to say hello

[Foha]

When I was 8 we moved to a new house. So did another family, two houses down. The parents from both households talked one sunset in our front driveway. When they we leaving my dad talked to me, suggesting that I walk to school with their youngest son, and become his friend. I asked, "What if he doesn't like me or want to be my friend?" My dad suggested I should give it a try because he just moved here and surely has none.

I went to their house and knocked, asking to see him. When he answered I asked if he wanted to hang out and be friends. He said no and closed the door on me. Iwould show up every school morning and knock on their door. After a while his sister would answer. I remember her finding it funny, and telling me that he told her to tell me he isn't there, but that he actually is. I laughed and asked if he's going to school, and she said he will sneak out the back. I'd run around the house and catch up to him. For the first few times he was very rude, calling me names and insulting me. He told me to stop trying to be his friend, and to stop following him. I said, "well, we are both going the same way. We go to the same school, so I'm just walking next to you anyway"

After a week of being nice despite his attitude and cracking really bad jokes, he invited me to spend the night. It was the first time I ever watched an anime. We went to Blockbuster, and rented a third of their anime collection. We went to Sonic and I had my first slushie. Was the first time I had top ramen and my first sleepover. We stayed up late watching Akira, which was bizzarely adult and scary for an animation.

We became best friends and did almost everything together for the next 5 years or so. But that night my friend no longer considered me an enemy, and invited me to spend the night as a kid, is one of my all time favorite memories.