20November2025
Today the house feels emptier than ever. My wife, Evelyn, has turned down the proposal I laid out after months of courting. She says shed rather be alone than live on a freeservice roof for the rest of her days. I tried to console her, but she only scoffed, What good is a roof if theres no one to share it with? My mother, Martha, marched in, eyes blazing with the kind of fervour only a mother can muster, and began laying it on me straight from the oldschool sayings she still clings to.
Dont be a lone wolf, lad, she barked. A man shouldnt go it alone, and a woman isnt meant to be without a man. Otherwise its all askew, and no one will ever look your way. You know what loneliness feels like, dont you?
Know what? Evelyn retorted, her voice dripping with the sarcasm of a woman fed up with endless chatter.
Loneliness is a cold dish, Martha snorted, Its what you get when you thirst for water but cant find a cup. Kids will grow up and run off to whoknowswhere.
Where? Evelyn tried to keep up, but the words fell flat.
Where, where to the countryside! Martha finally landed on something, then smirked at Evelyn. Youll have to learn to fend for yourself, I suppose. Its a hard road, but youll get by.
Evelyn had been living on her own for about ten years. Her socalled benefactora man who claimed to be a gentlemanhad shown up once, then vanished, leaving only a halfhearted apology. When Evelyn heard about it, she told her husband, a tidy man from London, to go off to the country and try his luck, while she stayed behind in a cramped twobed flat in the city centre. The solitary life didnt bother her; she made a modest living as a freelance writer, earned enough to keep a roof over her head, and invited the occasional child or Martha over for tea. Though she wasnt a scholar, Evelyn always found something to occupy her, never letting boredom settle in. She read, swam, took yoga classes, loved travelling, and occasionally helped out at a local charity. She lived contently, until Martha finally decided to settle Evelyns fate.
Listen to me, Evelyn, Martha said one evening. A good man, still single, about sixtyone, has been looking for a partner for seven years. He has a large farm, a thriving estate, sheep, cattle, pigs, goatseverything you need for a wholesome life. Its healthy food, fresh milk, eggs, meat. Hes educated, polite, and reads a lot. Give it a go, why not?
Evelyn hesitated. Fine, Martha, Ill meet this farmergentleman, but Im not promising anything.
The farmer, Albert, turned out to be a robust, muscular fellow, cleanshaven, with neat nails and a short, tidy beard. He spoke softly but firmly, always with a hint of humour. He had two workersboth of Asian descentwho helped on the farm. Albert kept telling Evelyn that the farm needed someone to milk the cows, tend the goats, collect the eggs, and keep the house tidy. Youll be my lady, and Ill make sure you never miss a thing, he said, and the womens work will be yours to enjoy.
Evelyn imagined herself on his land, a small cottage with a garden where she could grow vegetables, a modest plot where she could raise a few chickens, and the freedom to tend her own affairs. She even bought a modest car, eight years old, to get around the village. She wondered why she should bother with the farm when she already had a decent life in the city, a freelance job, a small cottage, and a garden that gave her fresh produce. Why trade my peace for a farm? she thought. My income is fine, my pension is secure, and my savings are there.
Martha kept pressing, Give it a try, dear. Youll have a roof, a garden, and a steady income. You wont need to worry about the little things.
Evelyn finally replied to Alberts call, saying she would no longer consider his proposal. Im sorry, Albert, she wrote, but Ill stay in my solitude. I dont need to chase after water just to quench a thirst that isnt mine.
The conversation left me pondering the weight of solitude. I watched Evelyn sip her coffee at eight in the morning, glance out the window, and think of her childrenher son working in Manchester, her daughter already married and living abroad. She had a small, pleasant cottage, a modest income, a reliable car, and a garden where she could grow what she liked. Yet she still felt the pull of a life she never wanted.
Loneliness can be a bitter companion, but it also teaches you to value the company you keepespecially the one you keep with yourself.
