I have a great female friend from Junior High. She went to high school with me, and went to college (a very prestigious school where I didn't belong). I was the rare poor kid from my town, certainly an outcast, with a single mother addict at home, but a good enough athlete to obtain an athletic scholarship. She consistently acted like a big sister or mother, and frankly, did a great job of looking out for me. There wasn't any dating tension or anything like that - she looked out for me and I reciprocated be encouraging her to take risks with her considerable talents. I did not like the guy she first married - but of course supported her in any event. After four kids, she divorced when husband I did not like left her, and she then married my friend from 3rd grade, a nerdy guy who I used to protect in gym class but who also was simply a great friend. (He is a National Science Foundation fellow, an incredible success). I can truly say this woman is one of my best friends, and yes, to some extent (she knew of my awful background), she still looks out for me today. So I absolutely agree a straight man and a woman can be friends, although I do wonder whether it works in this case because she has a strong maternal instinct and I was really a vulnerable kid, especially at a school I probably didn't belong in terms of academics.