I can't remember the last time I was so excited for a first date - especially one I knew could end in absolutely no physical contact. But this weekend, when I got on a Boris bike and cycled from my Chelsea home to meet a girl on Vauxhall Bridge, I was filled with anticipation.
It wasn't even because I thought that Lara* - who, like me, is in her mid-30s and lives in south London - would be the woman of my dreams. It was because I was finally going to have a face-to-face interaction with someone who wasn't my sister or baby nephew.
I've spent the eight weeks of lockdown living alone, and even though as an artist I'm used to passing hours in my own company, it was all getting a bit much. I've followed the government guidelines carefully, bar a few socially distanced visits with my family, who live nearby. But when Boris Johnson announced that we could meet one other person in a park, I immediately knew I'd use the opportunity to go on a date. It's what I've missed most about normal life - getting to sit down with someone new, talk and (hopefully) make a connection.
Obviously, it was never going to be the same. But I was still keen to give lockdown dating a shot, and I knew exactly who to ask. I'd met Lara in a bar a few years ago, and we'd exchanged Instagram handles. At the time she had a boyfriend, but I recently saw her post a photo of herself alone, holding a glass of wine, and joking that she was dating herself. I messaged asking if she'd like to go out on a real date - and she said yes.
The plan was to cycle through central London, and have a picnic in St James' Park. It was the most creative option I could think of, without access to the typical failsafes of a restaurant or bar. I dressed in jeans and a T-shirt because we were cycling, but I'd made an effort to put on my nicest casual clothes. It also gave me a reason to comb my beard - pretty much a first during lockdown. She'd made an effort, wearing a floaty top, and it felt like such a novelty after weeks at home.
