There was good news on Easter Sunday. Approximately 327 million Americans did not get SARS-CoV-2 and die. However, for freedom lovers, there also was a bit of bad news. The University of Virginia went full bore communist and commanded visitors to self-ban themselves from the Grounds. Before Easter, the blue sign went up to mark what will forever be known as The Great American Anti-Social Quarantine.
On the West Range, Edgar Allan Poe's room was closed, even though Poe's room is always closed. You see, it's closed all year round with a locked glass door, and no one lives there, least of all Poe himself. It's a museum room, but I suppose that when they close the inner solid door that means it's really closed. No standing and gawking through the glass into the museum - you know, anti-social quarantine and all that. Madison Bowl was quarantined too, even though it's an open field, and even though The University is closed and all the students are gone.
Easter was an overcast day, but a pink Easter bunny visited and pranced around The Lawn nevertheless. A few spectators sat and watched, despite the exhortations to self-ban themselves. Other than the stray ingrates dis-inviting themselves from the pledge, The University was a ghost town. In contrast, last weekend, on a sunny Spring Friday evening, a few remaining students and visitors were out on The Lawn taking pictures in cap and gown, grabbing one last memory of a terminated fourth year where there will be no graduation ceremony on The Lawn, and no Reunions Weekend. The sight of students relaxing and taking pictures on The Lawn must have been too much for the Board of Visitors' risk management committee. A while back they banned open flames and guns on The Lawn, and now they are banning humans too. That's where the banning mentality leads. Hop to it subjects - ban thyself, and be gone!
Hamlet, Act 1 Scene 1
BARNARDO:
How now, Horatio? You tremble and look pale.
Is not this something more than fantasy?
What think you on ’t?
HORATIO:
Before my God, I might not this believe
Without the sensible and true avouch
Of mine own eyes.
Gear Photos were made with a Nikon D750 paired with a Zeiss Milvus 35 mm f/2.0.
