Catching Up

I can’t help feeling that my list of possible lunch dates has slowly diminished during lockdown. 

 

Never knowingly short of a girlfriend, or friend who is a boy, for lunch. I now find I’m scrabbling around on the mercifully few days I’m free to find a lunch companion.

 

One of the greatest things to come out of lockdown was our wonderful What’s App group “Les Quizerables”. A random group of friends and acquaintances who responded to an open message regarding a Thursday evening quiz night in the second week of lockdown and who stayed together for over a year. There were the extra hours of meetings when allowed, and we’ve had lunch parties. We’ve had a wedding, and unfortunately, a loss, but the group continue to chat and help each other out over the inter-waves and in person.

 

We have dinner booked with two, and five for lunch a few days later.

 

So, what am I moaning on about, then?

 

Just that it was hard to keep up with many friends. Zoom calls for work dominated, and the telephone ceased to be a habit, and catching up with everyone was hard to manage.

 

It has been great to renew friendships. A long walk with an old friend brought memories and insight into a much more painful lock down than mine.  A much anticipated lunch with a young actor whom I mentored and who is now a great friend brought hugs and laughter and chips.

 

Lunch is such a joyful time together. Often unsullied by alcohol, and limited by time, it’s a middle of the day respite from the crazy world around us.

 

 Talking of which, there will be a much anticipated reunion with my favourite restaurant in Covent Garden, Joe Allen’s, this Friday with a few friends and many familiar faces.

 

 I’ve been lucky to work hard this year, when work for many people has been scarce. The cost has been that I just haven’t had the time to catch up with the people who are so colourful part of my life. I’m catching up with somebody else in two weeks time. Somebody who makes me laugh and makes me feel better for being in their company. Now, that is a reason for reaching for my address book and aiming for a whole tranche of lunches (if that is the collective noun) between now and Christmas.

 

 Rich and I are eagerly awaiting a holiday at Christmas, but unfortunately a rather exotic place that at the moment is still on the red list. Airlines and other holiday providers have hyped up their prices. Holidays at Christmas cost more than twice the usual, so if we can’t go to the place we’ve booked, we’ll probably be going nowhere…unless of course it’s out to lunch.