Eventually it happened

                             ENTERING A NEW WORLD

 

Senior singles mingled self-consciously in the hallway, waiting for the doors to open to a wine and cheese get-together. A few ladies seemed to know each other, making the first-timers more lonely as they walked into the their new world. A still attractive lady in off white slacks and smart new red sweater stood on one foot, then the other, uncomfortable, lost in the crowd. Her eyes had tiny touches of tears behind her red framed bifocals. 'Why did I come?' Bewilderment was written all over her face.

 

Loud, forced, laughter filled the corner where one of the very few men found himself surrounded by hungry women. Fat and wrinkled, they vied for his attention. But why? He was slightly hunched over, white haired, pot-bellied, bow legged and had a distinctly unbathed odor. So what was the attraction?  He was a man, a man in the world of widows. A smile, a snap of his fingers and he could have had any one of a dozen ladies looking, hoping for something, someone in their lives.  Near the still locked door, three strangers began to talk to each other  so their tension would resolve itself.

 

Finally the room with its cheap gallons of wine, cubed cheese, vegetables, dip, plastic plates and wooden toothpicks opened. All that changed  was the location. The players were the same except now they could hold a paper cup of wine and stuff their mouths with hard orange chunks of less than fresh cheese, making conversation even more difficult. Women, acting cool, nonchalant, held their heads aloof as their pupils peeped, searched for a presentable man. There were none which forced 2nd, 3rd and 4th choices to be taken. The last straw was talking to another woman the rest of the 'evening out.' It was unbearable.

 

Let me go back to the lady in the red sweater. That was I! The first and only man to whom I spoke at length happened to have come from not just my home town, but roomed in the house of a close friend of mine. We walked the same streets, ate in the same dellys, knew the same people. Because the lady with whom I had been standing gave him her name and number, I was too embarrassed to say 'No' and did the same. Then I merely said how nice it was to talk to him, turned and left.

 

At 8:30 the following morning he called and went directly to the point, 'Would you consider a relationship?' As soon as I gave a strong negative answer, he hung up. I went into a spell of depression. Terrible tears, resentment, poured from my soul. It wasn't my fault–-he did this to me–not the newly met idiot, but my love, my husband. He left me when I begged him not to go–left me to this lousy single life. It more than stinks. It's putrid, decaying and devoid of hope.

 

Please, oh, please, COME BACK TO ME !