Dine Alone

It’s a cinch to pass the time with you
but hard to pass the time alone, can you take it?
And it’s true, true, the couple next to you think you look strange.
Alone, what are your aims, or do you have any?

We all are, when all is said and done, alone. We may have someone special, many friends, family, pets, but when the lights go out we find ourselves - by ourselves. You cannot, and should not, rely on anybody besides yourself to get through the day to day exercise we call living. Yes, having support and companionship helps, but it still boils down to the individual to make the effort to see another day. And sometimes that effort can be tough, even too much. Luckily, I haven't had to strain myself beyond my limits to reach that sometimes lofty goal. I'm comfortable in my skin (mostly) and don't mind going it alone. Sometimes I even prefer it.

Avoid confusion. You always know,
always know how much your paying.
I concentrate on, on what the people say,
the couple next to me.

When you're self-reliant, you appreciate some things a bit more than others who have a set support system. You know the cost and consequence of your actions. While, in contrast, those that are in a partnership must take into consideration how their decisions will affect their "better half". Never knowing exactly how they will react to, say, your sudden desire to fly to Vegas for the weekend or spend the afternoon reading a book. Your whims are no longer whimsical. They now have repercussions beyond your own satisfaction or fulfillment. You cannot simply take a break because that ripples the pond as well.

Pass the salt, pour it in my wounds.
It looks like you have no friends,
can’t keep up with the new trends.
Sorry, sorry for myself I don’t agree.
No, I always go out eating with my best friends.
It’s less than normal.

But being insular has it's drawbacks as well. It's costly deeper down. The loneliness can be shrugged off but you still feel as something is missing. We need those ripples on the pond, as we are social animals. Which is why even the most antisocial people still have the desire to connect with others in some way. We need to share, be it a soft caress or a patient ear. It takes the burdens we ignore and spreads them across a wider base. Something as simple as the lull of the television turned on in another room becomes comfort, as the oppressive silence without can shock one into realizing, and dreading, the fact that they are alone. Alone and accountable.

Avoid confusion. You always know,
always know how much your paying.
I concentrate on, on what the people say,
the couple next to me.

Which is not to say that being single is some sort of curse or malady, far from it. For some it's a conscious choice, a lifestyle if you will. You know what you have and are happy with whatever that may be. The price paid can be summed up easily, as you don't have to weigh anything against another's wants or desires. When you get the check everything is accounted for and in plain sight. No hidden fees or value added incentives. There can be no fine print when you wrote the contract.

Avoid confusion. You always know,
always know how much your paying.
I concentrate on, on what the people say.
I think at times.

This, like life, is just a test.