out on the street

So as not to be alone, Otto went out onto the street where there were many people all the time. Sure enough, the street was full of people now as well. Otto didn't know any of them, at least of the ones he saw. Certainly there were some he didn't see but knew. But they just as well could not have been there at all. In fact, they weren't. Somewhere there were always people unseen but known. That seemed just then to be less troubling than the fact that those he could see he didn't know. The distance separating Otto from those he knew was certainly greater than that separating him from those all around him but didn't know. And maybe it was precisely this relative proximity that led Otto to believe he would be less lonely less alone. Who knows.