and, yes, i meant to put two bs instead of two fs. cuz this is an extra-special, costs worth way more than your regular ol' run of the mill best friend forever. i'm talking about a bought best friend. yep, the kind of genuine & true best buddy that only baht (that's thai money) can buy. i know, i know, i've heard it before. money can't buy friends, blahdy, blahdy, blah. well today it did and it was good. lately we've all been having a wee bit of a friendship crisis. now, i know we've only been here just over a month and these things take time, but try telling that to friendless children. #1 not included, he's doing pretty good on the friend front. he's got his own crew.

(yep, he's clapping off beat - that's my boy.)

but the other two... #2 isn't even looking anymore because she's certain no one will ever be able to replace her bff and #3 gives us an "i still don't have any friends" report everyday after school. however, yesterday after school he was singing a different tune. he comes running up to the man and me, bbf in tow, and wants to know if he can stay for an hour after school to play with bbf. oh, and can he have 30 baht so he can buy snacks for the both of them... to do this justice i have to relay the actual conversation -

#3 with bbf in tow comes running (almost dancing, but not) up to the man and me and says (in his most excited, please, please, please you gotta let me you can't say no kind of way), "can i stay after school for a whole hour with bbf?"

the man and i respond, "what are you going to do for an hour?"

#3, looking a little panicky like he's pretty sure a no is coming down the pipes says, "oh, i dunno, play on the playground, oh and if you'll give me 30 baht i'm going to buy snacks for bbf and me."

at this point bbf jumps into the conversation, "we'll do our homework, of course and it's okay if you wanna give him 40 baht for our snacks." he ends his contribution with a big ol' eddy haskel kind of smile...

#3, certain that bbf has hit on something, agrees, "yeah, we'll do our homework" and then leans over and says to bbf - in a very loud conspiratorial stage whisper, "i didn't ask for 40 because i don't think they'll give it to me."

the man, a sucker every time, has the 40 baht out before #3 can finish his whisper to bbf. #3 grabs the cash and they're off. the man heads off to pay his parking ticket - a whole other post - allowing #1 time to hang with his crew, #2 time to lament how she has no friends and look at how #1 has friends and #3 now has a friend, when's she gonna have a friend... all the while at least 3 girls from her class come up and try to start a conversation with her, and #3 to buy snacks for his all new bbf...

at dinner, #3, with a very happy smile on his face asks, "do you think i can do that again next week? you know stay after school and play?" and he really, really looks happy.