[ WP ] Someone you know feels alone and hopeless . Convince them that they are not .

`` Right. So. You should n't.'' 
 
 `` Why?'' 
 
 `` Because...'' 
 
 `` See, you do n't have a good answer. Nobody does. There is no reason not to. I'm doing it. Watch.'' 
 
 `` Do n't.'' 
 
 `` Why?'' 
 
 `` I do n't know. Really, I do n't have a good answer to why you should n't. I wish I did, but I do n't. I'm just as weirded out and alienated by all this as you are. None of it makes any sense. It's all senseless, pointless, and just so utterly devoid of all meaning. But I do know that you want a reason not to. Otherwise, you would have done it already. You would n't still be listening to me.'' 
 
 ``...'' 
 
 `` Okay, look. Maybe I'm not the best person for this. I ca n't give you a reason not to do it. So maybe, instead, uhm... Just. Listen. Alright? Just listen.'' 
 
 ``...'' 
 
 
 `` Right. So. Uhm... 
 
 Do you remember Melinda? She was that girl who came to our school for one term in year 3 and then left. Do you remember her? No? Well, I do. She had these really messy pigtails with hair poking out at all tangents. I remember being fascinated by them in math class. She'd turn her head every now and then to look at something or someone, and those pigtails would bounce around, reaching for one another like infant monkeys grasping for the branches of a tree or something. And, all the little tangents of hair would flail around every which way like delicate little spider's twigs or something like that. I do n't know. I liked looking at them. They were more interesting than whatever it was Mrs. Lee wanted to scold us for not knowing about. Anyway, do you remember what happened to her? 
 
 She was only in class for a term and then she left and nobody noticed. I mean, I guess I only noticed because her pigtails were missing, but that's not the point. She disappeared and recently I found out why. You see, she was the younger sister of one of my older brother's school friends. And when she left, her brother had to leave too. It's just that, well, he told my brother why, before they left, I mean. And, well, I do n't know how to say this. My brother said he promised not to tell anyone but since it's been so long, he thought it would be okay to tell me now. He said he'd always wanted to tell someone. 
 
 Right. So. Uhm. What happened is, I mean why they had to leave, it's because the girl with pigtails was being raped by her father.'' 
 
 ``...'' 
 
 `` I know, right?'' 
 
 `` How the fuck is this supposed to help? God, that story is so bad I just want to do it right now. Fuck.'' 
 
 `` Alright, I know. Just, I'm getting there, alright? Just, keep listening, would you?'' 
 
 ``...'' 
 
 `` So, anyway, I remembered her name. I do n't know why. I mean, I ca n't even remember her face, but I can remember the name of the voice behind the pigtails that would call out'present' whenever the class register was taken. Melinda Payne. God knows why I remember. I do though. So, well, I got curious after my brother told me about that. I just wanted to see if I could find out what became of her. It was a shot in the dark, it really was. A complete fluke, I thought, if I found something. I mean, how would I even recognise her? How many people on facebook have the name'Melinda Payne'? It must be a lot. I'm sure. 
 
 But I typed it in anyway. And you would n't believe it but she was the first hit. She was right there.'Author', facebook said. I could n't believe it. She had these weird googly eyes and the same blonde hair with stringy tangents extruding all over every which way of her profile. She was right there, smiling. I mean, it was n't one of those fake smiles. It was a big, fuck-off, I'm-successful-and-happy-despite-everything smiles. She really did look happy. I checked out her books too. And you would n't believe it, you really would n't!'' 
 
 `` What?'' 
 
 `` Not only has she published all kinds of stuff about abusive relationships and how to deal with them, but she's set up all these charities and things all over the country where abused women can escape and find solace. I mean, I could n't help but check out the numbers, and she's helped literally thousands of woman. Thousands of woman who've been beaten, abused, raped, or whatever, have all been given this chance, thanks to her, to escape and become who they really deserve to be. I mean... It's just... It's amazing. It really is.'' 
 
 `` I do n't really understand why you're telling me this.'' 
 
 `` Do you still want to do it?'' 
 
 `` Nah, not right now, anyway. I guess not.'' 
 
 `` How about a beer?''
