Smithy. The quiet, calm, observative, and wise Smithy. That was what Jane described him as. Of all the guys, he was the only one that she could never figure out. And what about that pig? Why did Smithy love that pig so much? Jane, the curious one, wanted to find out.
It was in his workplace that Jane saw him with his pig. That pig, it always helped him with making the fire. She wondered what their relationship was.
Unknowingly to Smithy, she observed him working on his forging. It wasn't until he finished that he noticed Jane's presence.
"Oh, Jane, didn't know you were here. Do you need something," Smithy asked, his voice soft and calming. He wasn't much of a talker either, which made Jane even more curious.
"Smithy, I've got a question." She is quite hesitant, not wanting to be too nosy in his business.
"Yes? If it's to my knowledge, I will answer to the best of my ability," he answered. Jane soon noticed how reserved he was. She didn't notice this until now, but he seemed more distant than anybody else she has spoken to. And surprisingly, he is more distant than Gunther.
"I've come to understand something that I haven't realized until now, but Smithy you seem distant. So hard for me to figure out. Only Pig seems to be more of a friend than I am. What am I to you? Why is Pig so important to you?"
"I don't understand what you mean, Jane," he asked, seemingly confused to the questions.
"I mean. Even though I am friends with you, I feel a gap between us. It's as if you are in another whole world than me. I know you are more mature than me, but there's this distance between us that I can't seem but feel rather bothered. I just want to know, where do I stand in your life? And as for Pig, her significance to you seems more close to you than I am. And I am wondering, what kind of relationship do you have with her?" Jane poured out questions that came from her mind. She had many more but those questions, to her, were enough for one day.
"I never knew you had such thoughts, Jane. I guess I am quite distant, am I? I don't know. I just... I am still unsure how to connect with people. I guess I have a deeper connection to animals more than humans. But Jane, you are one of the very few humans that I've come to greatly care about in my life. You truly have a place in my heart even though I may not show it. As for Pig, she was given to me by my parents, and she even grew up with me. She means the whole world to me because she is my family. Like I said before, I treat her like you treat Dragon. She's not just an animal, but a very important being in my life. If I lost her, I would be more upset than anything else," Smithy answered.
Jane was rather surprised by his answers, but she finally felt content. Soon afterwards, Jane and Smithy started bonding as friends should. She started to know more about Smithy while Smithy started to know more about Jane. It was by that time they both understood the place they had for each other. And slowly, the gap started closing the more they spoke to each other. They may differ in many things, but they held one thing that is similar. They have a special place in each other's hearts that one does not know how to express and the other not knowing the great value he/she has to that person. A friendship much more different than anybody else and quite special in its own way. It is the kind that has a quiet, loyal presence. This is Smithy's and Jane's friendship.