Right place at the right time, I guess.
I've been very alone all my life. I've always felt like I can't relate to most people or like there is some sort of disconnect from me at a fundamental level. I often feel like I'm trapped in a glass box and the other people are on the side of the glass, and I can see them and they can see me, but I can't really pass through the glass to join them...I don't know if that makes sense, but I've read about other people who feel like this, too. I grew up in isolation and I've had to move around a lot ever since I was a kid, so it was very difficult to meet people and get close enough to them because I was never in a place for more than a few years. I've always been a drifter. The few times I felt like I was able to connect with someone, either they or I had to move away a year or so later and the relationship wasn't deep enough for them to maintain it despite my efforts. Right now I only have 2 or 3 acquaintances and none of them live nearby.
Being alone so much, I filled my time with solitary pursuits, but as I've gotten older I realize that's just made me even more isolated. I feel very lonely all the time. But I've also had a lot of bad experiences with people so when I sometimes think of trying to make myself meet people, I remember those things and it makes me think that it's better to be alone...
I haven't started reading this yet. Actually I'm not quite finished with Brave New World yet so I'm trying to finish that before I begin The Invisible Man.