I know this guy... let's call him Nate.

Nate and I been tight since early childhood. I think I first met him when I was 7 and he was 8. We went to middle and high school together, and did a bit of community college together, too. We've always been tight, and I reckon he's probably the best friend I've ever had.

Last year around February he started dating a single mother. She's a few years older than him and has two kids.

I thought nothing of it at first... until I realized that this was going to be his life from now on.

We used to hang out at least a couple times a week, but it's been all year, and I haven't seen him hardly even once.

It's nothing personal, I know. Even his sister, who he (technically) lives with, almost never gets to see him.

He completely put his education on hold. He's still a couple years away from graduation, and he's simply working his shitty minimum wage restaurant job in the meantime when he isn't taking care of these two kids who aren't even his.

He's an awesome dad to those kids, and they are lucky to have him. But they're a full time job for him. He's freaking 23 years old, and he's already consumed with childcare responsibilities as if he were an actual father... without being an actual father.

It's so blue pill, it makes me legitimately sad.

Meanwhile, I'm living the RP life. I've never had a legitimate relationship (I simply don't find them to be worth the expenditure of effort) but I get more than enough sex to stay satisfied.

I don't waste my money on valueless hamsters. I spend my money on me and me alone, and as a result, my tuition is almost completely paid for, and I still have enough left over to live a comfortable life.

I don't waste my time on hamsters either. I've always been perfectly willing to put effort into my education rather than futile relationships, and as a result, I'm about to graduate in December. I have a dual degree in information systems and economics, and if all goes according to plan, I'll have a 3.6 at the end of it.

So... TLDR: my friend and I started out in the same place in life. He's wasting his time on a much older single mother like a textbook beta, and his life is going nowhere, fast. I'm keeping it alpha, and I'm going places in life.

I know he's entitled to his own life choices and all, but it just really makes me sad that he can't be bothered to be a little more selfish with his time and energy. He's wasting his potential.

I miss my best friend Nate.