A Benefit Without Friends

Posted on Thu Sep 14, 2017 @ 9:10pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Ben Efits

"Computer, start personal log," Petty Office First Class Ben Efits said as he stirred another spoonful of sugar into his coffee. He set the spoon aside and sighed as he looked at the cup and raised it in his hands.

"I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong," he started. I'd like to think I'm a great guy and I always have a smile and a friendly word for everyone. You'd think that my very name would want people to be friends with me, but at the present time, I don't have any."

Ben took a sip of the coffee and frowned. Did he put in one spoon or five? He hadn't really been paying attention, but it was far sweeter than he preferred. Getting up, he went to the recycler and watched it dematerialize before he continued his log.

"Where was I? Oh yes. I don't have any friends. I'm on a starship with four thousand people, I serve a Commodore and I get to see so many new things. I help out everywhere I can, organize reports, and even bring coffee, but I think my rank is keeping me down."

"Maybe I'm trying too hard or not hard enough or people just don't like me" Ben said to the air as he went to look at himself in a mirror. "I'm not an unattractive guy. I'm in shape, and I'm always good to lend an ear...but no one seems to want it."

"The irony of my name may be lost on people, but it would be vulgar to spell it out for people," Ben continued as he wandered about his small quarters. "Even I had to look it up and let me tell you, I was more than a little shocked when I dug a bit deeper. Maybe that's why no one wants to be friends with me. I may be Ben Efits, but I'm one without friends. End log.

He sighed and sat down with his head in his hands and waited for the next shift to begin.