Swipe Right?(Kristin Dockar) Swipe right?

Amelia jabbed crossly at the screen for at least the 20th time.
What a waste of time. She didn’t believe any of the blurb men were putting on their profiles and she was sure that many had uploaded out of date photos. She was only on a dating app because her friends went on and on about how she needed to get out more, increase her social circle, meet someone new, and this was the best way to do it.
The app she had chosen was for the more mature person. It didn’t specify that it was for women who were bitter and angry about a husband of some forty years who had been cheating on her for the last nine years.

Amelia had chosen an app called Our Time because she just felt that it was time for her to start living her life again but she really wasn’t bothered about dating. In fact, she thought the very idea was ridiculous for someone aged sixty-four.
And then, just as she was getting really bored and very disinterested, a picture came up of a good-looking man, with grey hair but all his teeth. He was grinning so she looked closely to see if they looked like dentures.
His name was Dave, he was a retired teacher and he listed his main interests as gardening, a lover of all things art and that he still loved going to gigs because he had always loved music. In fact, he had played lead guitar in a semi-professional band.
Out of curiosity, Amelia swiped right and sent a message.
‘Hi, just looking for some company for the odd coffee and if we got on, some visits to art galleries’, and possibly some gigs. I’m into all music but especially rock music’.

Then she closed the app and didn’t check for any reply for some days. So it was with a jolt that when she saw a notification of a reply on her phone, that she read the reply.
‘Hi Amelia, good to hear from you. I would like to meet up for a chat and a coffee at a place of your choosing. I can reach central London easily and wonder if that is convenient for you too? A little bit about me. I am a widower of some two years and have only just thought about having some company. I have always been quite a solitary person, happy with my own company but I realise I could say that when I knew I had someone to come home to. But friends have persuaded me that I need to ‘get a life!’ Look forward to hearing from you’.
And that is how a friendship started. They arranged to meet in a Pizza Express near Finsbury Square for a light lunch. Each felt pleased with first impressions and were able to chat amiably.
Dave saw a tall, slim attractive woman. Amelia saw a short but sturdily built man with a pleasant, open face. They talked about the past couple of years and how their now single state was quite different. Amelia made Dave laugh with her acerbic comments on her ex-husband and he made tears start as he talked about the loss of his wife.

After a couple of months of fortnightly meetings Dave surprised her by asking if she would care to see his allotment. This startled Amelia. It was so unexpected. Her expression was noted and Dave said ‘It’s near Canary Wharf. The views are outstanding, and I think you will be surprised and may I say, charmed. This piqued Amelia’s interest and she said she would like to see it but had no knowledge whatsoever about allotments.
Dave explained that having the allotment had saved him after the death of his wife. He told her it was something that needed constant attention but it was also a peaceful place and as his grief subsided a little, it began to give him a feeling a peace and he started to relax there.
The name entranced Amelia. ‘Pudding Mill Allotments’. It was beautiful, a corner of nature among city stones and concrete. High rise buildings dominated and contrasted strangely with the natural products being grown. But the sights and smells were quite lovely.

Dave had given good instructions of how to get there, and Amelia had travelled by bus. He led her to his allotment and she was seriously amazed. He had made raised beds and there was a mixture of vegetables, salad crops and most lovely of all, rows of flowers as borders. There was a mixture of roses, sweet peas growing upwards with runner beans, and tall sun flowers growing up the shed wall. It reminded Amelia of Chateau Villandry in the Loire Valley where for centuries cabbages had been planted alongside roses.

‘What a surprise’ said Amelia as she gazed around the allotment. She looked in the shed and saw Dave kept a camping stove so he could make a cup of tea, and leaning against a wall a couple of folding chairs to relax in.
Now Amelia sat in one of chairs and took in her surroundings. It was so different to what she had imagined. Colourful, interesting, and inspiring. Other allotment users stopped for a chat as they went to fill up watering cans. Amelia noticed some curious looks coming her way, and she noticed one of the men wink at Dave and give a thumbs up.
As they sat drinking their tea, Amelia decided now was the time to speak candidly. She did not want him getting the wrong idea.
‘Dave, I’m not looking for a relationship. I really do enjoy our time together and I like having a friend’.
Dave looked at her steadily and said ‘Ditto’ which made them laugh, and then they raised their mugs to each other and toasted:
‘Here’s to friendship’.

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