I'm reminded of Chris Rock's take on Columbine...skip ahead to :50 seconds for the relevant bit.

Not counting my wife, one.

When I was a child my father asked me that question. I told him I had lots of friends. He shook his head and told me I wouldn't be able to count my friends on more that one hand. He was correct.

I feel fortunate. I have six as described by the OP. I broke them into two categories for clarification.

My dad
My wife
My friend Stewart (40 years of friendship)
My friend Dustin (40 years of friendship)
These two are brothers. Known them most of my entire life. We have been through some pretty incredible things, and have always had each other’s back. While I’m not related by blood, I may as well be. These two guys are more than family. A bond that most people wouldn’t understand.


My friend Roman
My friend Bob

Not quite the same as the four listed above. These two are definitely friends by the description of H&K guy in the original post.

The difference is the first four would trade their life for mine, as I would for them. I don’t have that same bond with these two.

I have my daughter and son which are even closer to me than close friends. But as far as friends as you described I have four that I would trust completely with my assets as well as life and death decisions. We are more than friends and have all made it through adversity with each others help.

I have 6 I can count on for pretty much anything should the need arise and I would do the same for them.

Two, my wife and my friend Mike. I want to be as good to them as they are to me.

If we're talking about posting bail or helping you move, I've got two or three I could count on.

But if we're talking about showing up at their door in the middle of the night with a knife in hand, covered in blood, and hearing them say: "Wait here, I'll get my shovel" then there's only one.

Not dismissing the wife, one and he's been trying my patience. I surely miss some other friends but people change, huh?

True friends are hard to come by. I have a couple lifelong friends that I can cound on for anything, and vice versa. Most "friends" are just aquantainces when it's convienent.

As the saying goes though, I'd rather have four quarters than a hundred pennies.

One. Most people I know fall into the classification of acquaintance.

Zero.

3, including my wife.

Just my wife. I had another, but he died.

Only one outside my immediate family.

You really don't know what you have until it's put under pressure. The last four months have really been illuminating.

I have none.

V.

My wife plus 1.

4, including the wife

Two

If we aren’t counting spouses, zero.