There were two people I met during my stint at John Hancock who became lifelong friends: JoAnn and Kira. I met Kira first – she was already working there when I started. One of the quietest people I’d encountered, she kept to herself, did her work, and rarely interacted with anyone. I admired that sort of self-possession, even as I knew it was founded on uncertainty and doubt. Unsure of her English, Kira rarely spoke to anyone, but slowly, over time, we got her to join us for lunch, and she began to share her own stories.
JoAnn started after I was there for a few weeks, and as the new girl from Cape Cod she had her own battles to wage, and sometimes they were directly with me. Those early days of our friendship were tempestuous and incendiary, as we both had a love of drama at that point in our lives. Our fights were epic – the whole office weighed in on them, and witnessed many in person. Neither of us can recall what any of the bickering was about, but we must have been entangled in some battle when I sent this book around to be signed. Only Kira has an entry, and hers was the last. Reading it again, it’s clear she found her voice by that point, and took me to task right about the time when my boyfriend at the time had thrown me a surprise party that did’t go according to plan. That’s another story for another time – for now, the story shifts to Kira’s point of view:
“Que pasa? Alan, you need to stop doing things the way you do because it isn’t fair to mistreat your friends. I know you are a good friend and because I’m your friend I’m telling you this for your own benefit. Some people are not as patient as me and everyone have a limit and if you keep up with your attitude you will be alone. So if you want to have friends in this life you should try to treat them good. Just be yourself because you’re a good person and people would like you for what you are. You are one of my good friends and I’m sure going to miss you very much because I spend good and bad times with you, more good than bad. I also learned a lot from you and I hope that you do things for others because you really feel like doing it, not just because people own your stuff. PS – Also slow down on your drinks, good luck in Chicago. Tu amiga, Kira!! Love you!!”
