In honor of International Friendship Day, we’re sharing these stories from Reader’s Digest that hit us right in the feels. Give your bestie a hug today!
Bill & Giovanni
I met my best friend, Bill Cervenka, at work. I was 23, and he was 85, but it seemed I had more in common with him than with any friends my age. We were both really stubborn. He always had an umbrella, and whenever it was raining after work, he used to say, “Let me walk you to your car.” I would always decline the offer, but he would say, “I’m walking you to your car whether you like it or not.”
Bill and I always took the same lunch break. He didn’t recognize many of my Mexican dishes and often asked what I was eating. I always offered him a taste, along with some of my Oreos. Eventually it became our tradition that every time a new limited edition Oreo flavor was released, we waited to try it together.
Bill passed away in April 2019. I miss him every day. Now I always carry my umbrella and make sure people without one don’t get wet. And when someone declines my offer, I say, “I’m walking you whether you like it or not.” —Giovanni Paz Villa, Plainfield, Illinois
Bill & Bobby
Bill Greenhaw was a retired school principal who looked rather stern. He was an organist and highly respected in our church. I wore leather jackets and rode a motorcycle. One day, I jokingly asked him if he would like to go out to lunch with me on my bike. To my surprise, he accepted!
He was the opposite of me in so many ways, but he enjoyed riding with me on my bike. We took many rides together, but he never told anyone about them. I think it brought out a sense of adventure in him, and I was the only person he felt comfortable sharing that side of himself with. He was shy around most people. At his funeral, I told his family about our rides, and they were astonished. I miss his kind and gentle character, and our rides together. —Bobby Mills, Macon, Georgia
Connie & Susan
I met Connie in 1976, when we were both competing in a tae kwon do tournament. Both red belts, we had been paired to compete against each other. As we sat next to each other waiting for our match, Connie began to talk to me. She was friendly and had a wonderful smile. I was struck by how nice she was. Then we got up to compete. Connie suddenly put on the fiercest face you can imagine. This terrified me. Out of self-preservation, I proceeded to kick her in the head—twice—and won the match.
Despite this, Connie and I became close friends. And despite our many differences, we have remained friends throughout the last 43 years. Connie is Black and I am White. She was raised in a big city and I was brought up in a small town. Connie is a liberal Democrat and I am a conservative Republican.
Connie now lives on the East Coast and I live in northern Wisconsin, but we keep in touch through social media. One of her favorite things to do is to introduce me as her bestie who put a foot in her face. —Susan Liss, Summit Lake, Wisconsin
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