Linda Rabben, an associate research professor, and John Eckenrode, a retired counsellor at an organisation for homeless people, live in Washington DC. L inda and John had been single for virtually their entire adult lives when they met in ; Linda was 60 and John was John was doing the same, cajoled by a younger colleague at the soup kitchen where he worked as a counsellor. They arranged to go to the cinema. Did it feel awkward? John was busy at work, so it was another month before they met again.