Friendship: when people you haven't seen in 15 years drive 7 hours just to hear you read from your new novel then turn around and go back home to make it to work at 4 a.m. Fourteen out of 24 hours spent driving.
Friendship: when people who would die to be there but just couldn't get there send the biggest, most gorgeous bouquet of cream/pink roses, lavender snapdragons, and great wine-colored gerbera anybody has ever seen, instead.