Being single, I got invited to my buddy’s house for family dinner. His inlaws, two kids, his wife.

It was a lifeless place, and these are educated people from stable backgrounds.

In the time I was there, I was the only one really engaging with the toddler. I saw my friend clean dishes, care for the baby (with suggestive instructions from mom), and show affection to his wife. Everyone had that look that they’d rather be elsewhere. The tv was on some truly useless shit.

By society’s measure, I’m the divorced lonely failure. Well, no thank you.

What got me was his wife’s lack of reciprocity. Not one warm touch back, not one warm conversation.