The Price of Friendship

Yesterday, I had to go to my best friend's graduation ceremony. We had decided previously that we would not buy eachother expensive gifts, settling in stead for flowers. That being said, I was quite happy, since I usually have no idea what to buy for people. Flowers seemed like an easy thing to buy.

Some people suggested that I shouldn't waste money on flowers when I already had a bunch lying around in the house (which I got for my own graduation from people); but I said no, it would feel like cheating if I'd just do that. I am not going to sink that low.

And that is how I entered a flower shop before going to the ceremony. There were quite a few people in front of me so I took my time to look around and pick some flowers to be put in the bouquet. Purple, I needed purple, she likes purple. And then white, so as to keep the accent on the purple and to not make a parrot out of the lovely little gift.

I found a few flowers I thought would go nicely together, but I thought I'd rather ask the lady what she thought. As soon as I was up next, I told her I wanted a combination of purple and white flowers. And that is when she asked me 'Around how much do you intend to spend on the bouquet?'

I was left dumbfounded for a few moments. There was this lady I never met before, asking me to put a price on my friendship with a girl who most likely knows more about me than all other people I know combined. Of course, she didn't mean it like that. She didn't even know who the flowers were for. But that question took me to new metaphoric levels I never thought I could reach. If I say too little, she will consider me to be cheap, if I say too much, I'll be broke.
After pondering for another few seconds, I said a price, she frowned, she picked out the flowers, made a lovely little bouquet, handed it to me and I left the store in a half-zombie mode cause I was still in shock.

Even as I was sitting on the bus going to the event, I sat and pondered...I just had to put a price on our friendship, on the only thing more solid than steel in my world, the only thing that I am sure of and the only thing that was never based on anything financial. And I got bitch-slapped out of that world while buying flowers. And I think I actually felt bad for a moment there because I didnt say 'one bazillion dollars' to the lady. Even that would have been an underestimation. As a matter of fact, anything expressed in tangible things would be an underestimation.

After the ceremony was over, I walked up to her, gave her the pretty purple bouquet and gave her a big hug which she most likely didn't even notice cause her head had to be in a thousand places, just like mine was the day before, at my own graduation. I didnt mind though, since I know that deep inside she is always aware of the fact that I love her more than anything and that feeling gives her the sense of security many of us seek, but possibly never find in the world.