Found this in the archives of two of my oldest friends. Probably sometime in the late 80’s. Jim, my brother from another mother, and I were going on a bike ride through Pennypack Park in Northeast Philadelphia.

At the last minute, Jim tells me that this girl he’s been dating is coming along with us. Ok. No biggie. So we go to meet up with Ana. Walking up to us with her bike is this stunningly beautiful woman. I think, boy Jimmy hit the jackpot! Then we start riding. Ana says we’re going to fast. She can not keep up. I’m thinking, “why in the world did we bring a woman along?”Slowly but surely I’m getting annoyed. Then we come to a big hill in Pennypack. Ana is having a hard time. I get more annoyed. A girl. On one of our extended bike rides. WTF?! 
Jim and I would sometimes do late night bike rides from Bensalem to the Art museum in Philadelphia then come home and watch Letterman. A short 18 mile ride at a quick clip was nothing to us. So, to have a woman (sounds really stupid now) come along and slow us down to me was unthinkable. I also, had never been in love with a woman at that point in my life. I believe Jim was in love with Ana at first sight. 
So, Ana wants to take a break and we find a 7-11 in the Fox Chase area. We had already ridden really far, and she was still with us. I start thinking she might not be that bad. At 7-11, Ana gets me a drink and some snacks. We then shared some laughs and have been the best of friends ever since. She is like a sister to me.They are both and have always been family to me. The type of people in my life that I may not speak with for months of even years, but if I pick up the phone to chat with either of them, it is as though I spoke with them yesterday. I can maybe think of only 5 or 6 people in my life that I can say that about. 
We might not be family by blood, but most certainly are in the most important area that matters, and that my friends is love.