Wacky Fun on the Road
November 11th, 2007 Posted in Articles and EssaysNote: This is a message I originally posted on the late Universal browncoats message board, and was vain enough to decide to save. Enjoy…or not:)
So I’m driving down the highway the other week, and I get stuck in one of those epic traffic jams. The kind where you step out of your car to look down the line of traffic, and all you see are more vehicles, with nary a tantalizing glimpse of the catastrophic wreck that caused the whole mess.
It was one of those where people start passing messages from the back of the line: “What happened? How long are we going to be here?” and by the time the telephone-game style answer gets back to you it sounds something like “the road caved in on top of the mall - we won’t be moving for at least 5 hours!” At that point you learn not to ask trivial little questions like “since when did they build a shopping mall under the highway?” You just surrender to apathy and record-breaking lateness.
I carry a portable DVD player (not one of the fancy built-in ones, but the kind you plug into the cigarette lighter) around in my car. I also had my inseperable companions, my Firefly DVDs. So, naturally, having given up my once hopeful dreams of actually getting to my destination, I hauled out the DVD player.
What with the frustrated little packs of motorists prowling up and down the line, this move attracted some attention, followed by more than a little envy. You don’t want to cross drivers on the hunt, I know this much. So, charitable individual that I am, I invited them to gather ’round and watch with me. Of course, you, my fellow browncoats, have already cottoned to my big and evil plan. My open-armed kindness came at a price. They were going to have to watch Firefly! Mine is an evil laugh!
I opened my door and propped up the DVD player, and about 5 people gathered around to watch as I started playing Out of Gas. Now, we all know what happens when a crowd of people gather during a roadside crisis……they generate a powerful electromagnetic field that attracts every person within shouting distance. Before I knew it, at least 15 people were gathered around my car, straining to watch Firefly on my little 8″ screen!
Did I mention I live in Oregon? About halfway through the episode, it starts to rain. Hard. Before I know it, I have 5 complete strangers and 3 children packed into my very compact car, and heads sticking into literally every window. I’m not sure it’s possible to comprehend what a comical sight this was without being there. Not a single one of them contemplated actually stopping watching and returning to their own vehicles for shelter.
We watched the entire episode. Then the comments started. “How could this possibly have been cancelled?” (If I recall correctly, this question was asked exactly 397 times, more or less.) “That Captain is an awesome actor” “What’s the name of that guy in charge of the ship? I need to see everything he’s done.” “The Companion is hot!” “What do you mean there wasn’t even a full season?” “You said there’s a movie out on this? I’m watching it tonight!” “Where did you buy your DVDs? I need them!” “Are they starting the show again?” “Incredible story, that should have won an Oscar.”
After the main group had trickled back to their cars, several of the women stayed behind to chat (in reality, I know they just didn’t want to risk spoiling that lovely little bout of pneumonia they were working on). There was “appreciating” of Nathan. There could be drooling. If traffic hadn’t spoiled the party by rudly starting to move again, I am relatively certain we would have watched Trash on the spot.
Awards and ratings are all very well and good, but what bigger tribute could you have to a TV show than the ability to induce complete strangers who have never heard of it before to gather in the pouring rain in the middle of the freeway, straining to catch every second?
Heeheehee………a whole pack of accidental converts. An enjoyable and damp time was had by all.