Woman Alone

Women alone, are those who have been left alone in some way: widowed, divorced, abandoned by family, by choice and so on. They aren't all elderly whatever "elderly" means. Most women are not adept at using tools to maintain their homes or are interested in driving into the thick of city traffic. We spend a lot of time at home. Going out walking, either after dark or in places that are less than safe, is what keeps women from venturing out alone. The other day, an acquaintance asked me if I had gone into the park to enjoy the new pathway in the woods. I had to answer that I had not, and when asked why not, told him that I didn't walk alone in forests. The questioner forgot that couples don't have to think about safety, but we singles, do. It's the same with driving. I use familiar routes and don't go on long motor trips alone. I want to, but it isn't a good idea. Again, safety. Young women are also cautious fortunately, and thus go about in groups. Another hazard of living alone is finding services for small repairs. While the job is small, such as adjusting a cupboard door so that it doesn't stick, the cost is not. For a worker to come out it's around 100 dollars or more with time and supplies added on. The reason I've been given, is that there's a truck load of tools ready to do the job and it has costs. Frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a darn about the tool truck. I have a screwdriver. All I need is for someone to put a teaspoon of gas in their vehicle and spend 10 minutes adjusting the little thing on the cupboard door. DIY you say, but I say, that's not what I speak of. It doesn't cost one hundred dollars to come to my door from a few blocks away. The excuse that "everyone charges the same" doesn't help my budget either. I was at the grocery store and the clerk looked at me askance when I asked her if she were going to load the bags into my cart before I left. She was surprised but  did it reluctantly. Since when, at a major upper level grocery chain, does the clerk have to be asked to place bags in the cart? I take my car in for oil and get a list of costly things that need to be done. What do I know? I always ask the mechanic to prioritize and time the items he lists. The eyeballs roll skyward but he does it. What do I know about cars? What does anyone know in this specialty computerized age? Times have changed and we seem to live in a growing myopic world. There are many advantages to living alone and making all your own decisions, but the downside is a bit of a slippery slope.