An Agreeable Friend

When I was eight years old and was spending a weekend visiting my Aunt Libby at her home, a middle aged man called one evening and after a polite skirmish with my aunt, he devoted his attention to me.

At that time, I happened to be excited about boats; the visitor discussed the subject in a way that seemed to me particularly interesting.

After he left, I spoke of him with enthusiasm. "What a man! And how tremendously interested in boats!" My aunt informed me he was a New York businessman and that he cared nothing whatever about boats, took not the slightest interest in the subject.

"But why then did he talk all the time about boats?" "Because he is a gentleman. He saw you were interested in boats, and he talked about the things he knew would interest and please you. He made himself agreeable". I never forgot my aunt's remark.

More thoughts on friendship:
"My coat and I live comfortably together. It has assumed all my wrinkles, does not hurt me anywhere, has moulded itself on my deformities , and is complacent to all my movements , and I only feel its presence because it keeps me warm. Old coats and old friends are the same thing."
Victor Hugo

"Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which strengthens with the setting sun of life."
La Fontaine

"To be a friend a man should go more than halfway with his fellow men; he should greet others first and not wait to be greeted."
Wilfred A. Peterson

"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; if I can ease one life the aching, or cool any pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain."
Emily Dickinson