Page 16 of Wish You Were Here
Ben
It is a bright Sunday morning, and I am having brunch with everyone at a hip cafe in Clapham. It is loud, chaotic, there are children running around, tables of trendy twenty-somethings taking photos of their plates like they’re works of art, a mother is breastfeeding, waitresses are scuttling between tables delivering orders with impressive speed and the food is to die for. I love brunch and think it is the best meal of the week. I think it’s because you eat brunch later than breakfast, and so by the time you actually get your food you are starving and desperate for coffee like a crack addict searching for their next fix. The menu is packed full of brunch classics like smashed avocado toast, ricotta pancakes, acai bowls, homemade granola and the classic full-English. All of this is washed down with top-notch coffee and conversation, which is currently centred around my disastrous date with Cressida.
‘I can’t believe she just left like that,’ says Poppy, before shovelling a forkful of ricotta pancake into her mouth. She is sitting next to Hugh, who went for sourdough toast with poached eggs. Next to Hugh is Will (full-English), opposite is Flatmate Simon (brunch burger), who is next to Abigail (Acai bowl), and then me (avocado toast with poached eggs).
‘I think she was probably just embarrassed,’ I reply.
‘She was,’ says Abigail. ‘I saw her the next day, and she felt awful. The poor thing just wasn’t ready for it. It had nothing to do with you, Ben.’
‘Anyway, mate, onwards and upwards!’ says Will in typical positive Will style. ‘What’s next? Who’s got a date for Ben?’ Will looks around the table to see if anyone else has a date lined up for me, but it’s crickets. ‘Oh.’
‘It’s not all bad,’ I say quickly to fill the awkward silence.
‘Oh yeah?’ says Poppy.
‘It’s Saskia. She wants to FaceTime.’
I am aware that Saskia lives in Sydney, and so the prospect of us FaceTiming isn't as thrilling as an actual date in London, but it’s exciting for me.
‘This is your Antipodean friend?’ asks Hugh.
‘Yes.’
‘Riiiight,’ says Flatmate Simon.
‘Sounds good,’ says Will.
‘That’s interesting,’ says an unenthusiastic Abigail.
‘Okay, look, I realise Saskia and I FaceTiming isn’t quite as deliciously exciting as me going on a date with a real live human being in London, but I’m looking forward to it.’
‘We’re excited for you,’ says Abigail, who nudges Flatmate Simon in the ribs.
‘Yes!’ says Flatmate Simon. ‘Super excited for the FaceTime thingy.’
‘It’s just, we want to find you an actual girlfriend here in London,’ says Poppy.
‘Before your thirtieth,’ chips in Hugh.
‘And you still can,’ I reply. ‘Obviously nothing romantic is going to happen with Saskia, so please go out and find me a life partner!’
There is a brief pause and then Flatmate Simon says.
‘Does anyone else think the term ‘life partner’ sounded weird?’
‘It definitely did,’ says Will.
‘I have to agree,’ says Poppy.
‘Me too,’ says Abigail.
‘Fine! Go out and find me a girlfriend,’ I say, and everyone nods in agreement.
After I read Saskia’s email, I spent about half-an-hour just staring into space and thinking. A FaceTime with Saskia. Would it be weird? Uncomfortable? What was the point? Where are we going? Somewhere? Nowhere? I really didn’t know, but we have emailed every day since my original mistaken email, and it does feel like we need to take the next step. So, after an hour of thinking, I replied to her email and agreed to FaceTime. I am waiting for her reply to arrange a time. In the meantime, I still need my friends to find me a proper date. Regardless of what is happening with Saskia, my search for love continues unabated.
‘What about dating apps?’ suggests Will. ‘When I was hiking Ben Macdui, I got talking with a couple who met through a dating app. Now they’re happily married and living together in Dundee.’
‘I’ve tried them before, and from my experience, it’s a no,’ I say.
