Rob Sanchez and Felix Aponte had both served time at Sing Sing Penitentiary, but only met each other when they had both been released. They soon struck up a friendship, and when Rob was diagnosed with an aggressive form of kidney disease, Felix offered to be a donor. Here, the two men remember that time.

TV journalist Tim Russert made a name for himself with interviews of politicians and heads of state. But Russert, of Buffalo, N.Y., also embraced the stories of everyday Americans. In 2005, Russert interviewed James T. Molloy, a fellow Buffalo native living in Washington, as the StoryCorps oral history project launched its MobileBooths. Molloy was a second-generation firefighter before becoming the doorkeeper of the House of Representatives.

Melissa Wilbur and Janaki (John-nick-ee) Symon, both in their 60s, are close. But the sisters' childhood relationship was very different. Melissa says she "never particularly" liked her younger sister. "I just hated you," Janaki says. "There wasn't anything about you that I could stand." But something happened to finally bring them together. "I remember exactly the moment that I fell in love with you," Janaki says. "You put your arm around me, and you gave me this spontaneous hug and kiss. I went, 'Oh, my God.' It was as if the last barrier between us was gone."

The Plaza Hotel first opened its doors at the foot of Central Park 100 years ago this week. For 45 of those years, Plaza doorman Ed Trinka has greeted hotel guests and passers-by. That's how Debra Goodman met him. They struck up a friendship, and she brought him to StoryCorps to talk about working at one of New York's iconic landmarks for nearly half a century.

His friends remember Steven Bates as a big man who was tough on the outside and soft on the inside. A lieutenant with Engine Company 235 in Brooklyn, Bates was an 18-year veteran of the New York Fire Department when he died Sept. 11, 2001. Bob Carberry and John Cullen -- also lieutenants with the department -- remember spending time with their friend on and off the job.

Ky-Antre [key-ON-tray] Compton, 11, and Stuart Chittenden [CHIT-in-den], 38, met through the youth mentoring program Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Compton remembers, "When I first met you, I thought this was going to be so boring, that this was going to ruin my whole summer, my whole life," But their relationship grew, and after one year of friendship, there is no end in sight.

Judge Joe Pigott [PIE-gut] served nearly two decades on the bench in Jackson, Miss. But he says no defendant confounded him more than the man nicknamed "Pip" -- otherwise known as the late Willie Earl Dow, whose exploits often landed him in Pigott's courtroom. Recalling those days with his wife, Lorraine, Pigott said that Dow had two bad habits: drinking, and stealing in order to support his drinking. "You didn't have to try him, he always pled guilty," Pigott said. "And he was a likable person." Pigott recalls seeing Dow at the time of his retirement, in a courtroom ceremony. Pigott remembers Dow saying, "I heard they were going to hang Judge Pigott at the courtroom, and so, I didn't want to miss that." "Sometimes you make friends in strange ways," Pigott says.

Edwin Lanier [La-NEAR] has been sober for more than 5 years. But, as Lanier told his friend David Wright recently, he drank for most of his life -- and nearly drank himself to death. That was the prognosis that Lanier, now 60, got from a doctor after receiving his 28th treatment for alcoholism. As a young boy Lanier had been told by his father that alcoholism ran in their family. Back then, Lanier was known as "Little Mayor" -- his father was a two-term mayor of Chapel Hill, N.C. "I'm an alcoholic just waiting for the first drink," his father told him. "And I refuse to take it." Lanier said he would keep it in mind. But soon after, some college kids offered him and a friend a drink. Lanier accepted, and drank for more than 40 years. Lanier and Wright met on an exit ramp where Lanier stood holding a sign that read, "Homeless. Anything will help. God bless." Wright handed Lanier a $2 bill and a can of tuna fish every time he passed by. Wright and his wife eventually took Lanier in, giving him a shower and clean clothes, and a place to start over. Five years later, Lanier and Wright are remain good friends. But he's still homeless -- by choice, he says.

Catherine Combs and Anne Garde came to the StoryCorps mobile booth in Missoula, Montana, to talk about the close friendship they have developed over 20 years working together as professional house painters.

"He went somewhere. You could see it. And there was no pain. There's a quiet dignity in there." Aired on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show 8/04.