[the Writing of Kuypers][JanetKuypers.com][Bio][Poems][Prose]

picking my friends I had a friend while I was in high school, her name was Kim, she was a bit... progressive, shall we say, a bit outspoken. She was the type that followed rock bands with hopes to get a photograph or sleep with them. She had bright red hair in a mohawk, wore dark make-up. I remember once she came over and dad looked at her and said, are you going to sue your hairdresser for what they did to you? Well, anyway, I spent a lot of time with her while I was in high school, and while I didn’t chop all of my hair off (I was too insecure to make a statement with no meaning at fifteen), our friendship had an effect on my well-being. She was often ill-tempered, and I found myself getting into arguments with her, feeling stressed because of her. And mom saw this, and long after the fact Sandy told me that mom considered telling me I couldn’t see my friend anymore. But she decided not to, thinking I had to make my own decisions about which friends I had, and besides, if she told me I couldn’t see Kim, I’d just want to see her more anyway. And yes, I learned, and I ended the friendship soon after the trouble began. Well, I know I’m not supposed to know about that, but I’ve always wanted to thank her for the trust, for letting me make my own decisions. U.S. Government Copyright Chicago Poet Janet Kuypers on all art and all writings on this site completed before 6/6/04. All rights reserved. No material may be reprinted without express permission.