I hear ya GrumpyG. Hiking with someone is hard for me to do. Paces can be different and converstaions can be unwanted at times. Don't get me wrong, it has it good points as well. But my prefered is to hike alone and camp together. Having conversation around the fire is very nice.
My favorite hiking partner has a much faster pace than me, but he waits or comes back to check on me every now again. He never initiates a conversation, but listens to anything I have to say without judgement. He enjoys any meal I cook and always wants more. Camp chores are not his thing, but he will bring a stick every once in a while. His schedule is always free and he can go anytime I want to. He enjoys every step of every trail we do and is really into nature. He is warm to sleep with when he is dry. And for all of this I never mind the fact that I have to carry his food and sometimes his water.