The Tom Zone Question of the Day

One thing I've realized from reading my various neighbors' blogs, is that nearly all of my Vox peeps watch (or have watched) "House, MD." This begs the question: are you a House or a Wilson? In most of your friendships, are you the unpredictable, creative, oft-annoying friend, or are you the conservative, supportive friend? It's possible to be a House in one friendship and a Wilson in the other, but typically, I think people are more one than the other. Discuss. (and Happy Easter)

I'm definitely more of a House.  I don't say this to harp on my brilliance or anything, but I tend to be the unpredictable insane genius-type person in a relationship.  I can also be moody and aloof at times, although I'm never exactly boring.

I think back to my friend, Mark, who worked at the station across the hall from mine.  A few times a night, I'd go into his studio, and we'd talk.  Basically, I'd say stuff, and he'd laugh.  He was smart, and hard-working, and funny in his own way, but he was also a little on the conservative side.  Once, my truck got repossessed (seems the bank wanted me to pay them every month or something), and he drove me to Tampa to fetch it.  I cashed a big talent fee check, and we rode across the bridge.   We found the place, a desolate little trailer occupied by a 20-ish girl watching "Another World" on a portable tv.  I said something to her about Amanda--yeah, I watched AW while I was in college--and riffed with her for awhile.  I gave her a large amount of cash, and she gave me my keys.  We got the truck, and I met Mark for lunch later.  He asked me, "How the hell do you DO that?" Meaning, how was I able to strike up a conversation with this girl--we named her Krystal, because she seemed like a Krystal--when I knew nothing about her? I told him I was just full of shit, I guess, and ordered a reuben from Sherry the Waitress. 

We were good friends for a few years.  I made him meet me at my Bennigan's to watch "The Lion King" one night--he'd never seen it--and he was amazed that I knew all the waitresses, hostesses, and bartenders so well.  I told him it was fleeting, that they weren't real friends, that they and I would forget each other as soon as I stopped drinking there. 

Just as Wilson found House on the floor, OD'd and wrecked, so Mark saw me at my worst.  He'd lend me $20 when I had no money and no gas, even though he probably knew I'd go buy Bourbon with it.  (I did) 

He left the radio station, and I left the world of people.  I caught up with him a couple years later.  He's a great guy.  For a few years, he was my Wilson.

Now, I'm less than two hours from starting my new position at Job #1.  Friday was my last day with my old team.  They got a cake, and our supervisor got us a conference room for a little goodbye party.  It was flattering and very nice.  They said they'll miss me, and they will.  I'll miss them, too.

I realized, during this little exercise, that I don't have a big stable of friends.  I have a lot of people whom I consider friends, but not a lot in the "active" category.  After a few years, they move on, or I move on.  It's never a bad ending, really--even Crackhead Gary left town on good terms with me.  Maybe I just meet people on the cusp of change.  Maybe I'm a pain in the ass to have around all the time.  Either way, I'm grateful for the people in my life, the Houses and the Wilsons alike.

Happy Easter.