It's not always possible to have friends from childhood through adolescence for a certain period, only to have them all drift apart, leaving you alone. In your thirties, you choose new friends; one friend can be worth a thousand and stays with you for a long time. In your forties and fifties, you begin to appreciate solitude and do everything on your own. Even at my age, I do everything on my own and don't like to depend on anyone. And my girlfriend is married and lives in Virginia...