Bob Owen, 74, has resorted to distributing 36-page pamphlets through letterboxes in Amlwch, Anglesey, in what he describes as his final attempt to find love after a 55-year search. Each booklet chronicles his lifelong struggle with romance, including eight "near misses" and 15 lonely hearts advertisements.
A Lifetime of Romantic Disappointment
Owen's journey began in 1971 as a sixth-form student at Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay. Over the decades, he experienced numerous failed encounters, including a love-at-first-sight moment with a shop assistant while driving his brother's yellow Leyland EA box van. He did not pursue it, and the opportunity was lost forever.
In his booklet, Owen reflects on how his appearance both helped and hindered him. "I have had the suspicion that, owing to my looks, I attracted the kind of female I didn't want, whereas the kind of female I have always wanted – deep-thinking, with an inquiring mind – would be put off," he wrote.
Near Misses and Regrets
Owen details eight "near misses" in his booklet. One occurred in the 1970s when a stranger approached him outside a pub in New Mills, Derbyshire, offering a date with his "smart" blonde girlfriend. The offer was withdrawn, leaving Owen feeling "somewhat irritated." He noted, "A person's looks are an accident of conception. He/she has done nothing to acquire them."
Another encounter involved a nurse at Royal Alexandra Hospital, Rhyl, who removed his appendicitis stitches in June 1970. His mother urged him to ask her out, but he did not. "To be fair to myself, I had never asked a girl for a date thus far," he reflected. "Nor had a girl ever asked me for that matter."
Decades of Celibacy
Owen's last relationship ended in 1985. Since then, he has slept alone every night and has not been kissed. "I have slept alone every night since 1985," he said. "I haven't even been kissed since then."
In 2022, he wrote: "Even after all these 37 years of non-elective celibacy, I still have a longing to find my true love, get married to her and then, if feasible, raise offspring together."
The Pamphlet Campaign
Owen self-published 2,000 copies of his booklet, "Love Not Found," half of which were distributed to public libraries across Britain. Last month, he packed 30 booklets into a bag and walked two miles to Amlwch to deliver them through letterboxes. His early-morning deliveries, captured on a Ring doorbell at 5 am, caused a stir on social media, with one recipient asking if he had "heard of Tinder."
Owen acknowledged the method was unconventional but felt compelled to tell his story. If unsuccessful, he is considering relocating to the US to join an eco-commune.
Final Hope
Before finalizing his plans, Owen intends to make one last attempt by distributing remaining booklets in his hometown of Wilmslow, Cheshire. He still vividly recalls the love-at-first-sight shop assistant he met at age 21, so clearly that he later sketched her likeness. "Was that the only chance to find my perfect life partner I would ever get?" he wonders ruefully.
