Touching at last
Never give up on me, on us, was a promise you made. I was tired of texting. Taking the risk to cross the channel braving Covid-19 restrictions to « meet my never met love » was a decision taken this automn after 9 long months of distance relationship.
From Eurostar to South Railway crossing the Channel
First you are discouraged to undertake a « non essential » travel. As everybody knows, love is « non essential » compared to seasonal workers. The restrictions are drastic : a 14 days self-isolation for foreigners arriving to England, worse than the lockdown, not allowing you to get food or medicine or fresh air in a park. Travel from France to UK seemed a voluntary move to go to jail. But I had to meet him.
I was Gare du Nord in Paris far in advance. Eurostar trip is fast and nice, the distances between passengers are respected. At St Pancras International, surprise, nothing terrible happened : the British customs officers are well organized and a quick look at the « application form » got me out of the station to a taxi, and a regional train. So happy to get a ploughman’s sandwich at Marks & Spencer at Waterloo Station. Taxis and shops are all card payments, the use of « no cash » seems to have spread in England faster than in France. A charming regional train with peaceful small towns and green fields, sheep, cows, clear water streaming through the bushes. Peace only interrupted by a recorded message calling to report at the number indicated any abnormalities or suspicious conduct. We were two quite women wearing a mask. « Don’t worry be happy » was the song in my head. All I wanted was this hug we had been wanting for months now. And there he was at the station, my never met love. Blue eyes, silver hair, beautiful hands, I instantly felt attracted.
Covid TV News versus realty
The news on TV were horrific : just as in France COVID would fill entirely BBC news with just a small space for weather and sport. My friend had warned me : he was a rebel and though I intended to do nothing against the British law, he had planned to take me out to a pub close to his house.
- I did not fancy to cook tonight.
- Are you sure there is no danger?
- Trust me.
And there I was having a roasted lamb with mint sauce in an almost empty room as in the other room close to the bar natives were staring at me. I was wondering if I looked suspicious though I had chosen a fairly English outfit, mauve tartan skirt and cachemire jumper.
Back to his house, the contrast was even greater, between the news and our cosy and safe place in a quiet street.« Covid world map: which countries have the most coronavirus cases and deaths? « « Cases are accelerating once again, with the city of Liverpool plunged into lockdown « Greater Manchester records highest weekly coronavirus infection rate since start of the pandemic ». A big bedroom had been prepared for me.« Lockdown battle begins » was the headline of the Daily Telegraph.This was WAR.
-Though you have the choice to join the Master bedroom. I can lend you a pyjama.
I borrowed a coton pyjama and went into his bed, not intending to do anything but sleep.
We were touching at last
And suddenly I could feel him, so warm and so close. We were touching at last. Touching skin. About time. We loved touching each other, the thrill was there all the time, I had his soft sensitive skin to play with. And indeed I let him play through the night and morning as we kissed again and again. A blessed reality, a divine surprise. The reality check was a success repeated many times during the week and in many places. Visiting a famous British garden was part of my plans and my fearless Don Quichotte convinced me that it was time for civil disobedience. He drove us to a magnificent Park. We kissed under the sequoias .
Meanwhile the roaring torrent of protest was going on asking for an end to the “tyranny” of Covid-19 restrictions on TV and Twitter. « The media and government are guilty of terrorism against children. Stop the hoax. » But the restrictions were everyday higher and higher . « You must not meet socially with friends and family indoors … This includes private homes, and any other indoor venues … outside, including in a garden or other outdoor space. »
`Happiness versus fear
Exasperation was growing in the British press. « The government’s secretive Covid contracts are heaping misery on Britain » wrote George Monbiot in The Guardian about money spoiled on the test-and-trace system. « If you are not incandescent with rage, you haven’t grasped the scale of what has been done to us. The new surge in the coronavirus, and the restrictions and local lockdowns.” The French made Covid19 app did not work either. Failure. The Queen made a remarkable silent commentary not wearing a mask while visiting Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down near Salisbury. Everyone around her had been tested.
I was cooking an English breakfast, he was having a gin and tonic, I laughed at his jokes, he laughed at mine, we lived a sweet normal life, while the terrible news offered a risible contrast with our happiness. The press headlines were spreading fear like a pesticide while he would smile and tell me :
- We’re happy together, it’s that simple.
« We will meet again »
“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” — Harry (Billy Crystal) in When Harry Met Sally
Though nothing has ever been simple and never will between us, shared happiness is the best experience you can still have in troubled times. You know, that delicious cliché feeling that the world has suddenly turned into a multicolored rainbow, « What a wonderful life » songs are springing like in romantic comedies. « Love actually » yes, « When Harry met Sally », oui!
- « We had a great time ».
His words driving me back to the station, his smile. I felt that my whole body and mind were regenerated.
And when back to France I read « New EU Travel Restrictions, Country By Country, As Covid-19 Rates Soar » (Forbes) but I am not afraid anymore.
Please Ministers of fear of Europe, consider love as a fuel for health and economy, let me spend my tourist money, buy wool jumpers and cheese cakes and fish and chips by the sea, let me go into your wonderful pubs, I have dozens of masks and I swear I will keep 2 meters apart from anybody except my British lover. «We will meet again » promised the Queen. And yes «I know we’ll meet again some sunny day ».
Janique Laudouar
https://loveisnottourism.org/
Vera Lynn — We’ll Meet Again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsM_VmN6ytk
