A couple of posts back, I mentioned that I missed certain things. I still miss them. There have been some changes in the province, but we are far from in the clear. Restaurants, cafes, and bars may now open patios. Patio seating is limited and must be reserved in advance.
I finally went out to one of my favorite establishments this past Sunday. After a couple of hours drinking beer and eating salad, I went home to prepare for work the next day.
All along I thought that I would enjoy going to a patio after months of isolation. I was wrong. The visit was a stark reminder of how grim life has become for a social being like myself.
I had to make a reservation the night before. Fortunately the manager is a good friend of mine. I made the reservation while casually chatting about our daily lives.
Since seating is limited, we are allowed 90 minutes to enjoy our table. At the end of the 90 minutes, I went to pay my bill and was told I may stay longer since the other table left early and the next booking for my table was going to be sent to the now-vacant table nearest mine.
I sat down and enjoyed some more beer. A few people from the neighbourhood walked by and stopped to chat. It was nice seeing those guys again.
I cannot escape feeling that the overall experience was not nice. The fact that the venue was empty due to restrictions had a huge impact on me. Since the patio is small, they are only allowed to have two tables. Indoor dining is not allowed, so all business asides from the two tables at the partio was takeout.
Having to keep 2m metres apart from my dear friend made me feel depressed. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been in contact almost daily. Now that her restaurant has opened the patio for service, I was able to visit but keep a safe distance.
I grew up in a very social environment. Our friends and family tend to be affectionate and physical via hugs, embrace, fist bump, chest bump, etc. To see my dear friends and not be able to get close to them hurts me to my core.
Another thing that makes going out to patios under these conditions an unhappy experience is the fact that one simply cannot chat with new people. How do you make new friends with people who you must keep far away from? In these pandemic days, it feels as if everyone is suspicious of everyone else.
As I walk down the street, or go to the grocery store, I cannot help but wonder if other people have the virus and are asymptomatic. This causes me to steer clear of random people. I find that other people tend to do the same. The whole experience is rather disturbing.
I do not plan to visit patios much if at all. The fun is no longer there.