[user104658]

Originally Posted by Kevin the Carrot

Id say in the last 30 years they have spent more time in each other's company than any other pal they have and probably more time than with their partners due to the nature of their work.

Again totally irrelevant to how close they are, anyone who has had the same job over an extended period of time has certainly spent more time with various colleagues than with their out of work friends, and probably more than with their spouse (if you don't count time spent asleep).

You can work with someone for 8 hours a day every day for 10 years, through massive life events, know their whole life story... ... ... and still never see or hear from them again from the day you leave that job onwards.

I'll concede that it's a strange phenomenon, but it is what it is. Work friends and social friends are not the same thing. They CAN be the same thing - you CAN make some of the best friends you'll ever have via work - but they're not always the same thing it's far from inevitable that time spent = close friendship.

Heck... even if they think of each other like brothers/like family, that still doesn't mean they're "best friends". It is, again, a different type of relationship entirely.