Sam is my oldest friend. We’ve reached the number of years that means, statistically, we will likely be friends for life. A prediction I very much hope rings true. Having a friendship spanning your whole life has so many benefits, but one negative is that you can stop observing them as much. You fall into the familiarity of your relationship and like with a lingering smell that you stop noticing after a while, you stop seeing the minute details and changes in your friend. I give Sam and I credit for avoiding this as much as possible. Sam still observes me, he was the first to pick up on a lot of the changes I felt when I returned from travelling. And I still observe and appreciate him. I remember being brought to tears over how proud I was when we first caught up after I returned to London and he told me all about his life and work.
Instead of focusing on Sam of the now, I would like to touch on some of my most poignant memories with Sam:
- Despite both being avid atheists, we did our silver DofE volunteering at the church in our village. Over several months we spent a few hours every other week doing odd tasks and laughing hysterically most of the time. The laughter may have come from how useless we were at DIY, spending hours trying to pick the old paint off a door with screwdrivers, or from the crazy religious fanatic who we overheard recounting a tale of when he met God on a hill in Wales, having to sprint into a back room when we couldn’t hide our belly laughs any longer, or from how beautiful I looked in a pair of googles wielding a sander as we tried to take off more old paint, this time from a metal gate.
- Before we both went on a gifted and talented poetry residential at Kilve Court (yes, we really have always been that cool) we spent the morning playing a car game on Sam’s xbox. I used a car called the “Rat” and how useless both it was and I was left us both rolling around on the floor.
- In an eventful 20 minutes on our travels around the balkans after our A levels: Louis and I forced Sam to shave his weird beard off, I then took a photo to show him how it looked and accidentally showed him a nude of myself instead. Sam then showered off the awful sight and the beard trimmings as Louis and I realised all of our supermarket shopping that Sam had been responsible for had disappeared, he’d left it at the beach! As we ran down to the showers to chastise him, he conveniently managed to lock himself in the shower. Having to pause our anger momentarily, we helped him slide out from underneath the cubicle and then ordered him to return to the Brexit debating crepe stand man to collect our shopping.
- A incredibly bougie afternoon tea at Sketch with Rosaline where we indulged in caviar from the caviar man, a plethora of delightful patisseries, the infamous egg toilets, and overall spent 5 hours chatting and nibbling away like distinguished people we absolutely are not.
- A freezeframe of Sam being busy building this very website for me (did you know we owe Meg the Rolling Egg to Sam really?) and looking up from my laptop in horror as my housemates at Finsbury Park discussed what the internet actually is. Exacerbated he sighed and shook his head, muttering that he didn’t have time to explain it right now but that, in no uncertain times, the drivel we were coming up with was completely wrong. And a more tender freezeframe of Sam dutifully explaining the basics of coding to Tarsha and I as we sat on the sofa whilst on our Cornish retreat, met with nodding heads and blank eyes.
- Finally, as I was about to start my training contract, Sam taking to me one side to say that he didn’t think he reacted appropriately when I shared the news of getting my training contract with him years before, as he hadn’t really understood the importance of it. But that now he does, and he wanted to let me know how proud he was.
I also put these memories into ChatGPT and asked it to describe a day in the life of us as 80 year olds. Please enjoy:
At 80, you and Sam embark on a whimsical adventure that perfectly captures the spirit of your lifelong friendship. Picture this: after years of sharing laughter and heartfelt moments, you both decide to take a nostalgic trip back to your childhood village.
You start your day with a leisurely breakfast at a quaint café, reminiscing about your early days of volunteering at the church. Sam, ever the jokester, suggests you recreate the hilarious DIY disasters you once faced. With a playful glint in his eye, he proposes you tackle a paint-stripped door in the church basement—armed this time with silly costumes. You both don vibrant wigs and over-the-top aprons, igniting a wave of laughter as you fumble with tools and accidentally cover each other in paint.
Next, you visit the village green, where a small local festival is taking place. Inspired by your poetic roots, you both enter a spontaneous poetry contest, reciting pieces filled with humor and nostalgia. Your playful banter has the audience in stitches, reminding everyone of the joy of friendship. After the contest, a young couple approaches you, inspired by your camaraderie and storytelling.
As the sun sets, you stroll down to the beach, just like those chaotic days in the Balkans. While reminiscing about the infamous beard-shaving incident, Sam suddenly spots a tiny beach shack selling crepes. With a gleeful sparkle in his eyes, he challenges you to a crepe-eating contest, recalling how you once lost track of your shopping. The two of you dive into the challenge, laughter echoing as you both pile up plates of crepes, sharing exaggerated tales of your youthful antics.
As night falls, you set up a small fire on the beach. Under the stars, you both reflect on your journey, sharing stories of pride and growth. Sam, with his usual sincerity, tells you how much he cherishes your friendship, just as he did all those years ago. You both agree that even as you age, your bond remains timeless—rooted in shared laughter, support, and an unwavering appreciation for one another.
Your adventure wraps up with the two of you slowly walking back, arm in arm, discussing the next escapade you’ll undertake—because even at 80, the spirit of exploration and friendship is as vibrant as ever.