My name is Chris Bocklet, I grew up in Praeterita, Minnesota. I attended Praeterita High School along with my then best friend Robert Emery. Now what was that high school is a barren, ghostly, old plot of dirt with three or four patches of grass. Although much happened while I was there it is now a forgotten wasteland. No one has set foot on it in eight years, until now. I have made my way there to tell you this story, the story of me and my old friend Rob.
Ever since I met Rob, he had been getting himself and later me along with him, into trouble; and for as long as I remember, I typically helped him to get out of it. The first time I met Rob, he had placed himself in an interesting situation. It was the 1st grade and he had sloppily eaten a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich. He touched a pole and got his hand stuck to it. I walked by with a peculiar look on my face and returned to say, “Hey, you need some help guy?”
He replied, “No, I just felt like sticking around this pole all day! Of course I need help.”
“You are lucky I am in a good mood guy.” I exclaimed. Earlier that day I had put a plastic knife in my pocket from lunch and I proceeded to pry him free.
After he shook hands with me and said, “My name is Rob.”
“I guess we are going to get to know each other now smart one!” and as we talked on our way to the bathroom to wash off, a friendship was bonded through peanut butter.

As our friendship went on Rob got into more trouble than peanut butter messes. Rob and I were always good basketball players. He was better than me at basketball, but Rob didn’t have the same dedication towards school that I did. Rob planned on using basketball to take care of his future. He talked back to the teachers, didn’t do his homework unless I helped, and convinced him to do it. Even though he was a poor student, Rob was still a good friend. If anyone said anything about me behind my back while Rob was around, they came to school the next day with a bruised face. By the time Rob and I were freshman in high school, we did everything. We ate together and even trained for the basketball season together even though Rob one upped me on everything.


I had a good feeling going into high school. The first day was outstanding. My teachers were funny and exceptionally intelligent. The kids were friendly to Rob and I, we amassed a large group of friends all with similar interests. Then later that day I had gym with Rob. One of the six classes Rob and I had together. As the past history of the day might foreshadow we were playing basketball and me and Rob excelled. We miraculously ended up on the same team and no one in class could keep up with us. The most important part of that day was I did not receive any homework what so ever.

The next month was similar to that first day. The basketball season had started, and Rob and I had proven to be the best players on the team. I was leading the team in assists, and Rob was leading the team in points. At practice on Monday before our big rivalry game on Friday against Futurm High School our coach spoke to the team.
“Guys we got a big game on Friday but I think we can take em.” Our coach explained
“Yay” our whole team shouted.
“We have had a great season so far and all you guys have played great, especially Rob and Chris. I’m proud of the way you guys have played. Now come Friday I want to see you kick some falcon tail out on that court right there.”

I had gotten everything I could have hoped for in my first year of high school. Rob came over to my house the next night and I thought it was just like any other night but it would alter both mine and Rob’s life forever. Rob seemed really nervous and I kept asking what he was worried about but he wouldn’t tell me. Then Rob had the audacity to ask out my sister Michelle right in front of my face. He didn’t ask me if I thought it was okay for him to date her and since she was my younger sister I became infuriated. I wanted to protect her from the troublesome guys out there and now I believed my best friend was one of them. When Rob went home that night I confronted my sister.

“Why Michelle? Why would you want to date him?”

“Well he is your best friend!”

“Exactly! I know him the best and I know he is not very trustworthy and he doesn’t have his future planned out.”

“Well I’m sorry mom but I make my own decisions!”
Then she stormed off to her room and didn’t talk to me for the next couple days. I talked to Rob at school.
“Why the h*ll did you do that Rob?”
“Cuz she is hot duh.”
“She is my sister Rob and I don’t trust her with you!”
“You don’t trust me!”
“Yes I don’t”
“Well then why are we friends?”
“I don’t know anymore.”
“Then the principal grabbed me by the shoulder and said I need to see you both in my office now!”
“This is all your d*mn fault Chris”.
“You’re the one who started this Rob”.
“Boys I will be the one talking here. Your behavior this morning was completely unacceptable and I can’t let this kind of thing go on at my school. I have no other choice but to suspend you two from the game on Friday.”
“But it’s against Futurm it’s the biggest game of the season!”
“I don’t care how important it is I can’t have this behavior at my school no matter who you are.”
Chris and I didn’t talk to each other after that. This was a problem during basketball, usually in sports you may hate or have something against someone on the other team and this is good for competition but one two players from the same team hate each other it creates problems. I don’t think we ever passed to one another for the rest of the season and the team ended up losing every game since then. I got accepted into Princeton University and Rob got a full ride to UCLA to play basketball. Now I realize I made some mistakes in High school. I lost my best friend in high school and it was the biggest mistake of my life.
“You bet it was Chris.”
“Rob?!”
“You know for a Princeton grad you’re not very smart.”
“How was UCLA Robert?”
“Went better than our old school buddy.”
“Yay, it is pretty sad.”
“Crazy though this hoop is still here.”
Rob launched an old basketball into my gut right on my tie.
“You know girls always screw things up.”

“Ain’t that the truth?”