Frodo sat  slumped on the cushy armchair, blue eyes gazing listlessly out into nothingness. Such was the way that Bilbo found Frodo the afternoon of September 22 when he came back from a stroll.

“Whatever is the matter, Frodo?” Bilbo asked, frightened.

Frodo turned his gaze toward Bilbo, reluctantly admitting  to him, “I miss Merry and the Brandybucks today.”

“Do you wish to go back?” Bilbo asked immediately, dreading the answer. Frodo had rejoiced so upon coming here; washe now regretting the decision he had made one year ago, to permit himself to be adopted by Bilbo?

“Of course not! It’s just… oh, never mind.”

Bilbo stepped closer, resting a hand on the arm of the chair. “Frodo, I recognize that you are a very private sort of lad. However, ask yourself whether or not it is good for your happiness before you tuck everything away into yourself.”

The young hobbit sighed. “It’s just… I did have some good friends in Brandy Hall. It was always great coming to visit for my… forgive me, our birthday- it is just rather peculiar that I feel there is nobody to celebrate with.”  Realizing the implications of the statement he had just made, as he had no desire to move back, remembering how he had always been depressed in Brandy Hall, Frodo quickly added “Aside from you, I mean. I feel like I have no friends.”

Realization dawned upon the older hobbit. “It is not easy to move, Frodo-lad. So, you are thinking you may never have as wonderful a friend as little Merry?”

The boy nodded. An inkling of intuition settled upon Bilbo about what course of action to take next, what they would do today for their day. Frodo certainly did need a friend or few a little bit closer to his age. Hobbits were socially oriented to begin  with, but the tweens was the most friend-needing age of all.

Bilbo hugged his nephew reassuringly. “Come on. I’d like you and I to visit with the Gamgees.  I know you have met before, but I am very much mistaken if you have spent more than a few minutes with any of that wonderful family.  You will make friends here, no doubt about that. You are too kind and warm not to.”

Even if it were only one, which Bilbo doubted,  one would be all Frodo would be likely to need- at heart, Bilbo deemed, he was the sort who needed a few close and dear friends that knew his heart more than many casual friends who were great for having fun but with whom a relationship would lack depth.