Sharon slowly chewed her cold Stoffer’s macaroni and cheese. A sudden crack brought her attention back to the TV as Jack Bauer had taken out a terrorist. Folding another sock, Sharon wished she could talk to someone about anything- anything! Even talking about something as silly as folding socks late at night would make Sharon happy.

24 switched to commercial, and Sharon took another bite of macaroni. If only she had friends to gossip with, a boyfriend to go out with on dates, or even a cat to absentmindedly stroke while babbling. She folded another sock, sinking even lower into her pit of misery.

Beep. Beep. Beep. The seconds ticked away on the TV. Sharon’s mouthful of macaroni was tasteless, a blob of cheese and wet noodles. As she folded yet another sock, this one lime green with pink hearts, Sharon began to realize she had no friends. Sure, girls at school talked to her in class, but rarely did she have company for lunch or dinner. At Subway, her coworkers were silent and sullen. Sharon truly had no friends.

Folding another sock, Sharon looked at the pile of remaining lonely socks and began to weep.