What about Bob?

I have fabulous friends. They care a heap about me and my well being. My life is richer because of the friends in my life to rescue me, listen to me, help me see reality, help me see the future while at the same time, help me through the present. Three of my close friends are girls. One is a guy. Which is very different from how i grew up. When i was in high school, i was the cute little girl so i had lots of friends who were guys who were more than willing to be the bodyguard/friend/big brother to me. It was great and it carried on to college. Once i graduated, many of my friends and i went our separate ways. Including the boys. Bob has been the only constant. We've been friends since we were 10 years old. If you can imagine this Love and Basketball type relationship (minus him being mean to me during childhood) and then more mature teenage and college years....
Bob knows more about me than almost anyone. We missed a lot of communication in college, but decided to date a little toward the end. Our friendship was challenged. A LOT. You invest in a person a little bit more when you date them. You want a little bit more of them. Neither one of us got that from the other and we didn't work out. I never realized how complicated relationships could be until that one...
Once we started dating, Bob became that quintessential person. The addition to my BFF list which at the moment included one and a half. (I was just beginning to be friends with one of my current best friends.) My relationship with my parents became strained and Bob became more important. My school decisions became complicated and Bob had an influence in that too. He doesn't know that though. Then Bob got married.
I decided that maybe we should give our friendship a break so as not to intrude on his newly wedded bliss. And for five years, i missed talking to Bob. Still do. We have this strange crack like connection, and i think in the end we will both realize that it's our friendship and what we do for each other that keeps us close. I talk to him like i talk to my girlfriends. And that means a lot to a girl. Every girl needs that one guy. That "no matter what" guy. It may not seem like it now, but i'm sure that Bob is still willing to be that kind of friend. All be it on a different level maybe.
We have exchanged A LOT of heated ideas. And disagree on somethings. In the end, the respect is still there. When we take the once-upon-a-time-we-dated part of our relationship out, i bet we'll be able to be friends again. At least, i hope so. I could be wrong. He could possibly not care if i live or die, but i hope that someday our relationship will be able to live again. As a true friend. As a true friend.