{"id":583,"date":"2026-08-17T16:22:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T16:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/depthguide.com\/?p=583"},"modified":"2026-08-18T22:13:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T22:13:40","slug":"there-was-a-seat-for-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/depthguide.com\/?p=583","title":{"rendered":"There Was a Seat for Him"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tales from the Universe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Moral Dilemma:<\/strong> If belonging requires you to help exclude someone else, have you finally been accepted\u2014or merely been recruited to guard the same door that once kept you outside?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There had never been a seat for Ren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were plenty of chairs in the academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren had carried many of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He meant the other kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At lunch, people shifted their bags onto empty seats when he approached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Study groups somehow became full just before he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Invitations arrived the morning after parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody openly hated Ren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That would have required considerably more attention than they gave him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He simply existed slightly outside everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren became good at being alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is not the same as preferring it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He learned which stairwell stayed warm in winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which librarian didn&#8217;t mind if he ate quietly behind the reference shelves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which roof gave the best view of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He told himself solitude made him independent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes it did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes it was simply loneliness wearing better clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then Marek Voss spoke to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek was everything Ren was not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People noticed when he entered rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Teachers remembered his questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He knew where parties were before the people hosting them did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Marek laughed, everyone nearby seemed briefly included in something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He sat beside Ren during lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren looked at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek opened a small paper packet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inside was shimmering gold powder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFancy Dust?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDon&#8217;t be provincial. This is imported.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFrom where?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSomewhere expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He sprinkled a little onto a terrible meat pie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pie remained terrible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was now sparkly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek ate it anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was how it began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek&#8217;s friends started acknowledging him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then speaking to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then expecting him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One afternoon Marek said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe&#8217;re going to the river. Come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren almost asked:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Why?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He stopped himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Six people went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They drank cheap wine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skipped stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Argued about which instructor would survive longest if abandoned in the wilderness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Someone handed Ren the bottle without looking first to see whether anyone better wanted it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Such tiny things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They meant everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within a month, Ren belonged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He learned the jokes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The histories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who hated whom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who secretly loved whom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which stories could be told in front of which people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were rules to belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody explained them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was part of the test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren learned quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then a new student arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His name was Pell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell wore clothes that were too formal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked questions after lectures everyone wanted to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughed a moment too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren recognized him immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Structurally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell had no seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The group noticed too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At lunch, Pell approached their table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was an empty chair beside Ren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell pointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnyone sitting here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren opened his mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek placed his bag on the chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He walked away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren stared at the bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek continued talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody else seemed to notice anything had happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later he found Pell in the warm stairwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His stairwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell was eating bread and reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren nearly laughed at the precision of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell looked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh. Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI thought nobody used this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren leaned against the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLots of people don&#8217;t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell smiled uncertainly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren could have stayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead he left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The jokes began a week later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell answered a question incorrectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek imitated him at dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everyone laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren laughed too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That bothered him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not enough to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next day someone hid Pell&#8217;s books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren didn&#8217;t participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That distinction felt important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then someone asked Ren where Pell usually studied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren told them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That distinction became less useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One evening the group met in an unused classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek closed the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Someone laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek placed a folded letter on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe&#8217;re inviting him to the Scholars&#8217; Supper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everyone laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was no Scholars&#8217; Supper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren knew immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat happens?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe dresses up. Goes to the old dining hall. Waits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat&#8217;s it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor how long?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHowever long it takes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek looked at Ren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou write well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren felt something cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWrite the invitation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are moments when morality arrives with trumpets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was not one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody threatened Ren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody said he would be expelled from the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody demanded loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek simply pushed paper toward him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren understood anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was a seat for him at this table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He knew now what some of the rent was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBecause your handwriting doesn&#8217;t look like a dying spider.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren picked up the pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Faculty Scholars&#8217; Society requests the pleasure of your company\u2014<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His hand stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek looked over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell received the invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was delighted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That made everything worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He showed Ren after class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHave you heard of this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren looked at his own handwriting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey said formal dress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLooks like it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI thought I was doing badly here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren swallowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don&#8217;t know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell folded the invitation carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt&#8217;s been hard meeting people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren looked away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI suppose this means somebody noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren could not answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That evening, Ren sat with the group in the tavern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They were waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At eight, Pell would arrive at the abandoned dining hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At eight-thirty, Marek planned to lead everyone past the windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps Pell would see them laughing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren imagined the empty hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One person dressed carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Waiting because, finally, someone had said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is a place for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren stood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d Marek asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTo the Scholars&#8217; Supper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The table laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren didn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek&#8217;s smile faded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSit down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first actual command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren looked at the chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the first time, he saw how easily it could become empty again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDid you ever actually like me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek looked confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen you invited me to the river.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat kind of question is that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA straightforward one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOf course I like you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don&#8217;t know. You&#8217;re funny. You&#8217;re smart. You don&#8217;t make everything difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren looked at the folded paper packet beside Marek&#8217;s drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A little Fancy Dust had spilled onto the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gold flecks stuck to a ring of cheap wine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Something pretending to be more expensive than it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cApparently I do now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell was sitting alone in the dining hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Formal coat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hair combed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shoes polished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He had arrived early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren stopped in the doorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell looked relieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThank goodness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren entered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI thought I had the wrong room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren sat across from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a moment he couldn&#8217;t speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is no Scholars&#8217; Supper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell&#8217;s expression changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren continued before cowardice returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMarek made it up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell looked at the invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI wrote that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell looked at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second one was different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren preferred the first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI wanted them to like me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell stared at the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd this made them like you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI thought so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDid it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell looked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That answer surprised him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat is part of why I&#8217;m ashamed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They sat in silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eventually Pell stood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren expected him to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead Pell walked toward a cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe invitation promised dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere isn&#8217;t any.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell opened the cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inside were dusty plates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThen whoever organized this event is incompetent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell looked at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a second, neither knew whether laughing was allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then Pell laughed too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They went to the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They found bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two apples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A jar of pickled onions nobody admitted taking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They returned to the dining hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At eight-thirty, Marek and the others passed the windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inside, Ren and Pell were eating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek stared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren raised an apple in greeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek walked away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The following week was difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren&#8217;s seat disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Invitations stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People became polite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Very polite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The kind of politeness that closes doors without appearing to touch them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren returned to the warm stairwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell was already there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He moved his books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren sat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was not the seat he&#8217;d wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That mattered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was also a seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That mattered too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Months later, Marek approached him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cStill angry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe&#8217;re going to the river.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren felt the old pull immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He hated how strong it remained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek nodded toward Pell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe doesn&#8217;t have to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There it was again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ren looked at Marek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then at Pell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marek shrugged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSuit yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell waited until he was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou could have gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI wouldn&#8217;t have cared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYes, you would.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pell considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Years later, Ren became an instructor at the academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the first day of every term, students entered his classroom and chose seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He watched carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not because seating arrangements revealed destiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually they revealed friendships and who had arrived late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But sometimes Ren noticed someone standing with books against their chest while everyone else performed the strange social mathematics of deciding whether a chair was occupied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When that happened, Ren did something very small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He moved his bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or moved a chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere&#8217;s room here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He never made a speech about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He had learned that belonging was often constructed from gestures too ordinary to recognize as architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And exclusion was built exactly the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tales from the Universe Moral Dilemma: If belonging requires you to help exclude someone else, have you finally been accepted\u2014or merely been recruited to guard the same door that once kept you outside? There had never been a seat for Ren. Not literally. There were plenty of chairs in the academy. Ren had carried many [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tales-from-the-universe"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>There Was a Seat for Him - Depth Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/depthguide.com\/?p=583\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"There Was a Seat for Him - Depth Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tales from the Universe Moral Dilemma: If belonging requires you to help exclude someone else, have you finally been accepted\u2014or merely been recruited to guard the same door that once kept you outside? 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