We Are Not in the Same Boat

I am 58 years old and have my daily coffee at a local restaurant bar. I often chat with the female bartender and sometimes share stories about my past relationships. I could tell she doubted some of them.

One day, as I was telling her how long I have been single, a woman in her 50s walked up and handed me her business card. She said, “You’re single? I’m single too. We single people need to stick together. We’re in the same boat.”

I took her card and replied, “We are not in the same boat. We are in the same storm.”

Her card said she was a branch manager at a bank down the street. Over the next few days she came back to the bar with a laptop, pretending to work while sitting near me. The bartenders, knowing my vision is limited, kept watch. They told me she kept glancing at me, waiting for me to make a move.

Every time she left, they said she walked out frustrated.

I will not be fooled again.