Making It Plain

One of my favorite shows, odd as it may seem, is Hoarders on A&E. Over the numbers of episodes that I have watched, there is a specific common thread in all of the clients. You would think that common thread is mental illness but that is the result of what the common thread brought. Most often then not it was some sort of trauma which led to them being alone. The few cases that didn't, usually suffered from some sort of loss in the family. Theoretically, there are exceptions to the rule, in this case, the common thread. One of the exceptions was this couple who met while in college. They never had children and were loners before meeting each other. What they did share was a love for knowledge and books. She was working at the college library or bookstore when they both graduated with PhD's. Even then, they often found themselves engrossed in some sort of book. After reading, they'd come together and discuss what they read. This was their pattern, their habit, their...

I was having a discussion with a woman who is about 20 years older then me. She is so interested in meeting someone and was asking me who in the community seems lonely and would like to meet someone as well. Granted she is a believer of God but her maturity level is a little lacking. I told her of a man that has watched her from time to time and could be interested in her. He is around when she volunteers for projects and I believe it was just to see how she handles herself in social settings. She was so excited to know that there was someone that was even looking. She asked for me to describe him. Being employed in an elderly community, the description of him being elderly with white hair and looking like this or that was not much different from every other man residing here... though, oddly enough, it satisfied her. She paused for a moment and her elated expression changed. She said, "so why hasn't he come to speak to me?" Why would she think I had the answer to this?...