I suggested to the man I had been dating for just a few months that we simply go into a café to warm up, and in response I heard: “What, do you want to eat at my expense? Let’s go to my place instead” 
We met completely by chance, without any romance at all. I was standing in a pharmacy buying vitamins, and he was choosing something for his joints. The line was moving slowly, and at some point I couldn’t help myself and said:
— It’s funny: we used to go to the pharmacy for beauty, and now for spare parts.
He turned toward me and laughed.
— Very true. The doctor told me my knees aren’t what they used to be, — he replied.
That’s how we started talking. His name was Alexander. An ordinary man, calm, without any showy heroics, but with a sense of humor. When we left the pharmacy, he suggested taking a walk.
— If you’re not in a hurry, we can walk for a bit, — he said.
— Why not, — I replied.
We walked and talked. Mostly, he talked. Alexander talked about himself. I listened, sometimes tried to say something too, but the conversation always returned to him. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to it and thought it was just nervousness.
We exchanged phone numbers and started communicating. He wrote often and a lot. The messages were long, mostly about his work, his health, his neighbors, and prices in stores. I replied, but something felt very strange: it was as if he didn’t hear me. He responded briefly and then went back to talking about himself.
We met a few more times. Almost always, they were walks.
We walked and talked. Alexander told me how he used to run in the mornings, take care of himself, and how now everything had become more difficult.
— Age, — he sighed. — You can’t run like you used to.
— I understand, — I said. — Everyone has their changes.
He nodded, but immediately continued talking about himself again. Even then, I didn’t give it much thought.
— Maybe sometime we could sit down somewhere? — I carefully asked once.
— Why? Walking is healthier, — he replied. — And we’re walking just fine like this.
Over time, I noticed that our conversations were strange. When he talked, I was supposed to listen. When I started talking, he looked at his phone or interrupted me.
— Things aren’t easy at work right now, — I started once.
— Well, my boss doesn’t understand anything at all, — Alexander interrupted me immediately and returned to his own topic.
I tried not to dwell on it and thought that maybe he just lacked communication.
And then that day came.
It was November, a cold wind was blowing, and we had already been walking for more than two hours. I was really freezing.
— Listen, let’s go into a café, — I said. — I’m very cold.
He stopped and looked at me in surprise.
— Why? — he asked. — We’re walking just fine.
— I’m really cold, — I replied. — Let’s just have some tea or coffee.
He was silent for a few seconds, then said with a smirk:
— What, are you trying to get a free lunch out of me?
I didn’t even understand right away what he meant. And then the real nightmare began. 
I talk about my bad experience in the first comment 
— What do you mean, get a free lunch? — I asked. — I’m just cold.
— I’m not going to pay for a woman in a café, — he said calmly. — I haven’t decided yet whether you’re even worth spending money on.
That made me uncomfortable.
— I didn’t ask you to pay for me, — I replied. — We can each pay for ourselves.
He shook his head.
— I don’t see the point. If you’re cold, we can go to my place. I have free food.
— I’m not ready to go to your place, — I said.
— What’s the big deal, — he shrugged. — I picked the mushrooms myself, they’re free. And you can help me around the house so you won’t be bored.
At that moment, everything became clear.
He didn’t need a woman or a relationship. He needed a convenient person. Someone who would listen, be grateful, help, and not even expect a cup of tea.
I looked at him and calmly said:
— Alexander, our paths end here.
— Why? — he asked in surprise.
I turned around and walked away. He said something after me, but I was no longer listening. What mattered to me was something else — I had understood everything in time and didn’t agree to a role that never suited me from the beginning.
