The Imaginary Friend

  
Just last week I visited the hospital, requiring medication for a mere cough and cold. As I sat myself down to wait my turn, I noticed amongst the people sitting there, a little boy. He was probably just 5 or 6 years old; a skinny guy, with huge spectacles perched upon his nose.

A cute kid; he was there with a man and woman I shall assume to be his parents. They were deeply engaged in conversation and the little boy was left to amuse himself. Like all kids that age do, he preferred to kneel on the bench and look at the rows of patients waiting behind. He was smiling and waving. At times he even played a bit of hide-and-seek, ducking behind the backrest and suddenly popping up, laughing all the while. Who was he playing with I wondered, turning around to look for the patient who had the energy to amuse this child. But nobody paid him the slightest bit of attention. I really did scan the place, but found no answer. So I jumped to the next most obvious conclusion. This boy had an imaginary friend.

I am no expert in psychology, but I did assume that the imagination of a person who is not present, or may not even exist in physical reality, is a disorder. And I did actually Google it. But it turns out that it isn't and it is in fact due to a very good imagination and can also be beneficial for the child!

They provide comfort in times of stress, companionship when they're lonely, someone to boss around when they feel powerless, and someone to blame for the broken lamp in the living room. Most important, an imaginary companion is a tool young children use to help them make sense of the adult world.

And I immediately wondered, what would it be like to have an imaginary friend? It didn't seem so crazy. Its almost like having a diary, except one that you can talk to and will reply. What would my friend be like?
Well for starters, his name would be Benjamin. People would call him Ben, but I being his best friend would call him 'Benjy'. Me and only me. He'd be a happy person, smiling all the time, because I couldn't bear to be with someone whom I'd have to pamper and constantly mopes around. I can be fairly narcissistic sometimes. He'd make me laugh with his incredible sense of humor and when he smiles, he can out do the sun.
Benjy would have a mop of brown, unruly hair, amber colored eyes and freckles and would know me so well that he'd never have to ask questions. He'd just read my mind and know what I'm thinking. You could say that we'd communicate almost....telepathically. Sounds too ideal? Well if  I can't fashion a person who is just a figment of my imagination to be perfect, then what's the use I say? 
Benjy would be a genuine fan of the Lord of the Rings series. Not just someone who's seen all the movies and think they are 'awesome'. He'd truly appreciate the genius that is J.R.R Tolkien and the world that he has invented. Of course he'd have read Harry Potter and we'd discuss the ending to the series, until the late hours of the night. 
He'd walk me to work and pick me up later, while I babbled on about my day and all I did. We'd discuss films and tv serials. Since I'm not at home in the afternoon, he'd patiently fill me in on all that's happened on Grey's Anatomy.
But 'Benjy' who has gone from being the painting done on my t-shirt 16 years ago, to an imaginary friend is special and I'd never want to hurt him... ever. He's always been there for me and the truth is when I'm with him I can't be there for someone else. I know that if I want I can keep Benjy with me forever, but the truth is that I don't need to. Because I love Benjy, I must let him go. Out there somewhere in the world is a child who really needs him to be her companion. For the time being at least. And then when she's brave enough to face the world, she will, with a heavy heart let him go too. 
And so the memory of Benjy will be eternal.