I can cross out the first and last one and between the two left I think it’s the one about the friendship because the flashback includes that they were friends when younger and the person with illness only had that one friend which in my opinion adds mystery about the friendship. So basically the 3rd one about friendship.
The gerund phrase would be "is foolish" because it indicates what reckless driving is.
In his speech at the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry says that keeping his opinions to himself during such a crisis would be akin to COWARDICE and TREASON.
