26 July 2020
How do you responsibly entertain when a pandemic is raging? Bars and movies are for the most part closed. Even if they weren’t do you really trust people who are drinking to observe social distancing. And is there a bar anywhere with a decent HVAC that isn’t going to pump tainted air onto you again and again?
Card games are probably out, you have to sit too close for the two-meter rule. And what about people’s sweaty fingers fondling those cards during you “friendly” game of pinochle or crazy 8s? Individual tug of war would probably be okay, but what fun is that? You really need a team and a mud pit to enjoy that activity to the fullest. On top of that tug of war is a one and done kind of event. Whatever you do outdoors is better than indoors, more air circulation.
Well, we took safe entertaining on. With a Vankyo projector, a MacBook Pro, a Bose Sound link II speaker and an Amazon recommended screen we created a drive-in movie right on our deck. All told we spent about $150 out of pocket to create the Toddeplex Odeon. Additionally, about 20 minutes of time was expended hanging the screen and setting up the projector. Not a huge outlay of either money or energy. When you consider a trip to the cinema, when it returns to operation, for four people will easily run $60 a visit, three get-togethers like this will have covered the cost of outfitting the whole thing.
To test the set up we invited another couple over. We chose them because we knew they had concerns about the virus, and as a result they had been aggressively pursuing social isolation. I had been given directions to pick a movie that was by and large a positive film and not one of the dark European cop or spy or supernatural stories I usually watch. I picked a relatively recent French film. In the Netflix listing the movie is called Bad Seeds. It is a little movie with heart told in the quirky way French movies often tell warm stories, quaintly off kilter right up until the end.
Because we are out here on the edge of the Eastern time zone and because it is mid-summer we had to wait until about 9:15 to start the film. But when it started the movie image was crisp enough that it was easy for all of us to read the subtitles. Popcorn was provided in two separate bowls from two separate bags. Each couple provided their own beverages. Seating was in two pods of two set more than six feet apart both about 10-12 feet away from the screen.
Socially distanced movie night worked. We were able to see the movie clearly. We were able to talk easily both during the film and afterwards. And you know what? It felt good to talk and laugh and engage in wild trains of conversation with people while feeling relatively safe. Luckily for us we had an outdoor space that was perfect to do this. We cannot hide away totally. But if we are smart, well then, we can engage is some social life. Real honest conversation and open laughter can do wonders to fend off the air of depression that this pandemic carries with it. I raise a glass of Framboise Belgian Ale to our moving forward safely.
No comments:
Post a Comment