Air-Kissing for Beginners


Before moving to London, over five years ago, I never knew that meeting and greeting could be so fraught. Up north, when I met a friend for a drink, say, I’d just be grateful they’d took the trouble to get out of the house, struggle with the weather and vagaries of the bus system and turn up in time to meet at the chosen spot. At the end of the night you'd probably exchange a kiss on one cheek while giving a (real) promise to meet up and do it again soon, and usually a hug - strength of which dependent on volume of wine drunk. It was no-nonsense, real friends, real kissing, real hugging. But in London, it’s all different and somehow, so wrong. Everyone kisses everyone and it’s two kisses, both cheeks, with no substance behind either. There’s usually a “hasn’t this been fun, let’s do it again” but you know there never will be and sometimes I leave hoping that there won’t be.

Comments

Lubin said…
Disgraceful!
10:51 PM
Old Cheeser said…
I know what you mean, there's a kind of fakeness between some people in London. I think it's something to do with being in such a big city. The vast geography of the capital makes it hard admittedly,when it can take you an hour or more to get from wherever you are, to wherever you're supposed to be meeting your friend. And people in London always seem so damned busy, you can't just casually call up a friend and say "Hi! Fancy meeting for a drink tonight?" Things have to be planned and prepared way in advance. Even my closest friends have to consult their diaries and see if they have an "opening". Spontaneity kind of goes out of the window. Hhpmph!
3:24 PM
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