Are you lonesome tonight?

Last night I decided I would forgo the grilled carrot on a bun, hummus and babagamouche(sp)  and not cook for myself. I went to Bella Jack’s a favourite Mexican restaurant in St. Thomas. St. Thomas is famous for the place where Jumbo the Elephant the star of P. T. Barnum’s Greatest Show on Earth was killed by a train.

I ordered a Dead Elephant pint by Railway City Brewery and my regular San Antonio chili. While I sat there I looked over at three separate tables of three separate couples. They were all dressed up looking really great for a really special meal out. All three of the ladies were busy with their cell phones as if their partners did not exist. What a great night out together!

Maybe the guys are boring. Who knows! I could have invited the women over to my table where I could talk to them of things I am sure would interest them. I have a long list of topics women like to have me go on about. There is zirconium encapsulated cadmium, bi-refringement, clay/glaze interface, coefficient of expansion and of course stoking rhythms.

Who is more lonely those guys or me? People see you enjoying a meal by yourself and think of Elvis Presley’s Are You Lonesome Tonight. I think of Emerson, Lake and Palmers “Oh lucky man.”

Fact is folks that statistically there are now more people in single relationships than in partnerships. As Dr. David Foote said in in his book on Economic Demography  “ Boom ,Bust and Echo” two thirds of everything can be explained by demographics. Young people are marrying later, if they marry at all. It takes 3 children to add to the population. 2 kids and you replace yourselves and 1 kid equals minus population growth. How many young couples do you know with more than 3 kids?  Spouses are dying off as part of the baby boomers and their partners usually women aren’t taking on another partner. Kids are living at home longer because they can’t afford the incredible real estate values. Non union and non tenure jobs are the norm.

I think I’ll text myself and invite myself out for a nice Boulevard, a sirloin tip from Uncle Donny and Aunt Nancy  and a salad from Grannie the Amish ladies garden. Jack the Bear will be my date  tonight. He doesn’t text and he seems interested in coefficient of expansion.