Wild Things

Never underestimate the power of a simple question...

"Are you okay?"

She looks up at me teary eyed and slightly dazed. She was oblivious to the fact I had been sitting next to her on the park bench. I pull out a small pack of tissues from my breast pocket and hand it to her. She smiles, "Thank you. I'm fine." she grabs the tissues from my hand and begins to fidget her way into them to get a tissue out. Her hands were still shaking from all the emotion.

"I know how you feel."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I know how you feel."

She wipes her red eyes and gives me a confused yet slightly annoyed look.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

"Nope."

"Then how the hell do you know how I feel?"

"I've seen you around, I've seen how the other kids treat you. It's tough, being looked down on or being made to feel like a lesser person. I know how that feels."

She looks suspiciously at me in my freshly pressed suit.

"Of course you do. Look I appreciate you taking time out to come speak to me but I don't need your pity and if you don't mind, I like to be alone. "

"No you don't. I'm not talking to you out of pity, I'm doing it because I genuinely know what it's like and I care. I mean I was like you when I was.. what are you 16?"

She nods.

"Around your age. Until I met this girl, Kara, actually she met me. I was down in the dumps and she picked me up because she cared and that's all it takes to change your life around, having someone care when no one else does. She introduced people like me, outcasts, losers, weirdos, freaks. We all became friends and soon we became our own family. Before we met, we were the loneliest people in the world but after we were unstoppable."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how everybody is taught to be a valued member of society? Everybody grows up wanting to be accepted in this 'society' and have a social standing. Those that are popular are the ones whop are adored, admired and loved by everyone. Those who aren't, people like us, they're the ones who are ignored, bullied and trying ever so hard to get the love  or attention of someone, anyone. But if these misfits of society cared for each other and learned to understand each other then they'd eventually stop caring what people, what society thinks of them and social standing becomes meaningless. They are free to follow their own path with no judgement, they are free to follow their ambitions regardless of how society values them and most importantly they are supported by people that care for them."

"So what is this? Are you inviting me into your cult or something?"

"No, no not at all. I mean you're welcome to but no. I'm just going to give you some advice that Kara said to me, Never underestimate the power of a simple question like 'Are you okay?' It's the first sign that shows someone in this world cares. If you are honest then it's the first question that leads to countless other questions that will make that person understand you, accept you for who you are and help you not feel so alone in the world. Kara made her friends by caring enough to ask this question and being an accepting and not judging anyone. If you can do the same, you can make your own family. So I'll ask you again, Are you okay?"