My friend Pete was talking about his wife, Suzie. She was great — smart, fun and prettier than Pete deserved by his own self-effacing admission. She was also good friends with my wife, Tabitha.

But I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention to him, at first. I’d worked hard all week at the restaurant where I was a line cook. It was the weekend, we were at somebody’s big outdoor barbecue, and I just wanted to enjoy the sunshine and good food. Food I hadn’t had to prepare myself.

Something Pete had said, though, finally penetrated my brain. I gave him a curious look.

“Loner? Suzie’s a loner?” I realized I didn’t know what exactly he’d been saying.

He chuckled, but I sensed something nervous in his laugh.

“Loaner,” he... Read More