The perks of being friends with someone for over 18 years -aside from the joy and companionship- is that you and your pal would have perfected your takeaway order. No more arguments resembling that iconic Gavin and Stacey scene (Pete is already eyeing up my bhunas - they're MY bhunas, Pete!). Sometimes, I think the reason Lucy and I have remained such good friends is that we have similar taste in food ..and we can share.
We decided to treat ourselves to an Indian and bottle of wine; to toast the relaxation of the government's rules (as of Monday 29th March you are permitted to have outdoor gatherings in a private garden). This is something we were both looking forward to, as I'm sure the entirety of the UK were too.
So after work on Monday I hopped on the once familiar number 73 bus and arrived in Stoke Newington, craving face-to-face interaction, as well as a prawn balti. We had meticulously planned our evening: Luce would order whilst I was on the bus, obviously. That way, the Deliveroo driver would arrive shortly after myself.
An infallible, elaborate plan; we were not oblivious to how obnoxiously precise it was. After a turbulent year of uncertainty, I have noticed myself now clutching onto anything that I can control - apparently even food deliveries. This is not the only change. Whilst I do love spending time with friends, I also cherished my alone time. Now, I have developed an insatiable appetite for socialising.
It seems odd that meeting up in somebody's garden -something we all took for granted in February of last year- is now a cause of a celebratory curry. Over the years, I have sat in this garden for a countless number of celebrations; birthdays, results days, anniversaries etc., but this time it felt different. Sitting there, nibbling on a poppadom, a sense of hope washed over me: we are on our way back to normality! Now, that is really something worth celebrating.
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