When does an acquaintance cross over to become a real friend?

I would put two factors into a determination:

Performing an act of service of kindness or help another without any thought of a quid pro quo.

Being emotionally available to support another person.

Making plans to hang out, outside of just running into them in shared environments.

Specifically calling or texting them to talk about something not related to shared areas of work etc.

Though this may just be true for me because I’m an introvert. I’m thinking about this more and can totally see my extrovert friends doing this with acquaintances.

I’m guessing the answer to this will vary quite a bit, person to person.

For me, developing a friendship takes time. Time to spend together, to hangout, to share stories and ideas, to help each other. Without the invested time, there’s no hope for a friendship.

This probably explains why I haven’t made a friend in twenty years. I haven’t had free time to do any of those things in at least that long.

When a brown Manila folder, containing $1000, changed hands.

@rebbel Shh! That was supposed to be our secret, Friend!

Making plans to spend time together. Sharing some personal infuriation with each other. Doesn’t have to be very private things, just getting to know each other.

Wanting to call them to share news or vent starts to move them into a closer friend category.

I’m very private, so to me it’s a trust issue. If you’ve earned my trust, which isn’t easy, I consider you a friend, online or otherwise.

I wrote infuriation instead of information. Lol.

@JLeslie haha, funny! Keep your infuriation to yourself….haha!

When they have shown themselves to be trustworthy.

@JLeslie If one can’t share personal infuriations with a friend, how can that person be a true friend? :)

@zenvelo Being emotionally available I do agree should be one major indicator of being a real close friend.

Maybe what’s universally seen as a good litmus test; call them in the middle of the night and ask for a (big/important) favor?
(Not for fun; there should really be a reason to call.)

Would you ask them for a ride to the airport? :P

@raum If that flight was needed suddenly, because of a (health/life or death) emergency, then yes.
If it was a scheduled holiday flight, then no.

Good question, but a rough one. Just going on the “Male Bonding” thing, I guess you hit it off or not. There was a guy inhere a few years ago, now passed away, that I just hit it off with really well. He always thought my dumb comments and gags were hilarious and told me I’d have a made a great comedian. On my part, I really enjoyed his tales of adventure on the open seas. In fact, the guy was really the first jelly who befriended me when I first came here. So things just happen I suppose. As far as women go, same thing I suppose, but IRL you have to be very careful not to slide down that sometimes slippery slope, to something beyond friendship.

The Raven

No comment. @Dutchess_III Don’t want to open a can of worms again. ; )