h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Marty was another soul who grazed mine. We were friends who almost became lovers. I couldn’t though. I had never met anyone who was as damaged as Marty. Marty was this man who still possessed this child soul. Not in a child-likeness but as in a frightened child. He would protect his child with control over his immediate environment. One morning he made breakfast for me, it was very good. Afterwards I went to rinse the dish off and put it in the sink. Marty stood there and watched me. As soon as I was finished he re-rinsed the dish. One night while we watching TV I was sitting next to him, a commercial came on about family violence. Marty tensed up and almost walked away. I turned off the set and asked him what was wrong. He looked at me so hard that I almost cried. I came to him and gently put my arms around him. I took him back to the couch where we were sitting and held him so tight I trembled. After a while his heart grew quiet and he told me. Once his father beat him for slamming the screen door. He said that it hurt more because his father beat him in front of some of his friends from school. I cried. Then he held me and we cleansed our hearts together. I spent only a little time with Marty his pain was greater then either of us. I think deep down he knew that.