Killer Qs

Needing Answers

I am one of those guys that like to spend some time walking around a mall and go buy stuff. Particularly if it is by myself. There's a certain feeling of freedom doing so. You can dart in and out of any shop you like with no brakes on. Spend million of hours in MPH at your own free will. It is absolutely liberating.

So, here I am, skipping to my own beat when I suddently come across a familiar face.

"Oh how are you? It has been ages!" I shake his hand, his friend's hand and beam.

"I'm good." Pause pause. "Are you alone?"

"Oh yes I am..." Blink blink.

I hate that question. I know that it is a simple question which requires a simple answer, but I have never been comfortable with it. "Are you alone?" to me is equivalent to "Are you lonely?" and "You are alone. What a loser." To me, a better way of saying it is "Are you by yourself?" but I guess this sentence is not as common as the other.

I talked to my friend about it and he told me that he cringe whenever someone would ask him "How old are you? Why aren't you married yet?". To him, this string of questions is a string of statement, saying, "Loser! Loser!"

I guess I am over-reacting. But whatever it is, if you ever see me walking around by myself, do spare me that stupid question!