This evening, in Writing 101, we were asked to personify an emotion and write a short exercise. This is what I came up with. I briefly debated with myself about masculine or feminine and settled on the former.

Isolation is not necessarily alone. He has the radio and newspaper for contact with the world. He often spends time with and speaks to others, and sometimes tries to explain. When his efforts succeed, he can briefly feel connected, but the weight of his separation always returns.

He often spends whole days in pajamas, slippers, and robe, idly sorting miscellaneous objects - some important, some trivial. His preference for background noise is silence, his favorite companion an elderly cat, his favorite pastime a lengthy depressing book.

He does not mind the warmth of a sunny day. He enjoys a joke. He is, however, impatient with sentiment and romance. He prefers facts delivered straight and without opinion or analysis.

Nothing about his dress, his daily routine, his mannerisms and habits make him stand out. He is, as his name tells you, isolated. Being noticed for any small detail would lift the isolation and change him in a very profound way.