At school, I observe other students like a waiter eavesdropping at a restaurant table. Who do people admire? I notice that wit has the same effect in a high school group as spiritual behavior does at church. I collect a few one-liners and jokes. Before long, friends appear. I listen intently to people’s stories, nodding sympathetically with apparent interest. I feel two-faced, but it gets results. For the first time, classmates seem to enjoy being around me.
