I am lonely. I am always by myself. I meet people every day. I smile at them. I say hello. I am nice to them. I want to have a friend. But I have no friends. What is wrong with me? I am polite. I am friendly. I am nice. I am kind. Why don’t people like me? All I want is one friend. Everyone has one friend. I always see people with their friends. They laugh with each other. They have fun with each other. They do things with each other. What about me? I am by myself. I watch TV by myself. I go to movies by myself. I go to restaurants by myself. I go to the park by myself. I told my mother that I am lonely. She said it is my fault. “Why?” I asked. She said, “Because you never ask anyone to be with you.” My mom is right. I never ask people to be with me. I am afraid they will say no.