be like ships that pass in the night

Of two or more people, especially those who live together, to not see each other very often; to not be in the same place at the same time very often. Ever since Georgina started managing the restaurant at night, she and I have been like ships that pass in the night. We've had a guy renting our spare room for the last two months. We were worried it would feel crowded, but he works so much that we're like ships that pass in the night with him.

be (like) ˌships that ˌpass in the ˈnight

(informal) (of people) meet for a short time, by chance, and perhaps for the only time in your lives: We met on a course in Spain and had a wonderful time together. But we both knew that we were just ships that pass in the night.This is from a poem by Longfellow: ‘Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing,...’.