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Pay to Play

Jim Wasserman

EVEN IN OUR consumer-driven society, some things are looked down upon if bought. One of those things is companionship.

I’ll leave the topic of sexual intimacy for another day. What I’m talking about here is paying—directly or indirectly—for social interaction. We might buy a younger colleague lunch simply to have somebody to dine with. We might continue therapy long after we’ve finished exploring the issues that prompted us to sign up. We all have a need to connect with others and thereby have our own existence validated.

It’s a basic human need and yet, if folks admitted they pay to have such companionship, many would cluck their tongues and argue it’s not genuine friendship. People would then feel shame and not do it. But in truth, we all need human interaction and we all pay to have it—one way or another.

For more than 15 years, I’ve belonged to the same United States Tennis Association (USTA) team. In that time, we’ve had a core group of guys playing together. Record-wise, all we have achieved is new heights of mediocrity.

We’ve played in 100-degree heat and near-freezing cold. We’ve all sidelined ourselves with embarrassing injuries. For those losses and discomforts, we must pay ever-rising USTA membership dues and player registration fees for each league we compete in, plus we split the cost of tennis balls.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love tennis. But it’s the interaction with the guys—the jokes about how lousy that shot I made was or how incredibly lucky my opponent was to eke out a 6-1, 6-1 win—that I’m really paying for. We text like schoolboys before and after matches, inventing words like “pushdink” or WOOF (winner off of frame) that become our inside jokes.

The COVID-19 lockdown exposed and exacerbated a hidden societal ill—pervasive loneliness. Even afterward, many people continue to feel isolated and alone, yet balk at the idea of buying companionship. They see it as desperate or demeaning.

That’s a shame. There are many ways to feed the soul’s need for being with others. I’ve seen writers’ groups that spend little time improving their prose in favor of sharing experiences that they’re “going to write about.” I have been to Bible studies where people discuss the food everyone brought at least as much as Bible verses.

Seniors especially need companionship, and should be encouraged to seek it out and even pay for the opportunity. My mother was hesitant at first to move into a senior living center, preferring to stay in her home of 50 years—alone and complaining about her back. A few months after moving, she was a new woman.

With a gleam in her eye, she would tell me of the gossip about romantic liaisons. People passing her in the hall would ask if she was coming to the card game later because they needed her. She stopped mentioning her back pain. I’m convinced that socialization alone extended her life and made her happier.

Recently, my wife Jiab and I committed tennis treason by delving into pickleball on a rainy day. We went to the local community center, paid for membership and then paid to join the open play session in the gym.

The bleachers were intermittently filled with people ranging in age from their 30s to their 70s. They seemed to be waiting their turn, although I would swear that many never played. They just hung out.

Between matches, we struck up conversations with strangers who asked if we’d come back. Pickleball was fun, but the people were the selling point. Just don’t tell our tennis friends.

Alfred Hitchcock popularized the term MacGuffin in storytelling. A MacGuffin is the thing you think the movie is about, like an object or a quest, while the movie’s real subject is the evolving relationship of its characters. It’s time to acknowledge that activities and professional and personal goals are great, but that seeking companionship and building relationships are also worthy objectives.

There’s no shame in spending money in their pursuit. If it’s okay to pay for clothes or a trip that makes you happy, why not for a friend?

Jim is a former business litigation attorney who taught economics and humanities for 20 years. He’s the author of a three-book series on how to teach students about behavioral economics and media literacy. Jim lives in Texas with his wife and fellow HumbleDollar contributor, Jiab. They have a two-book series coming out in 2023, Behavioral Economics: A Guide for Youth in Making Choices and The Social Media Diet: A Guide for Young People to Be Smarter Online Users and Consumers. Check out Jim’s earlier articles.

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Elizabeth Adams
1 year ago

Did you say Pickleball?! It satisfies most of my retirement needs: allows me to make new friends, stay active and healthy, fill time and have something to work on.

We have a 94 year old (he gets 2 bounces) and kids under 20 at our courts. I end up visiting with folks I wouldn’t encounter in real life and my unofficial survey shows there are far fewer jerks on the court than in real life.

AnthonyClan
1 year ago

I believe that In Japan one can actually pay directly for companionship. A friend, lunch date, etc.

Will
1 year ago

Your first line hooked me, as the opening sentence of a short story should: “EVEN IN OUR consumer-driven society, some things are looked down upon if bought. One of those things is companionship.” Even though you did not follow thru with “the topic of sexual intimacy” that I was hoping for, the points about the value of friends and sustaining friendships is spot on. Thanks. Could we have some former (or current!) prostitutes chime in with their views?

DrLefty
1 year ago

Our condo community has a biweekly wine club. We have a theme for each meeting (syrahs or Italian wines or whatever) and everyone brings a bottle for tasting along with snacks. One of the organizers used to make his own wine, so he knows stuff, but the educational value of the event is fairly low(!).

One of the neighbors stopped coming, huffing that she wasn’t “learning anything about wine.” Well—yeah. It’s a social gathering with a wine theme. And it’s really fun.

Chazooo
1 year ago
Reply to  DrLefty

There are reasons why some folks are alone, one of which is whining.

Will
1 year ago
Reply to  Chazooo

yuk yuk!

Sonja Haggert
1 year ago

Thoughtful article. Having been an only child, I love my alone time reading. Yet my husband and I enjoy some of the same activities, including spending time with close friends. It’s all about filling this retirement time with what you love.

Ben Rodriguez
1 year ago

You have to date for friends like you do for a spouse. No issue with spending money on dates.

Juan Fourneau
1 year ago

A thought provoking article for sure. One I’ll chew on for some time. Pride can keep folks from spending money on companionship, or admitting that is what they’re doing. I was single for over seven years and lived alone during that time. Loneliness is real. When I got married and had children any time alone became precious, valuable and appreciated.
I expect that to change gradually as my kids get older.

Jeff Bond
1 year ago

We are absolutely on the same page about social interaction. Prior to the pandemic I played pool with a group of friends at a local bar nearly every Thursday night. We talked, we joked, we played a bit of pool. During that time I negotiated and discussed with them my stressful divorce and resulting financial issues, and eventually discovered a better life with a new wife. Others discussed their home, family, or work issues. Three of us are now retired. No topics were excluded, so we managed to discuss politics and religion as well. Two of our group moved to different states, but we persevered. Then the pandemic hit. For a while we all retreated, but that didn’t work for us. We started meeting outdoors for dinners or lunches, even during winter. We’re in North Carolina, so winters aren’t crazy cold, but many restaurants installed heaters in outdoor spaces, making it easier to get together. We’re back to playing pool at the same bar. The only downside is that after all these years my pool game has not improved.

mytimetotravel
1 year ago

That is certainly one of the reasons going into my decision to move to a CCRC. Although, as a died in the wool introvert, I’m not sure how it will work out.

Kristine Hayes
1 year ago
Reply to  mytimetotravel

When we moved into our age-restricted community, one of the appeals was all the clubs that were available to residents. But after having joined one of them briefly, I was reminded why I’ve never been a club person: there is far too much talking going on for my introverted brain to enjoy.

I know I’m at the extreme end of the introverted scale. I can spend days alone, in complete silence, and be happy. I see people in our community who will sit–for hours–just talking to one another. It would be torture for me.

mytimetotravel
1 year ago
Reply to  Kristine Hayes

I am mostly with you. Isolating because of Covid was no hardship for me, but it has gone on longer because I am immuno-compromised. I think it’s time to re-engage, although probably in small doses.

James McGlynn CFA RICP®

Jim I’m the pickleball “Commissioner” where I play in Fort Worth. I agree the game is great especially for the tennis trained but the camaraderie with the various participants is equally beneficial. We have multiple 80-year olds who play and our 70-year olds competed in a tournament.

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