Bright Orange for the Shroud

p. 13

“He was an acquaintance rather than a friend. The dividing line is communication, I think. A friend is someone to whom you can say any jackass thing that enters your mind. With an acquaintance, you are forever aware of their slightly unreal image of you, and to keep them content, you edit yourself to fit. Many marriages are between acquaintances. You can be with a person for three hours of your life and have a friend. Another one will remain an acquaintance for thirty years.”