Regarding Bruce.

I had been working at the college for about a year and a half when Bruce arrived. My hopes were that he would be competent and that he would stay. I tried to help and encourage him. Bruce and Josh started to E-mail about master's thesis topics. I talked to Bruce more than anyone else at work.

I remember Josh saying, "You need a friend. You need to invest in someone other than me." This sounded like a terrible idea, but I was liking Bruce more and more.

And then, 6 years yesterday, I messaged Bruce to ask if he wanted to carpool with me. I was about an hour drive. Normally, I hate driving, and driving with a passenger makes it quite unsettling. But, astonishingly, I wanted to talk to this guy for two hours a day.

I spilled my guts in E-mails, partly hoping I'd scare Bruce away but also just to be upfront. But he was kind and steadfast. I was often a mess--moody, hyper, hopeless, jealous, needy, combative, and worse.

Now, we can see that some (if not nearly all) of that was undiagnosed bipolar disorder and panic disorder. Bruce stuck with me and encouraged me in my attempts to treat my illness once I had the professionals in place. I'd say that time with Bruce became medically necessary.

We've seen dozens of shows and movies and we've read some 20+ books together. We motivate each other. He's on "the council" with Josh and my mom--I turn to them for guidance and insight. Josh has been fully supportive of the friendship.

Bruce is one of the kindest, most gentle, and most loving people I know. I feel wonderful knowing that I've kept his interest for 6 years.