by Sam Juliano
Public school systems have been shuttered with home schooling via online options being employed by teachers on call. Across the nation public events have been cancelled or postponed. Here in Bergen County, New Jersey movie theaters have been ordered closed and a restaurant ban for patrons eating inside is being considered as of this writing. I’ve been told by reliable sources this may not come to pass but the fact it is even being entertained says a lot. Friends in Italy have related horrific stories of stress and the death of people in their buildings which are difficult to even fathom. Opera houses, music venues, professional sports, and even in two states -Louisiana and Georgia- scheduled primary elections have been postponed. In view of mounting numbers the fear is palpable, the threat all too real, the containment and quarantine seemingly not wrought by overreaction on any level and at any region. I am 65 years old and cannot remember anything like this in my lifetime. If Allan were here to impart his noted witticisms he’d surely buffoon the stories of madness in supermarkets and malls by people now trampling others as if they were in the throws of the apocalypse. Some feel the precautions are way over the top while others will always prefer to stand by the adage “It is better to be safe than sorry.” I was prepared to talk about the election, tonight’s planned debate without an audience and the Tuesday elections still on in four states, but interest and all that and other matters seem little more than a diversion, though we need that badly right now.
Lucille and I haven’t dared to venture out to our normal cultural haunts, though as I said earlier that option as of a few days ago has closed anyway, and we have been watching the reports on CNN and on other networks attentively with a tinge of grimness. But our readers no doubt are surely in the same state of limbo at present. The staff at Wonders in the Dark are urging all to play it same in your everyday movements. My hometown of Fairview, New Jersey has still to report a single case, though the much larger Teaneck (Bergen County’s most populous community has roughly have of the 31 cases in the county to this point. The above map illustrates the places where the virus has surfaced and daily these figures are mounting. Wishing the best to Jim and Valerie Clark, J.D. Lafrance, Andrew Hunt, Sachin Gandhi, Todd Sherman and Barry Germansky up in Canada and to our many US and worldwide friends. With any luck the peak could be at hand. Please talk about your own situation in the comment section.
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I love reading my name-doppelganger’s reviews, so I thought I’d add my comments. In Austin, we’re at only 3 confirmed cases of Coronavirus now, but this has not stopped the public panic that has cleaned out grocery shelves and made that one item so iconic of the apocalypse – toilet paper – more precious than rare gems. Ironically, downtown Austin was still bustling on a Saturday night, and restaurants and grocery stores are packed; so here, so far, social distancing is only lip-serviced.
In preparation for the inevitable enforced home staycations, I have amassed a collection of Turner Classic Movies on my YouTubeTV account (which provides an unlimited DVR capability with a 9-month expiration on each recording). I’m up to 759 movies with an IMDB rating of 7.1 or higher (my arbitrary cutoff to keep things “reasonable”). Wonderful movies such as Twelve Angry Men (1957, IMDB 8.9), Pather Panchali (1955, 8.6), Seven Samurai (1954, 8.6), and Scenes from a Marriage (1973, 8.5) comprise the list, and I’m using this pre-apocalypse lull to plow through it, a la Burgess Meredith in the Twilight Zone classic “Time Enough at Last.” At 65 and 13 months, I’ve seen many of these already, of course, but I’m treating this as my “movies to see again before I die” checklist, and am literally checking them off one-by-one. I’ve covered 51 so far in 2020, and I’m hoping that my glasses won’t get shattered.
My best wishes to the “Wonders in the Dark” crew. God willing, we will prevail, in true health through purity and essence of our natural fluids.
– Sam
Hello my Texas namesake, always thrilled to hear from you though of course right now we are all facing a terrifying time. By now I’m sure the lock down is in effect as your state has many, many more cases. Right now of course in northern New Jersey and NYC we are in the epicenter of this pandemic. So far, none of the seven members of my family have contracted this, though I do know some locals, -one my wife’s school secretary- who have it but are handling it well without hospitalization. Yes this is a time when we can divert to films, books and television and it sounds you have done a yeoman job on that front. I am a huge fan of TZ and “Time Enough at Last.” Likewise I ADORE “Pather Panchali”, “Seven Samaurai,” “Twelve Angry Men,” and “Scene of a Marriage.” All and other you note by way of numerical volume are indeed treats to re-visit! There can be no panacea as effective as our beloved classics. Wishing you and yours the safest outcome my excellent friend!
In Pennsylvania schools are closed. The county I live in so far has no confirmed cases, but our town library closed anyway. I live in a tiny, rural town. As more and more countries around me are reporting cases, my family has started distancing ourselves from others. We’ve been spending most of our time at home, only leaving to get groceries. My kids have not been going to the park or playing with friends. My husband’s job is still open, so he still goes to work, though I’m not certain how much longer this may last since he works in a restaurant. I’ve been worried about my family in New Jersey.
Cousin Carrie, thank you so much for responding! Well by now I’m sadly sure you have been overun by cases. We are doing the same as you, only going out for groceries. As to your husband by now I can only imagine what is happening as so many restaurants have shut down though some are still going with take-out. Best that the kids stay home indeed. Yes we are all hunkered indoors. Wishing you continued safely and thank you!
There are only a half dozen cases in all of Maine, but even on my little island off the coast of Portland, the local church service, library, and fund-raising events have all been cancelled. It is surreal. As a children’s book illustrator, I fear for publishing, for my career, but mainly for all those children who must stay home from school and face a baffling change of routine. Let’s hope this pause in the daily norms of our society brings us all together in spirit and solidarity.
Thanks Sam. Hoping all of you are good and well.
All schools in our city have been closed until further notice. Across the province, public gathering of 250 or more people are banned. All local libraries have been closed. Restaurants are still open but told to restrict access.
Our remaining film festival screenings for the season have been cancelled. The list of festival and event cancellations is staggering. I can’t recall such an incident previously.
Until this weekend, all the local cases in our province were travel related. However, what changed things were multiple people got impacted at a social gathering on the weekend. That promoted things to change with regards to school closures and closing city libraries and rec facilities.
Sachin, thank you so much for the update and alert. Yes I know we are all in the same place now. The mounting numbers are terrifying. Yes all festivals and social gatherings have been indefinitely cancelled as we all grapple with one-mindedness at this worst of times. Schools, libraries are all closed now and even some take out eateries are closing their doors out of fear. I am wishing you and your family continued safely. I am confident all will be well down teh road but can’t ever remember such stress and anxiety my very good friend.
Jamie, thank you so much for the report my good friend. I am assuming by now those numbers have risen as they have basically in all states. We are in the epicenter down here and it can’t be more tense and frightening. Yes everything that has been happening is surreal but your call for solidarity to bring us all together is spot on. Thank you so much and sending good vibes to you all.
Hoping you and the family are holding up under this major crisis. The reports from Europe are indeed horrific. Like you as a Bergen County resident I am seeing more and more restrictions, and today I heard that restaurants and theaters have been shut down (the former for eating inside). I also heard the car travel after a certain time has been discouraged. And I am sure much more will be enacted as this virus spreads. The scariest time of my own life.
Thank you Ricky. We are all in this together and must vigilantly maintain distance. Wishing you and your family a positive outcome my friend. Thank you!
More and more and more is closing all around us. I am thinking total lockdown is getting closer. Stay safe all!
Same to you my long time friend. Lock down is in place of course and we must all practice social distancing moving forward.
The “Madame Tellier’s Excursion” episode of Ophuls’s “Le Plaisir” has made my week. It is sublime.
Everyone stay well.
A mighty great film there Mark!! Not Ophuls’ best but still a classic of the highest order! Wishing you the safest outcome my friend!