Sunday, June 06, 2021

Well, blow me down!


Darby and Joan from an old English painting, artist unknown.

At my stage in life it's really, really hard to surprise me with how people behave and act.

We are veering into normalcy here with regard to Covid. Most are lined up for our second jab if we don't already have it and visits and drop-ins by friends are re-starting. 

A friend dropped in yesterday for coffee. She followed me into the building about a year after I moved in.

She's more social than I am, much to her grief now, as she has been taken advantage of and is really angry with herself. I had said to her to be careful when she moved in. A dear friend of mine who had lived in the building for yonks and who had introduced me to the possibility of my getting  on the waiting list here had put a word in my ear about getting close to anyone here when I eventually moved in. 

I don't need much warning of such things as I am a gregarious loner by nature and have different criteria for selecting friends which usually don't involve the coincidence of geographical proximity. I am useless at small talk and it abounds in this building. So I have kept my polite distance.

So I mentioned to Terry (not her real name) that I had noticed a remarkable thinning of the ranks when I traversed the community rooms and the halls with some apartments absent their usual festoons of art and décor around their entrances.

"Oh, there's quite a few have moved out," she said, "I suppose you don't know."

"Know what?" I responded, concerned as to possible infestations of rats or plumbing outbursts.

"Silver Seniors."

"Holy Mother of God, what?"

"Covid has sent so many here on the online hunt for a partner - and many have been successful, they're leaving in hordes with the new fellahs!"

I'm still flabbergasted, still laughing. Still amazed at all these white haired older women suddenly partnering up and leaving their independence. 

Carpe diem indeed.



19 comments:

  1. Hi! Just visited your blog and wanted to follow, but didn't see a "follow" anywhere except on the knitting blog. I do knit, but not a lot and didn't know if I followed on the knitting one, it would give me notifications on this one?

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  2. What?
    Sooner them than me.
    I love your description of yourself as a gregarious loner. Me too (though I would add sometimes to the tag).

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    1. “ Sooner them than me.”
      My thoughts exactly.

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  3. I just finished my comment from yesterday which came through as "unknown." Why I have no idea. But here I agree and relish "gregarious loner" too. The entire post is great and I too had a giggle.

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  4. So odd that women would still be seeking a partner at the age when they're likely to become caregivers to them before long. Nit for me. Paid my dues! To the only person I could have done that for!

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  5. That's very interesting. I wonder if they felt the need for the security of having a partner.

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  6. Online hunt...leaving their independence...fingers crossed they are doing okay and not moving into impossible situations with people they barely know.
    I'm useless at small talk myself.

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  7. Risking other commenters’ derision, I think it is grand that those ladies are giving it a shot. There’s all kinds of reasons not to, the nurse maid one being top of my list, but still, hope springs eternal. Good luck to those adventurers, hope they’ve found what they’ve been looking for.

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  8. What a coincidence! This morning's local newspaper had this on its front page. https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/pune/cover-story/swipe-right-for-an-elder-match/articleshow/83296909.cms

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  9. I'm not sure what to think!
    I separated almost three years ago and don't have any real interest in looking for a partner but I think I'd welcome one if he appeared.
    Hopefully it works well for them all

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  10. well well well...
    the comment that the woman may end up as a full time carer is a wise one.
    Gregarious loner! I knew my characteristics had a name!

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  11. Good for them, being a bit adventurous and trying again with a new mate. This seems to be quite a trend (the silver splitters) though some others say that one difficult relationship was quite enough and they'll stay single now, thank you very much.

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  12. Good riddance and best of luck to them. Im have become even more of a loner...

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  13. That's the last thing I wanted when I became a widow but some people, as in high school when some had to have a "steady", seem to need a partner at any age.

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