves on a higher scale, when best friends have totally removed us from the scale. What is the solution? Ignore previous unpaid loans and give him the loan then, delete his number? That’s not an option. You’ll end up with no friends.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.