The Closer – Sandra 11

[For back story go here: Story so far at 12 June 2020]

There was no avoiding it. The latest lockdown easing measures weren’t just spanners in the works they were nails in the coffin for Together… Apart and for Apart… Together for that matter. As Sandra tumbled through the web pages and thumbed the virtual press trying to get her head around the latest, confusing guidance and interpretations, she and Trinny traded increasingly sad emojis about their fantastic dating app. Trinny was first to reach for the poos and then Sandra said she needed to take a break from what they were doing to do some work. 

Trinny was not giving up easily. She already had her technical team (well, a bloke called Adrian) working on the app and the design was looking very good, even if she said so herself. Which she would because she designed it. 

Never mind your old work – she WhatsApp'd – this is the future.

Short lived – Sandra sent back.

Load of dosh before it goes though! (several different types of money related emojis including one with dollars for eyes).

Sandra realised it was somewhat disappointing that what was actually meant to be positive news – as long as no one actually got anything as a result of all this easing – was making them both sad and despondent. She was almost longing for more severe restrictions to come back so that she could riff off them again, find ways round them, find the new vision that would work for everyone. Shine the light through the darkness of the new normal.

She was beginning to wonder where to take her existing clients as well. Having guided them through the bizarreness of the early weeks there was a nervousness in the air. No one was committing that much to ‘getting out there’ and even a small spend seemed to be a big ask at the moment.

Amanda from Xcet seemed to have to go through layers and layers of sign off in order to get even the shortest of blog posts OK’d. Clive and Edward had long gone quiet (probably finally unable to cope with the electronic communication devices in front of them and relieved they could actually get in their cars and go to work) and Crown Apps were doing very nicely but were between promotional events and so also a little quiet. Sandra sighed, maybe Together… Apart was where she should be dedicating her efforts.

Charged by a straight coffee – less restricted nowadays, so the less desirable pods were amassing on the side like a load of singletons looking for other halves – she pulled up a number of databases and started going through them for likely press coverage. And then she realised this was a straight forward people story, not tech, not medical, just about everything – so everyone should be told about it and everyone should be invited to the party. Hell, if they were single they should be on it. And if they weren’t Sandra would contact them and tempt them anyway. If she ever had anything to contact them about.

She started compiling what would be a database, or perhaps it wouldn’t be, she really wasn’t certain what she was doing now, and then Amanda from Xcet rang.

“It’s a difficult time,” she began, once pleasantries were out the way. “The company has been doing some desperate soul searching in terms of what it wants to do…”

“I understand that,” said Sandra, entirely understanding that and entirely understanding where this was going.

“So at the moment we’re going to put you on hold and we’ll be back in touch when we have something a little more certain to do with you.”

Sandra thanked Amanda for what little work she had put her way (not that she phrased it like that of course) and sank back in her chair.

No One Wants my Hugs Anymore (very sad face with tears) – Sandra flicked across to Trinny.

The mobile rang and Sandra snapped it up.

“Right, listen to this and think about it,” said Trinny on the other end. “People can meet in pubs, socially distanced right?”

“I think so,” said Sandra. “In a bit.”

“But they can’t get together, right, like, actually get together… if you know what I mean.”

“I think so,” said Sandra.

“So what do they want?” said Trinny, as if the answer were staring Sandra in the face as much it seemed to be for her.

“PPE?” hazarded Sandra.

“It’s your Virtual Hug all over again. Only for real, if you see what I mean.”

“Are you suggesting something a little, risqué here, Trinny?”

“We can do the whole thing with emojis – it’ll be in the very best possible taste.”

 “I’m going to regret this, but send me some examples.”

“Sure thing. Failing that me and Adrian are going to start praying for a second wave.”