Asking to be in a 'support bubble' is the new are we exclusive conversation

During the second longest year in history (2021), my housemate began dating a guy that he was very into. This all began in January aka the dead of winter and also for us in London we were enduring our third lockdown of this panoramic. I had zero prospects on the dating frontier so thus became very engrossed by the ongoing romantic drama of my housemate who I could live vicariously through. During this time, my housemate was very confused by the conflicting messages this man kept sending, until one day the paramour asked him to create a ‘support bubble’ together.

Now, I’m not going to lie, writing out the words ‘support bubble’ feels like one of the most unsexy things I could ever write. So I realise equating it to being exclusive could feel like a reach but….I can confirm that is exactly what happened.

My poor housemate was bewildered when he came to me to unpack what had just taken place. And in fairness, the concept of support bubbles were introduced by one the worst leaders currently in power, whereby two households join together and only socialise with one another, it aimed to combat loneliness and encourage more social interaction.

I asked how it had arisen - post coitus, over a plate of pasta, via a text on the way home - and he said that whilst they were enjoying a glass of wine the night before, his date essentially just came out and asked it without much fanfare. My housemate accepted even though he didn’t truly understand what he was undertaking.

My read on it: its a polite, public health driven way to ask someone to go steady and commit to you and your health. But its also kind of a cop out, essentially using a government initiative to move your relationship along. Its like getting married for the tax break. Which in this house we don’t do (unless the tax break is massive and suddenly you have millions).