Once upon a time -- that's how all stories begin, you know. Once upon a time there was a lonely shoelace, who was very sad, because he was very lonely. The shoelace said, "I am so very lonely," but then he met a shoe, and he said to the shoe, "Hello, shoe. I am so very lonely," and the shoe said, "I am very sorry to hear that, shoelace," and went away.

But the shoe came around again, and the shoelace said, "Hello, shoe. I am so very lonely," and the shoe looked quite distraught and said, "I am very sorry to hear that, shoelace," and went away, but the shoe came back a third time, and finally the shoelace said, "Hello, shoe. I do not wish to pry, but this is the third time you've walked by. Is there something wrong?" and the shoe replied, "Why, thank you for asking, shoelace. I'm afraid I am so very lonely. But you looked so absorbed with your own troubles that I did not wish to burden you with my own."

And the shoelace said, "Well, shoe, I have a very good idea," and the shoe said, "What is your very good idea?" and the shoelace said, "If you are lonely, and I am also lonely, then my very good idea is that perhaps we should look for company together, for perhaps we might find it in the same place, perhaps."

Well, the shoe thought that was a terrific idea, and he accompanied the shoelace on his quest for company. But the winds of luck blew ill for them, and they never found any company at all, and they both lived lonelily till the end of their days, but they both learned a very important lesson, which is that one should look out for others before oneself.