According to Depression

ONE• Before

LOCAL DINER: 1993

The boy was sitting alone in the old diner on a cold stool. He had run away from his home because his parents would not let him keep the stray dog that had wandered up to their house. Stupid, but when your five years old, you don't really think about if its stupid. The dog was beautiful and even though he had not known the dog long, he had a strange attachment to him.

The boy just sat swinging his feet back and forth, listening to the sound of his worn sneakers hitting the metal stool. Waitresses that rushed around at lunch, were now lazily wiping down tables. Now that he thought about it, running away was not a very good idea.

-
The police officer was doing his daily ride around the city as he passed a restaurant, he saw a lonely young boy sitting inside through the window. He wondered where the young child's parents were. Waiting a few moments to see if his parents came back, the officer parked his car. He stepped outside of his vehicle and walked to the entrance of the building. Opening the door he heard the bell ring as he walked towards the little boy.

-
The boy heard the bell ring when a customer walked through the door. He turned his head to see who it was hoping it was one of his parents. Disappointment showed in his expression when he realized it was just a police officer. He became curious as the older man walked towards his seat; he turned back around in his seat and faced the front as he heard the officer approach him.

-
The cop thought it was strange how the young boy faced away from him as he walked towards the child. The police officer took the seat beside the boy and ordered a drink of water for both him and the boy. He finally started to talk to the boy after giving him his drink.

"What brings you out here, son?" He asked the young boy who was staring at his lap.

"I ran away from home," the boy mumbled after a few seconds had passed.

He grunted, but said gently, "Why'd ya' do that?"

"It was because my mother wouldn't let me keep my dog," The boy said in a small voice now looking up to face the man.

"Would you like to go home now?" The police officer asked the boy softly.

The boy sighed and answered him saying that he did kind of want to go home. The policeman jumped off his seat and picked up the boy sitting him on the ground also.

"Well, let's get you home," The police officer told the little boy with a smile.

***

Finding the young boy's home was no hard task for the law enforcer, considering the child was very smart. He had known what street he lived on the house address, and his parents full names.

On the longish drive to the boy's home he and the police made no small talk. No they laughed and joked like old friends, whether it was about what the older man did in school or how weird the weather man's sneezes were. By the time they reached their destination the boy had become sad, not wanting to leave his new friend.

It was quite obvious that the boy was upset after the car traveled nearer and nearer to his home. True, he didn't want to leave the older man whom he had befriended but something else was bothering him.

"Would you like me to walk ya' in, son."

"No."

Confused, the older man asked if the younger boy was sure. The boy replied with a 'yes' but he seemed slightly unsure, as if he couldn't decide.

"Okay, then," The police said, still wondering why the kid didn't want him to take him inside.

-
He was embarrassed. The young boy, he was ashamed that he had ran away for such childish reasons. He didn't want his parents to know he had gotten lost, he wanted them to think he was brave, and didn't need someone to take him home.