when i first saw him, we had a wall between us.

no, it wasn't an actual wall made of bricks nor stone, but an effective wall nevertheless.

he walked in from the sunshine and i, i had to catch my breath. he did not look as if he belonged there, where dreams end and hopes die.

i followed him with my eyes, wondering who he was.

and then, we met. that day, when i did not know what to say nor why i should utter a word at all. i did not think any word would penetrate the wall that separated us.

i let it go. but some days, he crosses my mind and we talk. about nothing, really. i think we have this connection, an unspeakeable bond we dare not think about too much.

then came a time when a layer of the wall crumbled to pieces beneath our feet.

i saw him again and he took my hands in his. i could only look away: i could not hold a candle to his beauty and brilliance.

i did not know anything -- of life, of suffering, of pain so fierce you wake up at night bathed in your own sweat.

and he knew all those, and probably more.

i know we would be nothing more than this. to call it friendship would be too presumptuous.

for really, what does he know about me? and what do i know about him except his riveting tale of woe?

i am safe in my corner of the earth. why disrupt my universe?

his world does not need any more upheavals; i rather think he has had enough of those.

i am content to listen to him. for really, that is all i can do.

- for c. because i know how you feel.