‘All okay. I’ve dated some frogs… The usual no follow-up, some follow-up, interest, no interest and general confusion. So dating in London has not changed,’ was one of my friend’s updates.
‘The ecologist has flown away like the bats he watches for a living and is probably nesting in a cave with another fellow bat. He took umbrage when I had to cancel a date because I wasn’t feeling well and that was that,’ was another friend’s account of dating life. ‘I went on another date with a yoga teacher/fireman reservist – not a success. Very good looking, but some of the topics of conversation… How do you get suicide and female circumcision into a first conversation?’ At least she hadn’t given up. ‘I’m having lunch with a mathematician who sounds like Wallace from Wallace & Gromit and keeps telling me that we will get on well. I am of the opinion that this may be a first and last encounter, but mum said to go along just to see if my impression from his emails and calls are as bad as I think.’
A married friend’s report on what she’d been up to was a little different, ‘Nothing exciting to report apart from I am tired all the time – going to the doctor this week. Rock ‘n’ roll!’
‘I spent Sunday morning at Ikea,’ I replied. ‘And yesterday I put on some lacy underwear for when Hot Danish got home from work, but he fell asleep on me. Now that is rock ‘n’ roll!’
‘I don’t own lacy lingerie,’ my friend laughed.
Another friend was newly single. ‘I’m sorry to hear about your break-up,’ I said. ‘I hope you’re excited about what’s over the next horizon, though… You deserve some happiness.’ Another friend was in a new relationship. ‘I can’t wait for you to meet him,’ she gushed.
The one thing about having friends in different stages of their love lives is that it ensures you don’t take anything for granted. Last weekend I freaked out at HD without good reason and he assured me everything would be fine. We started watching a film and he commented on how bad it was. ‘Shall I switch it off?’ I asked.
‘Well we’ve started so I want to see it through,’ he replied.
‘I hope you don’t see our relationship the same way,’ I said.
‘’Til the bitter end,’ he laughed, pulling me close.
