Home Cinema

  ‘’Raj, how long are you going to stay home, and just keep working on your laptop???’’ Chris yelled.

   ‘’I know but I feel better when I am up to date with my cases and my emails,’’ answered Raj.

   Both have been close friends for quite some time. They know well each other. Chris is a gamer. Spends a lot of time playing games on consoles. Especially adventures, and first-person shooter games. Call of Duty for example. Raj is a movie buff. Not movies on Netflix at home. Movies at cinemas. At one point, he was watching seventy movies a year in theaters. That was more than one movie a week! He would then write down on an Excel spreadsheet the movie he had seen and write a little review about the movie with a rating out of ten. A review under two hundred words. Till the pandemic hit the world in March 2020… then it all ended. He was forced to work from home also by that time. Both have been living together as roommates for a few years now.

   ‘’I know you work hard, go above and beyond, and you are a perfectionist. However, you need to rest. Take you mind off from work. I know lately you have not been going out due to the pandemic. I know you love working from home now. You are saving time and money, and because you are already home, bored, you just keep checking your work emails and your pending cases. Clients will wait. You are not paid to work 24/7. You need to leave some tasks for your peers also. You are not paid more to do their work, ‘’ said Chris.  

  ‘’I guess…you are right. It is not just about the money, getting paid or not, for the extra work. I enjoy my work. I am troubleshooter, I am an analyzer, I am a logician…my brain needs that type of work. Not sure how to explain to you. It is more for me, not only to help the clients, or my company. I desire to be the best at what I do,’’ replies Raj.

   ‘’I know your personality type. I know what stimulates your brain. You see, cinemas are still closed. How about you start watching some on Netflix or Amazon Prime. You are subscribed to both services. I would always come to you to ask about movies. If a certain movie was worth watching on the big screen or at home. How about you watch at least one movie a week at home, write a review, give a rating, and list the movie on a spreadsheet? As you used to do. You took your hobby very seriously. I know also you enjoy talking about movies in general. About cinema. About stories. About plots. About acting. About actors.’’

  ‘’I think you are right. Maybe I should get back into one of my favorite past times. You know, going to the movies for me, is like an escape from reality for 2-3 hours. To be sitting in a cinema hall, lights off, even if it is empty, for me, is like being in paradise. Every 5-6 movies, I make sure I do get also some buttered popcorn and Coca-Cola. I would not abuse because it can be quite expensive and I don’t want also gain weight.’’

Raj puts his work laptop on sleep mode. While Chris is getting ready to launch Netflix on their tv set. Chris seems happier about this movie night than his friend who is a movie buff. Chris is browsing by genre.

   ‘’Would kind of movie you are looking forward to watch?’’

   ‘’Tonight…how about a new arrival on Netflix. A new movie…’’

   As Chris is going through a list of new movies that were added to the database of Netflix, Raj is getting ready with a bowl of popcorn and some Coca-Cola. Our friends, found a movie. Titled, The Vanished. A mystery thriller. It is Friday night. They already had supper. It is almost 9 PM. By the time the movie ends, it will be bed time. 

‘’All set Raji boy?’’

   ‘’Yes Sir! Thanks for doing this movie night with me. I needed a change. I was spending way too much time on my work laptop when it was not even required. I can’t wait for the theaters to open and enjoy a good movie on the big screen.’’

   ‘’Soon my friend. We all need to be patient and do our part to minimize the impact of this pandemic,’’ says Chris.

   ‘’I know. You are right. All of us, all human beings, we need to chip in and do what is best for the human race as a whole.’’ 

As the movie starts, total silence in the living room. Raj is in some kind of a hypnotized state once a movie starts. Especially if it is a good story, with some great acting. After 15-20 minutes, our movie buff friend can tell if a movie is going to be fun to watch or if it will be a disappointment.

   It is almost 11 PM. The movie just ended. Raj did not utter a work during the movie. It felt like he was in a cinema where he is not supposed to talk to anyone. Chris was happy. Raj looked at Chris with a big smile. Our amateur movie critique was satisfied.

   ‘’I feel unstressed. Tomorrow, I will do my movie home work. I will show it to you also so you can tell me what do you think about it. A rating out of ten, list the movie title, a short review, and save it on my personal pc. I feel like I am back in the game. One day, maybe, I would like to be a movie critique. The last time I saw a movie was six months ago…’’

‘’Raj, buddy, even though life has changed on a global scale, we must stay united, and we must help each other. During this difficult times, mental health is even more important,’’ replies Chris.

   As another day starts, Chris wakes up, and sees his friend Raj, on his personal laptop this time with a cup of chai, with his glasses on, getting back into movie viewing and movie reviews. Life is never easy and sometimes, we need to indulge in little things that can bring us joy. And, not to always wait for everything to be perfect to enjoy something.