I was at a wedding shower the other day for almost two and a half hours. I knew approximately 5 people there, including the bride and groom. This left plenty of time to people-watch and, I'll admit it, eavesdrop. I listened to the following conversation (paraphrased, because I'm not that great at rote memorization):
Middle-Aged Married Man (MAMM): So, have you met anyone special over in Dallas*?
Single Mid-Twenties Man (SMTM): No, not yet.
MAMM: Haha, I'm sure you get tired of being asked that.
SMTM laughs a little.
MAMM: Well, don't worry. My brother is in his mid-forties and he still hasn't found anyone. People have just stopped asking.
*Places have been changed to protect the guilty eavesdropper (me).
I believe the last statement was meant to be encouraging to the SMTM and to give him hope. This reminded me of a conversation I had had with a co-worker in which he told me, by way of encouragement, that he knew a woman who didn't get married until her fifties.
I don't understand why married people think it is encouraging to tell single people about the middle-age, and older, single people they know.
It's like getting off a roller coaster in a theme park, walking past those waiting in line and saying, "That was awesome! Don't worry, you'll get there. My brother waited in that line five days before he got to ride." or "It's okay that you're all the way back here. My friend has been in line for 36 hours, and she's not any closer than you are!"
Seriously.
We get it. Hope is not lost. Most of us probably aren't completely freaked out about it until you imply that we might have to wait 30 more years to find love. We're just kind of hoping we'll get there before your brother/friend.
No comments:
Post a Comment