The single newcomers may fall in love with their towns, find Mr. or Miss Right, begin families and dig in roots in their communities. Others, such as me, don't plan a long stay and try to make the best of their circumstances. Those circumstances can be awkward and lonely. The clich is that the social life in a small town for singles consists of bars and churches. If you don't drink or praise the Lord, you are out of luck.
Singles events tend to draw the widowed and elderly set-if they draw anybody at all.
A women's club in my community last June conducted an auction of bachelors and bachelorettes-or tried to. In the meantime, one man who applied to be auctioned married a colleague in my office. His new wife said she would bid for him. She did not have to worry about anybody else making advances on her beau. Fewer people showed up to make bids than men and women who offered to strut on the stage.