Flash

SOCIALLY DISTANCED

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Memories of 2020 ~
A time not soon forgotten.

Both men lived in the same apartment building, one on the ground floor and the other, two flights up. They would see each other in passing, nodding ‘hello’ or muttering the occasional “How ya doing?” They were approximately the same age and had seen each other often but a friendship never developed.

Then the corona virus hit and everything changed.

They happened upon each other in a nearby park, masked up, walking their dogs. One had a golden retriever, the other a chocolate lab. They struck up a socially distanced conversation, at first talking about their dogs then, of course, the craziness of COVID.

They were both unemployed computer engineers, laid off because of company closures. Each one contemplated moving back in with their parents but that was impossible; neither one came from accepting or understanding families.

They started biking and jogging together, often running the six miles that made up the full loop around Central Park. As they talked they discovered they had much in common: their nonexistent love lives, their passion for chess, a fascination with micro-brewing and their dream of working from home as computer app designers. And how gut-wrenching it was coming out as gay. Bittersweet commentaries.

The next step was so natural: moving in together. They could share one apartment and save money, work on ideas for app design programs, dabble in a little home-made beer and totally, passionately, fiercely fall in love.

A new year, a new start. Love in the time of corona.

NAR © 2023

https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/11/01/weekly-prompts-wednesday-challenge-bittersweet/

This is “Under Pressure” by Queen.

22 thoughts on “SOCIALLY DISTANCED”

      1. We stood outside and clapped or banged our pots, not so much for the NHS but to let everyone know we were still here. There are a lot of single pensioners on our estate and they were out there too, waving and banging. The community spirit is still here.

        Like

        Reply

    1. How right you are, Michele. When I was writing this I was wondering how many people found a special someone to share their lives with when everything seemed so lost. I bet more than we realize, especially during lockdown when people would pass each other in the hallways of their apartment buildings on the way to the laundry room, masked up and so afraid.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Tell me what you're thinking. 🖊️