A romance story in the midst of the Coronavirus proves the never-ending boundaries of love

The Coronavirus quarantine had and still has everyone doing crazy things they never thought they would ever do in their entire lifetime. From dyeing their hair all shades of the rainbow to celebrities hosting live concerts in their living room, people have really brought out the creative side of them while being stuck at home 24/7. One of those people is Jeremy Cohen, a freelancer in Brooklyn, New York, who created a single project by asking out a complete stranger during quarantine, inspiring those stuck at home by themselves that romance still persists even under lockdown. However, Cohen didn’t just ask out the stranger named Tori Cignarella through text messages and facetiming. His story actually involves a whole lot of droning and even an inflatable bubble.

Cohen and Cignarella on their first rooftop date Photo courtesy of Gulf News

This creative romance story started with Cohen spending most of his days on his roof top to capture pictures of people doing different activities for a photography project of his. He stumbled across Cignarella one day, who lives across his own building and was dancing to “We’re All in This Together,” from High School Musical. “It was the first time I saw someone dancing on the roof,” Cohen said in an interview with Insider. “She just kept dancing and I was just attracted to her energy.” In another interview with The Post, Cohen said, “During this quarantine, I think everyone is fiending for social interaction. I was like, ‘Oh my God, a girl. I haven’t seen one for so long.’” In an attempt to get to know Cignarella better, he sent a drone over to her rooftop along with his phone number. Only a while later, Cohen received a text message from Cignarella and their relationship grew from there onwards. After the duo started texting each other for a few days, Cohen suggested that they go on a date. As a way to follow the quarantine rules, Cohen got in contact with Cignarella’s roommate to set up a surprise date. On the date, the pair Facetimed each other while drinking a bottle of wine and eating microwavable dinners together.

Police pulling Cohen aside after recognizing him on the news Photo courtesy of Bored Panda

To take things to the next level, Cohen thought of a creative way to meet his quarantine crush face-to-face by getting in an inflatable bubble and travelling from his own apartment to Cignarella’s doorstep. Cohen brought along with him in the bubble flowers and hand sanitizer while Cignarella wore gloves; without breaking any quarantine rules, Cignarella walked while Cohen rolled around the neighborhood and spent some quality time together. While walking, the couple were stopped by the police several times, not because of going outside during quarantine, but to ask for photos after seeing them on television and the internet.

Cohen and Cignarella walking around the streets of Brooklyn Photo courtesy of Bored Panda

Although Cohen has already put his creativity in action with many more adventures to come, he still hopes that he could have an actual date with Cignarella. With his story getting shared all over social media, Cohen used his growing platform to remind everyone to not lose their socializing skills over the barriers of quarantine. “Just because we have to socially distance doesn’t mean we have to be socially distant,” he wrote in an Instagram post. Through this project of his, Cohen showed the world how unique his relationship with Cignarella was, and how it is never too late to get in contact with a neighbor or a friend.

Featured Image — Cohen and Cignarella on their second date, except being face-to-face Courtesy of Jeremy Cohen

By Sara Tee