How am I supposed to be a hermit in California?

Sure,

  some will take this as a joke,

    and I admit there is a bit of humor.

First,

  I have a couple more decades of responsibilities.

Damned by social restraints.

Still,

  if I manage to live past that,

    what am I supposed to do?

Friendly neighbors,

  and not to mention the family.

A hermit is not meant to struggle to be alone.