Sam and i get to play every day. Hi, my name is Rich, i am Sam’s friend, but only Sam can see me. His parents call me “Sam’s imaginary friend”, his brother Larry calls me stupid. Most of the time it is great being Sam’s friend, even better now that Larry goes off too school every day. We sword fight, race across the grass, even have lunch together. The life of ease, or so people think. Being an imaginary friend is not easy, let me tell you about it.

Sam and I have been best friends for 3 years now. So far we have had seven hundred eighty-six sword fights, of which i have won exactly zero. When we race across the grass, three hundred seventeen times, i do win occasionally, but of course no one ever sees it, and Sam says it was not a real race or that he slipped on the grass. As for lunch, oh don’t even get me started. Sam always has his mom make a sandwich for me as well, then Sam eats it and tells his mother it was me. From the look of it she makes some awesome peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but my taste buds will never know.

Tuesday of last week was, so i am told, national imaginary friend day. Did i get anything? Cake, presents, even a “way to go Rich, thanks for being Sam’s best friend” would have been nice, but no, not a thing. You know, come to think of it, i don’t even have a birthday, and come Christmas, Sam has so many presents and family around that i get forgotten about for days at times, okay maybe it is just hours, but when you are imaginary, time is irrelevant it would appear.

You know those days when you just want to sit around, lay in bed and watch TV. Yea, Sam gets those at times, and no matter what i want to do he ignores me, as if i am not even there. But, let me have a day when i want to do nothing, yet Sam wants to play, oh you know it, i get dragged right along, regardless as to what i want to do.

Ideas, oh i have ideas. All sorts of games, dragons and aliens to fight, worlds to explore. But when Sam finally decides to listen to me, do i get any of the credit, no, Sam always makes on that it was his idea. Wonder if i could patten the idea before i tell him. But then again, it would only be an imaginary patten, and no one except Sam and I could see it.

Last night i heard Sam’s parents talking about me, saying something about me being healthy for Sam right now but one day he will grow out of and imaginary friend. What are they talking about? How can he grow out of me? I am going to be his best friend for ever, i have already found a nice little, and safe, hiding place in his mind. You know what i am talking about. You, yes you the person reading this, you still have your own little imaginary friend hiding away in that little secret hiding place, and at times the two of you still talk. But just remember, imaginary friends never grow up. We will always be here ready to play, ready to remind you of when you to were a child and play was all there was in the world. It is hard enough for imaginary friends when we can not be seen by anyone but you. So please stop ignoring us, we only want to play. Who knows, maybe now your best friend could win a sword fight or grass race.

You know, now that i stop and think about Larry used to have an imaginary friend too, his name was Fred. But since Larry started going to the “big” school i have not seen Fred around at all. Maybe this imaginary friend thing is not all it is cracked up to be, maybe Sam will grow out of me, maybe he will forget me. I, I don’t think i want to be an imaginary friend any longer. Yes i have made up my mind, i am packing up and leaving, right now!!

Oh, look there is Sam and he wants to play. I have a great new game to tell him about. Have to run, thanks for listening. “Sam wait, not fair you have a head start! Wait up.........

By the way, what is your imaginary friends name??

Despite what it says below, darmie a Phoenix, ie me, would like any critique, LOL