"Let me open this for you."

That was the first sentence he said to me. I was sitting by an outdoor basketball field with my friend, chewing on roasted fish and trying to crack open a beer bottle. 

"Why can't I do a good heel flip? Trying to impress someone here."

He was annoyed after a dozen failed heel flips.

"You know I've always wanted to be a good friend. I don't know how to sometimes. I made mistakes and people left me for them. I'm glad with what I have but there are times when I am sad and I don't know what to do."

I don't know how to respond. We were sitting by the river eating ice creams. He sat there silent for a moment. Then he smiled.

"Do you want to see if I can climb on this tree?"

-David, College Student, Berlin