One is the Loneliest Number

You know how when you are lonely, you feel like the only one in the world who is lonely…which only adds to your loneliness? You are not alone. This is a true story:

 

When I was living in Chicago, I went through a very lonely period.  My post- college friends were all leaving the city to be nearer to their families and begin their root laying. I was working at this small ad agency that was going bancrupt, so I didn’t even have fun, work friends. I was 26 and faced with constructing a whole new group of friends from scratch.  It was quite a blue period.

 

During this time, I had been going to this big Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue that had a counseling center that put on helpful, not-too-churchy seminars: dealing with bereavement, balancing work/family, stuff like that. So one day when I read in the bulletin about an upcoming seminar called “How to Deal with Loneliness” I thought what did I have to lose?  Maybe I could get a few tips.  Plus, Chicago was such a big city; I felt protected and anonymous. Not likely anyone would know me there so I wouldn’t feel like a total loser. I called and registered.

 

Three or four weeks later, I get this call at work from someone at the counseling center.  Her voice is formal yet polite. She tells me unfortunately, they need to cancel the Loneliness Seminar. 

  

  

“Okay,” I tell her, “Thanks for calling. I’m curious, though, why did they cancel it?”

 

 Then she sounds nervous, “Um, I guess there was a lack of participation.”

 

“Really” I ask, “how many people signed up for it?”

 

 “You were the only one”.

 

I swear to god. 

 

I started laughing.  “I guess that makes me pretty lonely then”. 

 

I’m sure she was afraid I would jump off a bridge.  Imagine that.  You are the only one in the whole city of Chicago that signs up for a “How to Deal with Loneliness” seminar. 

 

Can you stand it?