A widower who launched an appeal to find someone to share Christmas with will dine alone after refusing to eat a vegetarian meal.
Tony Williams, from Alton, East Hampshire, set out to find some company this Christmas after his 'soulmate' Jo passed away from pancreatic cancer in May this year.
But despite receiving a number of offers, the 75-year-old has decided to have a fillet steak from Waitrose rather than prepare a vegetarian meal and be stuck eating 'lettuce for Christmas dinner'.
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He said: "I did try to reach out to see if there was someone else in the same situation as me who would provide some good company but I couldn't find anyone.
"I had about five or six offers. Some were very tentative, some were dependent on if they had plans to go somewhere else, some were hedging their bets I think.
"One was a lady who was a vegetarian but I wasn't interested. I didn't fancy having a lettuce for Christmas dinner."
And while they did speak over the phone for almost an hour, Tony said it was just a 'non-starter'.
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The retired physicist explained: "I know a lot of vegetarians who enjoy their food, but I don't intend to eat a nut cutlet. It's not really what I was looking for.
"Instead I'm going to treat myself to a nice steak and a superb bottle of wine.
"Another lady didn't drive, and when I asked her what sort of food she liked she said 'anything'.
"She had no conversation at all and frankly that would make me more depressed than spending it alone.
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"I didn't want to just grab someone off the street, I wanted to speak to them first.
"It was about having some fun, some laughter, sharing a joke, sharing your ethos, sharing ideas and experiences.
"It was a brilliant idea but it hasn't happened."
Tony had taken to placing cards around his hometown, promising 'a sumptuous feast, fine wines and good conversation' in a bid to find some company.
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The cards, which he had placed on community display boards, lamp posts, and telegraph poles around Alton, read: "Alone at Christmas? Tony Williams will cook you a sumptuous feast with fine wines to the make the mood festive.
"If you are cultured, lively, humorous and enjoy good conversation, ring me."
Tony has two brothers and a sister, however, none of them live nearby and, being vulnerable to the coronavirus because of his age, he was reluctant to spend Christmas with his siblings as they will also be visited by their children and grandchild.
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Speaking to LADbible following his appeal, Tony thanked people for the 'overwhelming response'.
He said: "I just regret so much that it's impossible for me to answer even a small fraction [of calls and emails], but I'd like them to know that I've received so many messages of goodwill and kindness and compassion that I'm overwhelmed by it.
"If I could meet them all in Albert Hall I would tell them how much I care for them and how much I'd like to reach out to them as they reached out to me.
"The love and the kindness and the compassion they've shown actually brought tears to my eyes."
Featured Image Credit: Solent News and Photo AgencyTopics: Christmas, UK News, Inspirational