The Merchant of Loneliness

Walking through a street one fine day with my dog Jaqui. I saw a small crowd gathered on the road side surrounding an eccentric peddler in tattered clothes who called himself the Merchant of Loneliness and as I approached, he began his speech again:


“Come, come, step right up, and hear the great offer which I lay before you today! I will give to you the greatest riches in the world, the best friendships, the greatest of supportive families, and even, for those who seek it, great power. I will give to you whatever you desire, and I will present all this to anyone willing only to lose the ability to gain love, so though you may burn so passionately for anyone, they will never return it. That is all I require in return, such a menial thing to give for such a grand offer. Who will agree to such a bargain?”


Murmurs arose in the mob around meas each individual considered the value of the deal but I did not trust their judgment (or lack thereof) for they knew not what they were accepting and, in an attempt to sway the general opinion, I stood next to this Merchant of Loneliness and said:
“It is a great scam this eccentric is running one which would satisfy the vain and proud, the greedy, the poor, and the power-hungry, all doubting the true value of their love. But he does not consider those who have accepted the deal without knowledge of their acceptance in the first place. In undeniable truth, I give you my word: he gives away material gain, but each of you, in return, receive ominous emotional loss.”


The crowd took heed of my words and dispersed, and the dastardly Merchant was left with me as his only disinterested customer and as he dejectedly gathered his “wares” I continued on with my chilling speech:


“My friend, I know not if you could fulfill your end of this bargain which you present but your customers are merely victims of their own persons, and you are merely the jester, left to take advantage of their useless greed. Forgive me for ruining your game. Their only faults are the greed which drives all, and the misconception of your offers.


“However, I am one of which I spoke,having accepted your offer without hearing it. For I already have all that I want: friends who’d do anything to help me, family who’d support all actions I take, a wealth of knowledge and skills to do anything and the greatest power: to make my own decisions. But they do not realize your offer is just that, and I know that many could not bearthe loneliness they would receive.


They could not live with the strain of ardent fires of passion burning the very core of their souls, then never possessing the power to purely profess their hopelessness to those who turn deaf ears to them. Often I wish I had the power to rescind the offer because there is no remedy for permanent loneliness and I would give away anything I have for this cold loneliness to end.”