I have always believed that a friend was simply someone you could get along with, some being closer than others. But in Jane Viorst's essay "Friends, Good Friends, and Such Good Friends," she goes into friendships deeper than that. Viorst categorizes friendship in seven groups. I think convenience friends are good to have but special interest friends could be just about anyone you do something with.
             Viorst says convenience friends are those, such as next-door neighbors, whom "if our paths weren't crossing all the time, we'd have no particular reason to be friends." Convenience friends are friends who swap favors. I believe that convenience friends are a good idea. Sometime, someone else may need a favor from you or you may need a favor from someone else.
             Viorst also talks about special interest friends. She says a special interest friend's value "lies in some interest jointly shared." She also says that a playmate is all a special interest friend is. I believe special interest friends could be any of your friends. I think that a close friend would make a better special interest friend than a stranger.
             It is good to have friends. Convenience friends are good to have because they can help you out if you are in a bind or need something. Special interest friends are good to do certain things with, although that is about all you can do with them. Yet, all around people need friends.
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