Yesterday, Easter Monday, it seemed that everyone was busy. Peter was working on his taxes, the astronauts were piloting their space craft around to the back of the moon, Trump was going on and on and on about his army’s fantastic rescue operation on Sunday, (the likes of which nobody’s ever seen before in the history of the country), and most other people were at the grocery store filling up the fridge again after their Easter banquets. What was I going to write about today?

Last week I had read in the Toronto Star, about a Little Cinema, similar to the Little Libraries popping up all over neighbourhoods in the city of Toronto. It was the only one of its kind and it intrigued me. Imagine walking down a side street and suddenly coming across a tiny theatre for one, showing a blockbuster movie at eye level. There would be no waiting in line! no entry fee! no seat! oops. Anyway, yesterday I decided to go looking for it.

The address was given as Wychwood. I knew the name well because back in January 2021 during the pandemic, Peter and I had walked around in the area and I had written a blog post about it: an enclave of lovely old homes, surrounding a pond, and hiding a mysterious suicide. I had no trouble driving to the area again. But then I noticed a sign: Private Road. I wasn’t going to turn around so, dear readers, I broke the law and drove in anyway. What the heck, if I couldn’t find the Little Cinema, maybe I could get arrested and write about that instead!

I manoeuvred my car up, down, and around the dirt roads, smiling and waving at all the dog walkers. I wanted to look as if I belonged. Everyone waved back. I guess there must be a lot of little old ladies driving bright red cars who live there.

I found a couple of Easter Egg trees:

one Little Free Library

and a stand offering gently used stuff

But no Little Cinema, and no police officers anywhere! I finally gave up and went home. I stole a picture from the internet instead. I figured you wouldn’t notice the snow piles – they have been around for so long they seem to fit in anywhere.

I do still think this is a great idea. Certainly the little free libraries are a big success everywhere. Books don’t lose their value after just one reading, so why not pass them on? The same could be true for home movies. Everyone will want to see your grandkids taking their first steps, or wiping applesauce all over their high chairs, or falling off their tricycles. Maybe there could be awards – like Community Oscars! It could help bring neighbours together in this sad time when the President of the free world is competing for attention with the Easter Bunny.

Sue