The empty vessel makes the loudest sound. (William Shakespeare)

As I lay there in my hospital bed, looking disheveled I’m sure, in walked Christian. Yes, you read that correctly: Christian. He had a weathered brown leather messenger bag over his shoulder. He had come straight from school. The rolled sleeves on his shirt showed the signs of a trying day but he was smiling like he was happy nonetheless. He gave me a sympathetic look and I knew he had read all about the escapade in the paper.

“Sorry,” he said like it was somehow his fault.

I smiled. What do you say to that? Apology accepted.

“I don’t know if it’s okay that I’m dropping in like this. I don’t mean to impose. I just wanted to extend my sympathies.”

“It’s okay. It’s nice to have company.” I meant that too, though a moment before I was shunning my entire family so I could be alone. “You can sit down.”

He was apprehensive about taking a seat.

“You don’t have to stay or anything,” I said. “I was just trying to be polite.”

“Well, then I guess it’s polite to sit.”

The conversation was as painful as it was awkward but I didn’t want him to leave. When there’s a void in your life anything will fill it. My life wasn’t exactly complete but I had thought there was no room for any new people in it. In fact, I didn’t have room for people at all. As far as I could see that was the biggest problem with my life: the people in it. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to shut him out. Truth be told, I was practically welcoming him in.