you can tell a lot about a guy by what kind of music he turns on when you’re in the car.

there was the guy whose bass blew out my eardrums
who texted the entire way there.

there was the sweet guy who cued up his rap playlist but turned it down a couple notches so he could hear what i had to say.

but my favorite to ride with was the guy who turned the random radio station down and talked to me for thirty minutes about life and the future.
i still don’t know what song was playing.

i have one friend
who i can sit and talk to for hours
about politics and
feminism
and Christianity.

i have another
who makes us all question everything.
he always asks “why?”
he has an ability to form an opinion so different from what is “normal.”

i also have a friend
who sings so loudly
even though he doesn’t sound the best...
he is a leader among us,
and he shoots free throws with me in the gym after church.

i have one more friend
who i’ve known for a very long time
and who is so goofy.
he’s always doing something funny
and he’s one of the most loyal people i’ve ever met.

one i know i’ll be friends with forever,
another i’ll probably consult every so often if i have an important deep question.
another who is looking at the basketball team of the school who’s journalism program i love,
and my family will always be connected to the other one’s.
it worries me to think about the future;
i’m living so strongly in the now.