Rinse, Reuse, Recycle

It's bound to happen. In groups of friends, schools, whatever.

It's also an unwritten rule of friendship that is rarely kept (at least in my experiences). You don't use your friend's dirty laundry. Much less seek it out. But what happens when you do? Or when you hook the guy your friend's been crushing on? Or he likes you instead but bangs her?

I have had numerous experiences with the passing around of guys. This is not to say I was always the victim. I often found myself drunkenly making out with a friends former flame. Whether or not it upset her depended on the guy and the friend. I know of at least two occasions when I was the "bad friend" and I am not sorry about at least one. I've also been upset by so-called friends going after someone I was interested in.

Chicks before dicks, right? Not always. But why is it that we make out with that one guy when there are supposedly plenty of fish in the sea? Obviously there are certain traits you have that your friend likes/liked. Same for the guy. I've found that most of my friends are on the same level of attractiveness as I am, so I feel it's safe to assume these guys would be happy to have any one of us.

But why does this always happen?

Are we overcome with jealousy of what our friends have/had that we don't? Or do we want to experience what our friends have raved about? Or do we share a connection with this person as well? Is that wrong? People's spouses leave them for their best friends. Maybe they're just a better match. Isn't the idea supposed to be that you don't want what someone else already had? Like used condoms or dirty socks? It does not seem to be so. Unfortunately I think this recycling process will continue to plague groups of friends for a long time.

Should we just cop out and pull a Jaime Foxx? Blame it on the alcohol (when applicable).