Maybe I need no statistics to bear me out on this. But it appears there is hardly any moment of loneliness for most old folks who, like Rose Pantas, are living alone but who surround themselves with people they can interact with, or whom they can reach any time.

It is common for people to find fewer companions as they grow older. Either they outlive most of their friends, or they lose practically all contact with them because of isolating circumstances. Among my high school contemporaries, most appear to have dispersed far and wide abroad. The others who chose to live in the country fall under two categories in my list: the living and the dead. It’s quite a challenge to keep track of both.

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