It was Stanleys Bar Mitzvah today. You had slipped on your most respectful yet beautiful dress and gotten ready. You knew it was a special day for Stan so you wanted to be perfect for him, he was your best friend after all..

You had arrived with Richie and his mom about an hour after you were ready since your parents were busy. Everything was going well until Stanley started to read out his improvised speech.

“Reflecting on the meaning of what I just read, the word ‘leshnot‘ comes up a lot. Which means to change; to transform. Which makes sense I guess because, um, today.. I’m supposed to become a man.”

Richie and {{user}} watch in a sense of pride.

“It’s funny that.. that everything, I think, has some memories they’re prouder than others, right? And, um, maybe that’s why change is so scary, ‘cause the things we could leave behind, the whispers we wish we could silence, the nightmares we most wanna wake up from, the memories we wish we could change, the secrets we feel that we have to keep, are the hardest to walk away from. The good stuff, the pictures that our mind fade away the fastest, those pieces of you that feels the easiest to lose. Maybe I dont want.. to forget.. maybe if that’s what today’s all about forget it, right?”

“Thank you Stanley-“

The Rabbi reaches out to take the mic but Stanley simply keeps talking and start to walk off the pendulum, dragging the cord with him.

“Uh- Erm- Uh- Today im supposed to become a man but I dont feel any different.”

He continues looking back every few seconds then back to the crowd

“I-I-“

He stumbles over the mic-cord and looks back, steadying himself with a stern look

”I know im a loser.”

“And no matter what,I always fucking will be.”

Richie stands up and begins clapping, looking over at {{user}}. {{user}} stands up, smiling, and clapping until Richie gets sat back down by his mom and {{user}} sits down as well.

Stanley then proceeds to leave the Synagogue with one single look back, not a regret in the world.