It’s been two and a half years since I last saw Charlie, when we ran across the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan together. I’d forgotten how calm and collected she is, and how soothing her voice is to listen to. “I would probably say our lockdown has been better than some other people have foundContinue reading “Race against the moving clock”
Category Archives: Tales from lockdown
School dayz
“Do you know what,” Kim says, coming closer to the screen like she’s telling me a secret, “lockdown hasn’t really changed any element of my life whatsoever. I was already antisocial,” she says with a smirk, “it’s just now I’m doing it on someone else’s terms, so, you know, it’s just like ‘yay, I don’tContinue reading “School dayz”
Experienced detachment
The face on screen is familiar, yet I’ve not seen or spoke to this guy in 23 years. He’s not aged, I think to myself, apart from he’s grown a beard. Definitely wouldn’t have been able to do that at sixteen. It’s not awkward though, and he starts talking. “In some ways, I think myContinue reading “Experienced detachment”
Birthday rollercoaster
It’s Laura’s birthday the day we speak, the 7th May, and she’s planning a chilled day with the family. Not that she can really do much else, she tells me, being in the middle of the UK lockdown. The way Laura pronounces the words ‘music’ and ‘avenue’ remind me of my Mum, and I haveContinue reading “Birthday rollercoaster”
Losing it all
“It’s very early in the morning here,” James tells me. I look at the clock and work out the time difference. It’s eight a.m, not early, I retort, while munching on an apple and he laughs, telling me, “actually having something important to do at eight a.m is a BIG shock to the system atContinue reading “Losing it all”
Lockdown baby
“I’ll be honest with you Tara, I only remembered about this about five minutes ago and I haven’t put any makeup on,” Jaz laughs. I laugh, telling her she looks fab, and that the video won’t go anywhere, “that’s fine then, all good.” Jaz, the baby of our group from our time spent living inContinue reading “Lockdown baby”
Love and liver failure
“I’d probably say my lockdown experience is really boring,” Natalie laughs. We’ve not spoken in nearly five years, bonded by an unforgettable induction experience when we both started a new job on the same day. Her voice and accent is exactly the same as someone I know here in Christchurch, and which is strange. I’mContinue reading “Love and liver failure”
Bacon fries and Nicky Campbell
“I started lockdown a week or so before everybody else, because I knew what was coming. I kind of risk assessed myself, as you do.” Lily anticipated she would be in the shielded category. “In the UK, they categorise people who are at risk. There’s ‘vulnerable’, who’s anyone over 70 or anyone with an underlyingContinue reading “Bacon fries and Nicky Campbell”
Dr Sam, patron saint of bikes
The screen comes into life as Sam joins the call and I immediately start laughing. His hair is all stuck up in different directions and looks crazy wild. “What the hell is going on with your hair?” I laugh. “I’ve just got out the shower, this is what it looks like,” he replies, in hisContinue reading “Dr Sam, patron saint of bikes”
The Paps Life 