It’s interesting that some people still believe that a fulfilling career is worthless unless you have a romantic partner to share it with

I had an interesting conversation at the farmers’ market recently, writes Louise O’Neill.

Yes, I have become the sort of person who a) goes to the farmers’ market and b) has interesting conversations there. It was a Friday, the weather was tolerably pleasant for an Irish summer, and I bumped into a woman I hadn’t seen in a while - “hi, hi, how are the kids? ... Oh, very good... Yes, still at the writing, ha ha, may as well keep at it at this stage, I suppose.” She asked if I was sleeping properly because I looked a bit ‘tired’, she wondered if the movie adaptation had been cast yet (“would there be a part for me, now?” she laughed and I had to pretend she was the first person to make that joke) and then she enquired as to what vegetables I was buying. I thought I might have to produce my birth cert (the long one) for her to inspect when she suddenly changed pace.

Her: Are you going to X and Y’s wedding today?