"Ram, help me. Please? Please! Pleeeeaaaaseeee" whined Can as he sat down next to his best friend. They were at their usual table by the Communication faculty. The table was perfectly located in the shade near a student snack bar that stayed open until 8 pm. The two would meet a few times a week in the early evening after Can finished football practice and Ram released from his club or study group activities. Sometimes they'd study, other times just talk and many times they'd just eat whatever Ram bought from the snack bar as they rested before going home. Can's best friend was an IC Freshman - smart and handsome and so quiet. The International College charged the most expensive tuition at the university and their faculty students were among the smartest on campus. Male IC students were good boyfriend and later husband material since they tended to secure well-paying jobs after graduation. Just knowing someone like him upped Can's cool factor by at least a 100%.
"Wait" Ram replied. He was working on homework for his German class and wanted to finish the last few paragraphs of a paper he was translating. Impatiently Can sighed, gawked at a few students, hummed and fidgeted in his seat. He started talking to himself. "What a jerk. Who does he think he is? Just because he's so handsome doesn't mean he can't be polite. I should punch him tomorrow. Nah, that might get me expelled. Hmmm, what else can I do to shock him? Ahhh, trip him? Ha ha, I bet he'd freak out! That'd wipe the smirk off his face. Ha, ha, God I picked the wrong time to stop beating up people."
Ram paused writing mid final paragraph to gaze in confusion as his friend continued to go on and on. Who is he talking about? Trip whom? This is just like Can – talking to himself to figure out what to do. It's fine if it was just him alone but I'm always a witness to his nonstop word train thinking out loud problem solving. And next thing you know, I'm dragged in whatever drama/problem/situation he's trying to solve. For all Ram's complaining, he didn't really mind. Can was endlessly amusing in an overactive, impulsive puppy sort of way. The two met when Ram's family moved from Australia when he was 15 years old and they sat next to each other in homeroom. It only took a few days for Ram to realize the guy next to him could say hundreds of words to his one. Can was friendly, kind and fiercely loyal and never asked Ram why he spoke so little. He just said one day a few weeks after meeting "you don't talk much but that's ok" and the subject was never brought up again.
Can finally wound down his rant when he saw the confused look on his friends' face. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I had to change my walking route to the football field after my afternoon class and now I go past the IC. On Tuesday I said hello to one guy and he told me I was dirty. Then yesterday I saw him again, said hello again and he said low class. And today when he passed me, I said how are you and he told me to shut up! What the hell? I'm trying to be friendly and that dickhead is rude. I know he's rich, he's probably in your faculty if over by the IC building. Probably feels he's better than me. Sure, he's really good looking and all the girls' eye him but that doesn't mean he can treat me like dirt. I want to punch him but I can't forget the promise I made to my dad to not react in anger so often. I'm trying to think of something else I can do to make him stop being an ass to me. Do you know what I can do so he stops replying in a rude manner?"
"Stop saying hello to him."
"Well.... uh, I could. I guess. But.... no. No! I want him to say something nice back."
Raised eyebrows questioning. WTF?
"Because. You should be nice to people who are nice to you. So, I'm going to force him to be nice to me. Tell me what to say to him to make him say hello nicely back."
Silence. Can, you're so stupid sometimes. Hmmm ask the guy who hardly talks what words to say? Isn't that like asking the blind guy what you should be looking at?
"Come on, help me think of something. I'll let you buy me dinner as a thank you gift. You're the super smart one, give me some ideas! Please!"
Ram shifted in his seat, gazed in irritation at Can and tried to communicate silently to his friend to quiet down. But then he noticed the boys flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes. Hmmm something about that guy is making my friend act out of sorts. Not asking for snacks as soon as he sat down? Going on and on about someone not saying hello? Hmmm.
"Go get a drink." Ram handed over some money and watched his friend walk to the snack shop. Can was cute even if his hair was constantly in his eyes. While a bit on the shorter side, he had full lips and soft eyes and the muscular butt and legs of a soccer player. Can was assertive on the soccer field or when sticking up for someone being bullied, but so timid when it came to romance. He was innocent and inexperienced. To hear him sound slightly desperate for the other student to notice him in a positive way surprised Ram. A rare smile lit up his face. Can is crushing on the rude guy though he doesn't know it yet! It's his first crush since I've known him. Ahh my baby is growing up.
A few minutes later. "Do your homework Can."
"Can I have barbeque? Will you help me think of an idea at dinner to make him talk nicely to me?"
A nod yes. Then silence as the two students finished their homework.
