Chapter Text
"Excuse me," nine-year-old Sheldon walks up to the reception desk at the school library. He holds up a book titled How to Win Friends and Influence People. “Would this be the correct reading material one would check out to make new friends?”
The librarian looks bored and unappeased to work there, but she takes a moment to look between the young student and the book in his hand. “You don’t look like the type to schmooze at parties, kid.”
“I don’t know what ‘schmooze’ means, but if it’s related to a party, I would agree.”
The librarian nods her head and turns to the card catalogue behind her. It doesn’t take long to find what she’s looking for, because she’s read it a few times. She writes down the number on a piece of cardstock and hands it to the preteen.
“Here’s the book you should look for. It’s friend-making for introverts.”
Sheldon’s eyes shine at the suggestion and he accepts the card, thanking her.
At home, Sheldon cracks open the spine of The Social Skills Guidebook. The first part focuses on shyness, social anxiety, and low self-confidence. He latches onto each word with fervent determination. Socializing always makes him uncomfortable, even around the family at times because they simply do not understand him. The second part of the book goes into how to improve conversation skills. Sheldon, while talkative, finds it difficult to pick up on social cues and emotions. Sometimes, it’s even hard for him to express himself when he believes others should automatically understand what’s bothering or exciting him.
After a few hours, he finds the perfect way to make a friend: pen pals. It states that there are often small societies within local community centres and libraries that hold information of children across the country and some across the globe. Having a pen pal would accomplish Mary’s goal of him to gain a friend while being in Sheldon’s wheelhouse as he won’t be expected to spend physical time with said friend.
“Shelly! Missy! Dinner!”
Missy groans from across the room where she’d been organizing her Cabbage Patch dolls, while Sheldon simply closes his book. The twins wash up and sit at the table; Sheldon dons his mittens as the family members hold hands, and Mary recites her dinner prayer.
“So, Sheldon,” she speaks as she cuts her meatloaf, “have you made any new friends?”
“I’m working on it,” he responds while twirling his fork in the mashed potatoes. “I’ll need a ride to the library after school tomorrow.”
“What’s wrong with the one inside your school?” George asks.
“It isn’t facilitated with the proper communities I require.” When he only stares blankly, Sheldon sighs and ‘translates’, “I need something there that the one at school doesn’t have.”
He nods, Mary moves the conversation to Missy’s day, and the family continues their meal.
After school the next day, George takes Sheldon to the local library as the football team doesn’t have practice. He waits up front, reading one of the magazines nearby while Sheldon searches for his community. Not finding what he’s looking for on a sign, he finally relents and asks a librarian.
“Oh, we don’t have people by means of community, hon’, but we do have a list of children on file. What you do is give me your age, and I’ll find you someone of the same age and give you their documented information. We will need a parent to sign, agreeing that you share your information as well.”
“My dad brought me here,” Sheldon answers. “He’ll sign. Where do I write?”
The librarian smiles gently and hands him a clipboard. The sheet only requires his name, gender, DOB, and address. Sheldon quickly fills out his information and walks to the front to meet his dad.
“You get what you came here for?”
“Almost. I just need your signature.”
“Like for a package?”
“No, so I can join their program.”
“Oh.”
He glances over the paper. Seeing nothing wrong with Sheldon joining a library program, he signs his name where his son indicates, and the boy brings the paper back to the librarian. She smiles again and gives him the promised information.
Leonard Hofstadter
Male
17 May 1980
102 Mars Way, Hoboken, NJ