ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE(Antonio Gómez Hueso) ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE

“All the lonely people,
where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
where do they all belong?”
“Eleanor Rigby” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney



Eleanor Rigby collects the rice in the church where a wedding has taken place. They are living a dream, just like the one she lived, she thinks referring to the young married couple. Watch her sweep the room, close the door and go slowly to her cottage, which is just a few yards away. It has been many years since that dream. Now she lives alone, waiting behind the window for the return of that face she keeps in a jar by the door. It is the face of her little boy, who was taken from her by a cruel husband when he was only a few weeks old, to be sold to a childless couple. Then, the husband died in prison, a year and a half after the wedding, when they were already separated, after having mistreated her for months and having taken from her what she loved the most. He took the secret of the child's location to his grave. Eleanor looks every evening at the horizon, behind which is the big city, and thinks, "All us lonely people, where did we come from, where will we go?"

Father McKenzie writes a sermon that no one will hear. He is in his cabin, near the one occupied by Eleanor, both belonging to the religious community of the small village. No one approaches. The priest is a young man, in his thirties, who arrived there five years ago. Look at him putting away his notebook, still working, darning his socks at night, when all is silent. He too looks behind the horizon hoping to see someone appear. "All the lonely people," he wonders, "where do they come from, where are they from, where are they going?"

Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried with her name in the small cemetery belonging to the community. No one came to the funeral, only the undertaker and Father McKenzie. Watch him wiping the dust from his hands as he walks away from the grave. Then, at home already, he prepares the cereal soup, after having searched again, vainly, through the glass, for a figure.... Who knows if it will appear!


Weeks later, a man arrives at Eleanor's grave. He kneels in front of it. He is young, but weathered by life, and he sheds a few tears at the simple stone headstone. Behind him appears the slender figure of Father McKenzie. He only says to him:
—He was waiting for you all the time.
Then, in her cabin, he hands her his mother's poor belongings to her and tells her:
—I've been waiting for someone for years, too. I fell in love once with a girl, in a remote village, north of the great river. We were very happy. We were going to get married. But one day the circus came and my beloved left me, bewitched by the flights, jumps and dreams of a trapeze artist. I could not live there without her. So I became a spiritual pastor and came here. I am still waiting for her. She is the only person who could get me out of this village.
Father McKenzie died suddenly in his cabin and was buried with his name in the small cemetery belonging to the community. The few villagers attended the burial and so did Leonard, Eleanor's son, who had been left with the cabin, the job and his mother's chronic sadness. Watch him with crestfallen head as he walks from the shepherd's grave to his mother's grave after the ceremony.


Father McKay is Father McKenzie's successor. He is an older man, in his sixties, but seems agile of mind and movement. He keeps the cabin, the work and the spiritual musings of his predecessor. Look at him as he removes the cobwebs from his room, look at him as he arranges the calendar and his shabby armchair.

Weeks later, a woman arrives at Father McKenzie's grave. Watch her kneel. She is still young, but weathered by life, and she sheds a few tears at the simple stone tombstone. Behind her appears the slender figure of Leonard Rigby. He only says to her:
—He was waiting for you all the time.
Then they both visit Father McKay. The pastor welcomes the young woman and asks her:
—Who are you?
—My name is Molly and I come from a remote village north of the great river. I met John McKenzie there. We were very happy. We were going to be married. But one day the circus came and I was bewitched by the flying, jumping and dreaming of a trapeze artist. The miserable scoundrel abandoned me in another country, some years ago. I have been searching ever since for my beloved John and, at last, I found him. I wanted to ask his forgiveness. He is buried here and I also want to be buried here one day.
The priest hands her John McKenzie's poor belongings, in the presence of Leonard Rigby.
Molly Parker does not have to collect rice at the church where her own wedding to Leonard Rigby has taken place. Only four people have come: the couple, Father McKay and, as a witness, the old undertaker. The young couple are living a dream. Watch them kiss tenderly, close the door and go slowly to his cabin, which is just a few yards away.


A few years later, the care of the two graves is a common task. In the cabin they have formed a new little home sweet home, where little Eleanor Parker is already running around. Father McKay smiles as he watches her play and retires to his cabin to read the Bible. With his tired eyesight (he is already very old), he closes the book in front of the window, takes off his glasses, looks at the horizon and never stops thinking:

"All the lonely people, where are they from, where do they belong? All the lonely people, where do they come from, where do they go...".

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