Before we were only freshmen

I ran into my "best friend", "Tony", from elementary/junior high tonight.  He kept saying "Remember When".  For example, "Remember when we both decided to start carrying briefcases to school instead of backpacks, everybody hated us, but we thought it was really funny?"  or "Remember when you told Jerry you wouldn't hang out with him anymore because he tried to pants me at recess?" or "Remember when our parents met for the first time and found out we were always lying about being at the other one's house when we were really by the creek?"
I smiled and said, "Remember when I was your best friend and I trusted you enough to tell you that I was Gay in 7th grade?"
"Tony" said, "Wow that was a long time ago, how can you remember what grade we were in?"
With a forgotten angry syncopated beat, I hoarsely whispered, "I remember it really well, because, and maybe you'll remember this, it was just moments before you became a total asshole."
"Tony" told me, "I was a kid, I didn't know what to do.  I have a lot of Gay friends now.  You figure things out as you grow up.  It was the South-side, seriously man."
I thought about forgiveness, and nostalgia and all the things that a childhood friend reminds you of, and then I decided to tell him, "Well, I am an adult now, and I have plenty of friends, and I guess the thing is, well never mind, really, it was great seeing you."
I turned around and walked away.  Somewhere, in 1982, there is a little kid who just wants to have a best friend forever, and presently, in 2012 there is a grown up who has several.
I don't need his friendship any more than he really needs my forgiveness, and truthfully, it hurt a little bit for a moment.  I realize that kid isn't going to feel any better, but thankfully, this adult isn't going to feel any worse.
I can say this from both kinds of experiences, the worst kind of bullying is not the kind where they call you names, beat you up, humiliate and harass you.  Many times worse is the kind when someone you cherished and valued immensely just a few hours ago, can't even pretend to be able to see you when you think you are anything but invisible, lying on the ground with a bruised torso and a bloody lip.