The desk is clean. My books are ready. The coffee is steaming and my mind is eager… it’s time for another session. Maths, Science, or maybe even a tough encounter with Afrikaans… what will it be today? Before I get ahead of myself, I engage with my friend, my partner in crime, and my vital tool for success…

I love my friend. He has been loyal to me ever since I met him. He helps me with my work, enables me to do research, and we even take a break and have some fun from time to time. He is truly loyal, and I owe a lot of the good work that I have done mostly to him. Our friendship is quite a good deal for me – he does all these things for me and all I have to do is feed him. Sometimes I wish that all my friends were like him!

We met on 23 November 2018 – two days after my birthday. I’ve never been one to have too many friends, I mean, the more people that know your secrets, the higher the chances of them getting out! However, I had always been hoping for a friend like him – Someone that is simple, smart, and down-to-earth. The bonus for me is that he isn’t emotionally demanding! If I could take him out more without worrying about people trying to take him away from me, I would call him my best friend.

Like in every relationship, we’ve had our ups and downs. Sometimes he’s slow to work, and other times he’s sharper than a brand new pencil. Most of the time he is reasonably fast and able to help me work, so I can’t really criticize him in that regard. In fact, he’s so good that he’s the reason why I turn most people down when they ask me to study with them! However, our relationship does have its sour moments. There have been times where he has led me astray, unfortunately. Sometimes he compels me to extend my breaks and have more fun with him. Other times he gets in a mood and becomes unresponsive, no matter what I do. In extreme moments, he even refuses to greet and is a total nightmare to work with. It can be hard at times, but I love him, and I always make sure that I am patient with him. It’s the least I can do in response to all that he does for me.

We have good times, bad times, and normal times, but what makes our relationship special is the nature of it. My friend doesn’t really have a name, so I use the words “he” or “him”. Some call him “computer”, others call him “laptop”, and the ones who dislike him even call him “a junk piece of metal that brainwashes our children”. You may view him in the way that you want to, or call him whatever you wish to, but I will always think of him as “friend”.