Escape.... the epitome of noughties naff

“If you come round at 6, I’ll cook your tea Pip.”
“That sounds great! See you then!”

Pippa popped round on her bike, having got lost around Morrison’s like she always does. She was really well. We parked up at home, then strolled to the supermarket to pick up salmon, cheats’ potatoes, salad and cheesy mushrooms. We grabbed a bottle of wine too.

Dinner was brilliant. Since Pip stopped working in town, we’ve seen quite a bit less of each other. I’d missed hanging out with such a good friend, especially with all the studying I’ve been doing recently, so it was a solid-gold joy. We talked through recent developments around moving house, romance (or the lack of it) and work. The food was amazing too. We watched the Top 60 Ghetto Names on youtube and swapped a few ringtones. Later on, as Bruce was still busy, we went around the corner to Escape for a couple of drinks. Dunk thinks the bar is the epitome of noughties naff, which I understand. Then again, for a bar so very close to home… it isn’t all that bad… just don’t look too hard at the paintings.

We sat on a sofa across a small table from another sofa. A couple asked if they could join us. Of course. We got to talking, Heat Magazine this, living in Chorlton that, spending time in Sheffield the other. They were very pleasant. We talked about running, half-marathons, about my target time. We talked about travelling, about cooking, and about buying a house. They bought us a drink. Pippa swapped numbers with the girl. And then we all left.

“While you were outside smoking,” said Pippa, “she asked me how long we’d been a couple for.” How strange. Do Pippa and I get mistaken for a couple very often? Not that I’m aware of, no. But you never know what other people are thinking, right? I put Pippa on her bike and sent her home.

As I cleaned my teeth before going to bed, I puzzled over why people might make that mistake about Pippa and me. As I rewound and replayed the conversation with the couple in my head, I remembered several occasions where I’d connected something that was said to something about Pippa – “Oh that’s interesting, Pippa lived in Australia too” – and Pip had done the same about me – “Dave studied in Sheffield” – was it that level of knowledge that misled our company? Or, more simply, is it because we’re so relaxed in each other’s company?