coming of age & plasticity

Saturday night,
good ole tabs was packed as usual.

There was a friend's birthday that night;
he turned 40.
I searched for him and his posse
through the second floor,
only to find a shade of his former self
being carried out of the toilet.

Face jaunt,
eyes swollen,
my first thought was he had drank too much.

We sat him down,
and gave him water to drink.
He began to speak,
chocking between sentences,
of how pathetic his 40 years of life
has been.

At the ripe age of 40,
and he claims he does not have someone
he can truly say is a friend, someone
who will be there for him in a crisis.
Everyone around him is so "plastic", in his own words,
they hug him, kiss him, piles sweet nothings on him,
chink chink his champagne glass
and flirt with him endlessly.
But at the end of the day, or night for his club friends
they dissapear
not a word;
nor a thought...neither a glance back

He broke down further .. sobbing uncontrollably
I felt so sorry for him,
and angry at the same time.
Angry at all these "plastic" people,
to inflict such hypocrisy and hurt on my friend..

I felt the bile boiling in me,
and I realise I do have many of these
people in my life,
people who parties with you,
smiles and makes silly jokes with you,
hugs you and pecks your cheeks,
cheers you,
makes witty remarks,
dress fabulously,
hugs you and promise to be your friend
(all done while in a drunken stupor no less)

But do they really mean it?
Should I waste time on these people,
while neglecting my true friends who
are really sincere in establishing
relationships with me?

The former do not want your friendship,
they only want your presence in the club,
and you to reciprocate their fake gestures,
so they can feel wanted and 'necessary'