“There were two loves in Mr. Hoppy’s life. One was the flowers he grew on his balcony. They grew in pots and tubs, and in summer the little balcony became a riot of colour. Mr. Hoppy’s second love was a secret he kept entirely to himself.”

Mr. Hoppy has adored Mrs. Silver from his balcony for years. He doesn’t believe that she knows about his affection, and perhaps she doesn’t. However, this quote foreshadows his abrupt marriage proposal and her immediate acceptance. His loneliness is profound, but his shyness feels even worse when he contemplates approaching Mrs. Silver.

“He had loved her from his balcony for many years, but he was a very shy man and he had never been able to bring himself to give her even the smallest hint of his love.”

Mr. Hoppy may be naïve about Mrs. Silver’s awareness of his affection. Regardless, in his mind, she has no idea because he is too shy to do anything but watch her and make small talk. When Mrs. Silver accepts his marriage proposal, it’s hard to believe that she actually had no “hint” of his feelings.

“The distance between their balconies might not have been more than a few yards, but to Mr. Hoppy it seemed like a million miles.”

The gap between their balconies is small, but to Mr. Hoppy, it is a chasm. He knows what he wants, and he knows who he wants, but he lacks the courage to try. This is particularly stressful for him in his advanced age because he knows that his shyness is not a phase: It has defined his life, and his life is now in its late stages.