When you move around a lot as a child, entering an entirely new School system every few years, the first people to befriend you at a new school are the outcasts.  The nerds, the fat kids, that kid with the crooked eye.  This realization first struck me when I entered fourth grade.  At the age of 9, I was entering my 6th school district. 

On my first day, a child I no longer remember the name of sat beside me at lunch and began to make small talk.  We chatted about toys and tv shows we liked.  He didn't like chocolate milk.  I remember that because it was the first time I'd ever heard of anyone who didn't.  For the next week, he sat beside me at lunch every day. 

I've always been observant.  Being a shy kid leaves you plenty of time to watch what's going on around you.  I noticed right away that I was the only kid that talked to this nerd.  The other kids didn't harass him much but they didn't talk to him either, except maybe to remind him that he was, in fact, a nerd.

While I was shy, I made friends easily enough.  By the time Halloween rolled around, I had a pretty good pool of friends, even had a best friend.  But I never stopped talking to the nerd.  I was still the only one that did. This confused the other children.  "Frank, why do you talk to him?" 

It was a question I asked myself.  Honestly, the kid was annoying sometimes.  He laughed through his teeth, which was forgivable, but he spit while he did it.  And he laughed at all the wrong times.  He spoke too loudly and he wore some really ugly clothes.  I was getting to be pretty popular.  Why was I bothering with this kid?

I felt a little used.  He knew he was a nerd and he only talked to me because no one else would talk to him, I was new and didn't know he was a social outcast!

That was actually a conversation I had with myself.  It is also the moment I realized my potential for being a complete asshole.  And it's when I made a decision.  I would not be that guy.  I didn't care if he was a social outcast or if he was a bit annoying or even why he spoke to me in the first place.  What mattered is that he did speak to me.  Unlike the other kids, or perhaps because of the other kids, he didn't avoid me because I was new.  He reached out and I am still grateful to him for that. 

I never forgot that lesson.  With each new school system, I was happy when a nerd would pull up a seat and start chatting.  Even when they were annoying as hell, I was thankful for the company and never stopped talking to them, even after my coolness was judged to be worthy by the rest of the student body.  I was happy to see them each day and to repay the favor they did for me.