Tom: A few months ago I had a job at this big credit company. I got to be friendly with a guy named Simon John. He was one of the first people who said hi to me when I started working there and we eventually had lunch together. He told me his whole story, starting in his home country of Sudan, going to school in Egypt, moving to Kenya, leaving his family and eventually winding up here in San Diego. I listened to him talk for almost an hour and I never got bored. When he finished he said, "Well that's my story, what's yours?" I was absolutely dumbfounded; I've had an interesting life but nothing that I feel compares to being a refugee on two continents who can speak four languages and went from being computer illiterate to a well-paid employee in a huge insurance firm.

Satan: What did you say?

Tom: I mostly just talked about music: everything it's meant to me over the years, learning to play, initial discouragement, playing in bands, etc.

Satan: What did he say?

Tom: He was envious. He said he had always wanted to sing and that he admired me for doing what I wanted to do. Coming from someone like Simon, I was very flattered. We went to lunch everyday for the rest of the two weeks I worked there, and neither of us ever got bored of the other. The thing is though, Simon lives a pretty solitary existence. He has a younger brother whom he takes care of but apparently he's pretty much cut himself off from the rest of his family.

Satan: No friends?

Tom: He told me he used to have a circle of friends but they came and went as many friends do; he didn't stop them.

Satan: What makes you mention him?

Tom: Because on the last day I was there we had lunch together and I asked him for his phone number so we could keep in touch and continue "our conversation". He said no, that he doesn't talk to people out side of work anymore. He said he was sorry and that he did indeed live a very solemn, lonely existence.

Satan: How did you react?

Tom: Once again I was dumbfounded, and hurt as well. I couldn't help but take it personal. I mean here was this cool guy I met at a shitty job, about ten years older than me who had already lived a lifetime of adventures, and we had become friends in a very short amount of time, which I reckoned was pretty amazing for both of us. I took it for granted that we would keep in touch after my temporary assignment was up, but I guess he still wasn't ready to have friends.

Satan: What happened?

Tom: I thought about it and realized that even though I felt cheated, I didn't begrudge the two weeks we had gotten to know each other. As I was on my way out I passed by his desk to say goodbye. He stopped me and said, "I can tell you were hurt, and I am sorry. That's why I'm going to give you my email address and phone number." And with shaking hands, he did just that. As he handed them to me info he told me, "Even if you call me, I'm not gonna call you back." I was too surprised, and happy, to say anything.

Satan: So it was a happy ending after all?

Tom: No. Over one of our lunch conversations I had told him that I just recently started painting, and that I had done almost all of my paintings with someone else, kind of a group effort. He said there was no way in hell that he'd ever do a painting with me, he had never done anything artistic before in his life. So about a week after I left, I sent him a email saying that I had a blank canvas that needed paint on it.

Satan: And?

Tom: No response. That hurt too, although I guess I could have been more direct if I wanted him to get back to me. I figure he's been hurt in the past, like all of us, and just isn't ready to get close to people again.

Satan: But you still miss talking to him, for the friendship that might have been?

Tom: Yeah...what should I do?

Satan: Reach out.