No seats at the table

I often have the sense, when I go to networking events, conferences, and general crowds, that I am the only one. I am the outsider. As I walk around I can the groups of people who are sitting with their premade groups of friends or the custom set they developed at the event. It’s like the overused scent of the new kid in the high school drama. And yet it is an adult in the role, but she still doesn’t have anyone to sit with. This weekend, I sat to eat my meal, alone of course. But this time I looked up, saw someone else walking around plate in hand, and gestured to the empty seat next to me. And then we invited another and another until we had a full table and even fuller conversation. No one wants to be the odd kid out sitting alone. What if we looked up, met eyes with each other, saw the same desire to be welcomed, and chose to sit together.

Daily writing prompt

What makes a good neighbor?