I have always been able to tell the difference between friends and acquaintances. I have few friends and have had the same ones forever. Even though none of us live by each other anymore we stay in touch regularly.
I had an interesting experience a few months back.
My very best friend from my childhood neighborhood called me up out of the blue.
We had a pleasant conversation but it became obvious that at this point we had nothing in common.
Nothing.
It was very strange—but our lives just went in radically different directions—not good or bad differences—just big differences.