Alone?

On the bus this morning, sitting in front of two ladies possibly late 30’s to early 40’s (and for your convenience and mine I shall call them married and single) I was unintentionally eavesdropping (ja so bis soes my ma) I found nothing particularly interesting in their conversation, but was still listening. Naturally it being summer, people tend to rant on about skin and sunburn and so forth. I can hear by their tone that they are very conservative (ok more rigid than anything else). The conversation moves from this to that to clothing and perfumes and of course which hibiscus floral design will be the summers new black... then finally something interesting... The apparently married one of the ladies comes back to the skin topic and mentions how she just "hates" sunburn. The single one describes a horrific sunny experience where she was terribly burnt in the face and within two days she was wrinkly and peeling. Shocked married one gasps and says and I quote true story “Oh God your boyfriend obviously didn’t like that” to which the single ones response is natural, but slightly embarrassing, “no I'm………. Ah single”. Even more shocked the married one says and I quote again… true story “shame”. And not just in any tone, it’s the tone that my ouma uses when she says something like: “Haai, hy is baie nice… shame”, loose translation “he is very nice, but I'm sure there sure there is something wrong with him”.

The rest of the conversation went a little something like this

Married: But then what do you do?

Single: Do about what?

Married: when you want to go out?

Single: I still go!

Married: ALONE?? (high pitched Antie Stienie pitch, that even pikanese dogs can hear)

Single: uh yes

Married: But then who do you talk to?

Single: At a party?

Married: Yes

Single: I talk to the other people at the party

Married: But they all there with someone right?

Single: Yes mostly, but there are other people that are single

Married: Yes but probably not your age (please note this was not a question, but a statement)… But do you have fun

Single: (pause) Yes I do, they my friends

Married: so why don’t they find someone for you then you don’t have to go to parties alone.

Single: I don’t really want a boyfriend

Married: Of course you don’t want to be alone forever

Single: ……. Where did you buy that bag?? (She politely changes the subject)

Note… if it were me I would have pulled her false teeth out her bek and made it bite her gevriet off… but that is just me and my aggressive nature.

So I’m sitting there appalled and in shock. I knew us singletons were discriminated against, but this was a slap in the face to anyone who has been alone ever. I felt bad for the chic, thinking that this lady don’t know her circumstances and why she chooses to be single or even if she has to choose it. Must there be an ultimate socially accepting reason for women to choose to be alone??

Sadly, this is how people think. We single people are diseased and cannot carry on in normal society without a “someone”. We should be kept in a basement fed through a whole and if we ever go outside we should carry the “S” letter with us and no I don’t mean Superman!

Going to a party… alone?

Going to the cinema… alone?

Lunch dates… alone??

Yes it is known to happen, but it’s still not acceptable.

Sympathising with my fellow single social “s” letter carrier and felt warm and fuzzy inside (“,)

My friends invite me to every party with or without a partner. I love their husbands and boyfriends and they love me. There is no singles table and no singles separatist congregation. We gather together and party together and laugh together. They listen to my troubled single life and sometimes listen in envy same as I am in envy that they have that special someone to share these little tales with.

So who gives a fuck what an old tart with a hairstyle from 19 voetcheck and floral print shirt that was and never will be in fashion thinks? With the comfortable life with a man that made her have too many children and still has too little money. With the Shoprite sakkie instead of a bag and gets home to cover her mullet with a swirl kous!

I am an outcast

I am a freak

Yes I am single,

But NO I am not alone!!