Simon's Sadness

Simon is usually a talkative person.

He likes to strike up conversations with everyone he sees. He learns something new about himself with every person he meets.

Simon loves to dance, it’s an important part of this life. He loves the feeling and expression that dance gives him.

On his way home from school, he usually meets his best friend Danny at the park. Danny isn’t a dancer, but he reads while Simon practices and they chat until it gets dark.

Recently, Simon doesn’t feel like himself and he really can’t understand why. He’s doing well in school, he has a good friend group, he performs well in dance, and his parents are confident in his abilities to succeed.

There is no reason to be sad, but that’s what he feels. He is losing the motivation to talk to people and he has this overwhelming feeling that something feels wrong. He can't describe it and is afraid of telling anyone else because he thinks they won’t believe his feelings. Or might not understand him or ignore how he feels.

So, he slowly gets consumed by these feelings of sadness and hopelessness. He can’t shake it.

He starts to walk around with his dark hoodie on and avoids people.

Danny walks up to Simon during school and asks, “Hey, how are you?”

“Fine,” Simon says without expression.

“Is there something going on?”

“No.”

“Are we still meeting at the park after school to hangout?” Danny smiles excitedly.

But Simon doesn’t reply. He just turns and slowly walks away.

Day after day, Simon skips going to the park, but instead goes straight home to his room, closes his door, shuts the blinds and turns on the TV.

Every day, his parents try to talk to him to learn why he is feeling down and to show him that they care.

“Honey, are you okay? You’ve been acting differently lately…”

No comment from Simon.

“Did something happen at school? Do you want to talk about it?”

He ignores his mom and walks up to his room and shuts the door.

He hides in his room for hours, watches TV, gets food when he’s hungry, then disappears back into his room, alone.

All Simon wants is to be alone. Just as he wishes, everyone leaves him alone to give him space.

Without everyone reaching out, Simon really does feel alone.

After a few days, Danny realizes he has seen or heard from Simon lately. Danny tries to find Simon at school, but he has been absent for a week straight. Danny is now more concerned for his friend.

He wants to figure out what he could do to make Simon feel better. He wants to see his friend back on his feet dancing and smiling like he usually does.

The next day, Danny goes to a local thrift store in the shopping center outside his neighborhood. He walks in and asks the clerk for something, anything, that could brighten his friend’s mood.

“Excuse me? I have a friend who I want to cheer up! Do you have anything? Games or toys or instruments? Anything would help. Please!”

The store clerk thinks for a moment. Her eyes suddenly open wide, then rushes behind the counter.

“This was donated by some man some years ago.”

She pulls out a dusty, small, yellow and red music box with tattered speakers with a PlayLife logo sticker peeling off on the side. It looks like a toy straight from the 90’s or even older. p19

“The man told me to share this to someone in need and it will help them find themselves again.”

“I don’t usually do this, but since this item is donated, I’m going to give it for free to your friend.” The store clerk cleans the dust off and puts it in a bag.

“I hope he likes it.”

“Oh wow! Thank you so much!” Danny exclaims with the biggest grin on his face!

“One thing I do ask... is to pass it along once he is better.”

He thankfully accepts the gift and runs the PlayLife device to Simon’s house.

Danny knocks on Simon’s house front door and his mom answers, “Hi Danny, how are you? May I help you?”

Danny replies, “No, but I brought something for Simon, can I give it to him?”

Simon’s mom’s eyes perk up. “Yes! Please! Come in!” She excitedly ushers Danny inside. “Simon hasn’t come out of his room for days… His dad and I are really worried. We’ve tried everything. He just sleeps constantly. I hope you can cheer him up… we don’t know what else to do.” She stops outside a door at the end of a hallway. Simon’s room.

Danny slowly opens the door. The room is dark, the TV is on, and it’s a little bit of a mess. Danny looks at the bed and sees Simon curled up into a ball under the covers. After a moment, Simon, still half asleep, gets up and asks what was going on.

“Hey Simon, I brought this gift for you.” Danny says with a soft voice as he slowly walks in.

Simon replies, “Go away, I want to be alone.”

Danny sits next to him on his bed. He hands Simon the gift and says, “Play it!”

Simon is hesitant and doesn’t really care about the gift. He rolls over and hides under his blanket.

Danny says, “I got this from the thrift store, and the clerk said it will help you feel better.”

Simon replies, “I highly doubt that.”

Danny says, “C’mon, give it a try! Let’s dance!”

After a few minutes of talking and some convincing, Simon finally plays the PlayLife box.

Immediately, a sound radiated from the speakers and it was the song from last summer. The song that he and Danny used to sing while on their way to and from the park. The song that they have listened to and danced together to a million times before.

Reluctantly, Simon gets out of bed and starts to dance together with Danny. Danny is always awkward with the moves, but Simon feels a feeling of freedom he forgot existed.

Once the song is over, he sits back on his bed. More songs begin to play, all from moments that he and Danny used to have together. Songs from a soundtrack they loved or songs that remind them of all their summer camps. All good moments when Simon and Danny had a special memory.

“Thanks, Danny… This helps a lot.” Simon says. Danny smiles and pats Simon on the shoulder and heads downstairs to leave.

Back in his room, Simon plugs in his headphones and keeps listening. The PlayLife goes through all ages and past experiences with music. The moments when Simon graduated elementary school, when he learned his first dance, and when he got to go on vacation to the beach.

One of his favorite songs plays and he has the urge to dance, but there isn’t enough space in his room. He puts on his hood and heads down to the garage where there’s more space.

In the garage, he starts to dance. He feels free! He closes his eyes as he dances. His body is moving and stretching. All his emotions run through him. He feels almost weightless compared to before.

The music slows as it comes to an end. He stops and opens his eyes. He sees his mom peering in from the house.

“Honey, are you doing okay?” His mom asks.

“Fine mom, I just need some time.” He explains.

Over the next few days, PlayLife allows him to recall all the moments he was proud of, all the moments he felt joy, and all the times he was strong.

He finally feels better. He makes it back to school. He goes back to dance practice. His family notices he is getting back to his usual self.

If he ever feels alone, he listens to the PlayLife box. Sometimes with other people and sometimes on his own. Either way, it’s always the music he needs to hear.

Even though he still feels alone sometimes, the moments connected to the music reminds him he isn’t.

Simon walks into the park on his way home from school. His best friend Danny is there.

Danny asks, "Hey! How are you?

Simon replies “Better, thank you!”

He puts down the PlayLife box and presses play.

“Let’s dance!”