We sat in silence for a moment. “Look, Essie Miracle.I’ll be honest with you. I don’t have any friends. I could pay people if I really wanted to, pay them to be my friends,but that doesn’t seem right.I don’t usually talk to people like I’ve spoken to you these past few hours.When everyone else is stuffy, I act like a spoiled brat. That’s what I do, ‘cause in a way, they all deserve it. I get angry.I have problems,okay? I just thought you’d like to know that.But I’ve never met anyone like you before. I haven’t met very many people, period.I know,I sound like such a pathetic sickly chap,and I am.But I want someone I can get to know and spend time with.Someone I can be friends with.I don’t know much about girls. Yet you seem nice.Real and insightful. I would enjoy your company.So what do you say? Can we talk some more another time?” I looked at his earnest face, which almost pleaded. Maybe he did have some things he needed to work on. But he was one of the few boys who actually listened to what I had to say.