Friend from twenties

I first met Paul when we both lived in the Park Lane Apartments - the place of choice for twenty-somethings short on cash and willing to put up with no heat, leaking ceilings and roaches scurrying in the bathroom. He let me use his phone when I locked myself out of my apartment after picking up a six-pack for the Cardinal’s game that afternoon. We started trading batting statistics and five hours later we were stumbling around his apartment cheering the Card’s victory. Forgetting my keys was the smartest dumb thing I’ve ever done.

In a sense, Paul and I grew up together throughout our twenties. We experienced the most important times in our lives over those years and Paul stood by me through thick and thin. When I lost my job, when I lost my house, he was there by my side. When my business crumbled and when my dog ran off, he supported me. And now I’m virtually bankrupt and my girlfriend recently left me, Paul is still beside me, helping me through it all. But it’s really starting to annoy me – I was fine before I met him.