DURBAN - An American TikTok user is proving that romance, love and dating is alive and well despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a three-part series of video clips posted on TikTok, a popular video-sharing social networking app, and later on Twitter, Jeremy Cohen captured his date diaries with his neighbour, who he calls his “quarantined cutie”.
The video has been retweeted more than 130 000 times since it was uploaded earlier this week, with more than 8.5 million views.
Due to New York City’s lockdown measures, Cohen got creative in asking her out and documented his every attempt, and even captured the actual date.
This is how it all started.
“I looked out through my window and saw this girl dancing, perhaps to a TikTok song. I needed to say hi to her so I saw her on the balcony and waved and she waved back. I grabbed my tape, pen, drone and paper, then I wrote down my telephone digits and sealed it on my drone (and flew it to her),” says Cohen in his video.
“Flirting is normally daunting for me, but since being quarantined in my apartment for over a week, I craved some social interaction and although 2020 got off to a terrible start, I still needed to shoot my shot”, adds Cohen in the video.
She texted him an hour later.
With restaurants closed and all direct social-interaction banned, Cohen and his “quarantined cutie” made their dinner date, a digital experience – sort of like working from home but this was dating from home.
Both enjoyed their meals at their own tables, with white table clothes, flowers and cutlery, with Cohen dining on his balcony while his date had her meal on her rooftop.
“We got on FaceTime and ate our matching organic microwavable dinners together. The date was going so well. Depending on how long this quarantine lasts, I might be in a long-distance relationship with someone who lives across the street from me,” says Cohen in the video.
The digital date was successful but Cohen wanted to see her in person, so he hopped into an inflatable plastic bubble and met her on the pavement.
“I bought her flowers and hand sanitiser but that was a mis-step considering I was locked inside this bubble,” he adds.
They chat and walk side-by-side until they are spotted by the police. However, the policeman takes a selfie with them.
Here is part 1, 2, and 3 of “Quarantine Cutie” all in one tweet pic.twitter.com/L9pnEV4oZM
— Jeremy Cohen (@jerm_cohen) March 29, 2020