By Candice Montenegro, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

YOU know how you are with a really good friend? You remember everything that reminds you of your friend. You still laugh every time you’re reminded of a funny incident and your heart still aches when you think of a sad moment. It becomes all too familiar, and yet you still want to spend time with that person.

That’s how I feel about the show “Friends.” Yep, I’m a huge fan — always have, always will. It’s safe to assume that I’ve seen all episodes at least twenty times, and I actually include “can recite lines from the show ‘Friends’” in my resume because it’s really a skill that I actually do quite well. My addiction is sometimes bordering on obsession, and I’ve grown so attached to the show that I clearly remember events in my life that are in one way or another related to it.

I was fifteen when I saw a complete VCD box set of “Friends.” I remember looking at the green box and seeing Brad Pitt’s name on it, and I thought, well this ought to be good. I got home, popped in the first CD, and eight hours and 24 episodes later, I was hooked.

I was in New York City, no less, the day they aired the final episode in May of 2004. I was dying to see the sights of the city I’ve grown to love largely because of “Friends” itself, but all I wanted to do that day was to stay in my uncle’s house in Jersey to watch the final episode. After much convincing (and a promise to tape the episode), I went out and explored the city, all the while excited to come home and watch the bittersweet ending of the show.

I remember that day in freshman year when I found out that two blockmates were as huge “Friends” fans as I was. We were hanging out at the school quad, and out of the blue, one of them blurted out a line from the show. And then I answered with the next line, and the other chimed in, and it went on until we finished exchanging favorite episodes. They both turned out to be my closest college friends, and who would have thought Phoebe Buffay’s songs would bring us together?

And of course I wouldn’t forget the countless times “Friends” saved me from a bad heartache or a really “down” day. Sometimes I’d go through hectic weeks in school and I’d realize that I haven’t seen an episode in a long while. Then I’d watch an episode or two and it would instantly make me feel better. After some calculation, I concluded that I need to see at least three episodes a week to keep me sane. Otherwise I’d flip out or go totally berserk.

People ask me why I like the show, and I honestly do not know how to answer. Maybe it’s because of Chandler’s sarcastic humor or the endless Ross and Rachel saga. Maybe I enjoy watching the flashbacks to Monica’s fat days, or maybe I find Phoebe’s unusual philosophies interesting. Or maybe I am drawn to Joey’s famous “How you doin’?” just like any other girl. Watching “Friends” is like watching your friends. It’s part of the show’s charm, and I guess it’s why “Friends” ran for ten years.

It’s cheesy, but “Friends” has indeed become like a friend. (Yeah, you can roll your eyes now.) It’s something you can count on to cheer you up, and I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow it; Ross’ Unagi still makes me laugh my head off, and Chandler’s (or rather, Monica’s) proposal still brings tears to my eyes. About a year ago, a rumor went around that a five-episode reunion was in the works. Some people said that it might not be as funny as the original episodes, but I don’t care. To me, watching “Friends” is like catching up with really good friends you haven’t seen for a while — the encounter is a mix of different emotions, but you’re just glad that they’re there. And you know them so well that it’s like they’ve always been there, like they never even left.