Data Point Friends We Need Those we don't

Have you ever noticed the folks with something like 100 names in their day timer all of whom they call friends? Ever wonder how they keep up with all those folks? Ever wonder what a friend was and was not. Managing friendships seems to me to be about managing expectations as much as anything, for a friendship is nothing if not an unwritten contract between two people. Its when one side violates that friendships end, Usually.
Friends will help you move, real friends will help you move bodies. True friends will help you move the body then dope slap you from here to kingdom come for screwing up.
Most of what people call friends I call acquaintances. So the difference between a friend (acquaintance) and a true friend. Well in a man's case that test will come when one of you is being a complete bonehead and the other stands with his fingers in your chest and says, knowing full well that the outcomes range from a smile and a "yeah your right" to a trip to the hospital for one or both of you, or worse the end of the friendship or both. "You are being an ass, and I aint standing for it!" I hope I have been this friend to those that have been this friend to me.
For a woman? Near as I can tell its the girlfriend who will sit in the dressing room and tell you "yeah that bikini makes your ass look huge."