So, faithful World of Dennis readers, I've decided to take a giant leap in my blogging to keep people interested. From now on, there will be a World of Dennis entry every day. Perhaps one of the most frustrating things about AIM profile procrastination is a blog that doesn't update. Well, I'm not going to be one of those people. You'll be getting an entry from me with my thoughts and musings each and every day for you to ponder, and get you out of doing your work....


Part 3(see November/December 2004)

Jason stood outside, smoking, not noticing the rain. His bright blue eyes were obscured by redness from the tears that now streamed down his face. What else can you do when one of your best friends dies? For Jason, the mind could only shut down and succumb to a black numbness. He could only turn into a machine, his actions dictated by the necessity to go places and do things surrounding the death of his friend. The rain continued to pound on him with unrelenting cruelty, as if the whole world was against him.

Jason had so many friends, but Patrick was special in a lot of ways. Patrick was a shy, lonely, delicate creature with so many gifts to give, so many talents that went unnoticed. Jason believed he was the only one who realized this, the only one who didn't make Patrick feel invisible. Nobody else knew, for example, that Patrick had the sharpest sense of humor in the school, nor did they know about the amazing artwork Patrick did in his spare time that he was too embarrassed to show anyone. They didn't know about the stories either, the short vignettes carefully and lovingly inscribed into his composition notebook, that could make a person laugh, and then, within a few minutes, cry.

Jason also suspected that Patrick loved him. When Patrick looked at him, it wasn't the look of a friend trying to get his attention, but of something more. It was the way his girlfriend looked at him sometimes. On long bus trips to some school retreat, Jason remembered, Patrick would always make an effort to sit next to him, and then end up falling asleep on his shoulder. The first few times, Jason woke him up and Patrick looked embarrassed and mumbled an apology. After a while, Jason began to realize it wasn't an accident, so he let his head hang there. Jason never knew how to deal with Patrick's affections. He felt badly that they wouldn't be returned, and tried to make it up to him with little concessions like letting him sleep on his shoulder. Jason wouldn't put up with this from many other people, but Patrick was special and needed a good friend.

Until now, Jason never realized how much he needed Patrick as well.