2005

What About Romeo?

Dear Pat,
You are so lean and shy
Your fair skin shines lonely
In a crowd of people
Who notice you
But never really see you.

Pat,
Earlier in the year we were cast in the same play.
But never once did I sit down to ask you how you were doing
False smiles overflowed
From your young hands

Cupped to collect anything from strangers
You wanted to get to know.

You were alone, Pat
But yet you never once blamed us
You just smiled
And let high school distance us
From you

Because you were afraid of confrontation
Or even saying hello.

At the end of the year
I received a letter from you
In which you thanked me Pat
You thanked me for being so nice to you
And I wanted to cry

Because though I was courteous
I had never intended it to mean so much.

Graduating made me realize
That I will never have the chance to be cast with you again
And no longer can I do what I should have done so long ago

Pat, if given the chance to go back again
I would look you in your eyes
And ask you how you were doing
And I would smile at you

With eyes that actually saw you.

Everyone casually picked on you
Like lint from clothing
And though it was never intentional
I did it too.

And while you never seemed to notice
I wish I would have wrapped my arms around you
And told you
I wanted you to be my friend.