021. Friends
The Thousandth Man
House turned around on the piano stool and eyed the man half-lying on the couch. A half-smile quirked his lips and he felt something disturbingly like affection well in his chest. Wilson was watching him with half-lidded eyes, the bottle of beer in his hand perilously close to falling, and House wasn't sure if the other man was awake or mostly asleep.
He grabbed his cane from where it was leaning against the side of the piano and levered himself to his feet. He limped over to the couch and plucked the bottle out of Wilson's hand.
"Huh?" Wilson said sleepily, his attention returning from wherever it had been.
House placed the beer bottle down on the low table and tapped Wilson's legs lightly with his cane.
"Time for bed, thousandth man," he said with a small but very genuine smile.
Wilson blinked. "What?"
"I said, time for bed," House repeated, limping towards the bedroom.
Wilson pulled himself more upright, a slight frown on his face. "No, not that. The other bit."
House paused in the doorway and gave a single soft laugh. "Figure it out. I'll be nice and give you a clue. Kipling."
With that House disappeared into the bedroom. Wilson slowly dragged himself to his feet, trying to place House's odd comment. He slowly ambled over to the bookshelves and rummaged through until he found the book of Kipling's verse he'd noticed when he'd first moved into House's apartment. It took a few minutes to find the 'thousandth man' reference and when he did he felt a lump grow in his throat and few tears well in his eyes. He quietly closed the book and placed it back in the bookshelves before heading towards the bedroom. He'd been worrying about where this change in their relationship was going and what it meant to House. Now he couldn't find a reason to worry.
The
Thousandth Man
by Rudyard Kipling
One
man in a thousand, Solomon says,
Will stick more close than a
brother.
And it's worth while seeking him half your days
If
you find him before the other.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine
depend
On what the world sees in you,
But the Thousandth man
will stand your friend
With the whole round world agin you.
'Tis neither promise nor prayer nor show
Will settle the
finding for 'ee.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine of 'em go
By
your looks, or your acts, or your glory.
But if he finds you and
you find him.
The rest of the world don't matter;
For the
Thousandth Man will sink or swim
With you in any water.
You
can use his purse with no more talk
Than he uses yours for his
spendings,
And laugh and meet in your daily walk
As though
there had been no lendings.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine of 'em
call
For silver and gold in their dealings;
But the
Thousandth Man he's worth 'em all,
Because you can show him your
feelings.
His wrong's your wrong, and his right's your right,
In season or out of season.
Stand up and back it in all men's
sight --
With that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and
ninety-nine can't bide
The shame or mocking or laughter,
But
the Thousandth Man will stand by your side
To the gallows-foot --
and after!