Playing Roadside Picnic

Let me get carried away for a while...

There's a book by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, A.K.A. The Strugatsky Bros., called Roadside Picnic. It inspired the Stalker movie which is kind of based on it but... I have not watched it. I read the book, though. It's about the Zone, a dangerous place with lots of anomalies where brave stalkers explore, hunting for alien technology for the black market. Because the zone is just a roadside picnic place for aliens who paused there on their way to some place else. Maybe.

And my story here has nothing to do with it but a few coincidences.

One of my best friends returned for the holidays from Denmark where he now lives. And around Christmas, he decided to invite me to a picnic somewhere along the road of our hometown.

Coincidence #1

So there was an actual picnic...

Coincidence #2

This friend of mine is the person who gave me the book in the first place. His family (you see his father on the pictures, too) are all friends of Strugatsky Bros. as far as I know. And it figures. His mother was born in Russia, somewhere near Yenisei River. They are all scholars and fond on science. And obviously fiction. My friend's into Astronomy.

Coincidence #3

Before I met him for Christmas and before I knew of his plan for picnic I had prepared a present for him which was made of chocolate sculpted so intricately that it really resembled a rusty hex nut for bolts. An item used by stalkers to check for anomalies in the Zone - a reference to the book I hoped he will get. Guess who did not take any pictures of it. (Well, it was in a nylon wrap, anyway.)

What do I want to say with those coincidences?

Nothing. Life's funny. Appreciate it.

Of course

We took extra care to put out the fire. At first I though when they called me on my cell phone to bring some water they were thirsty. But they had liters of wine, lemonade, etc. just not any extinguishing water.

But I want to ask you something...

Since I'm making this a #crowdmind post and it's about trust in the human race. Oops, same as the book Roadside Picnic which I recommend.

How do you feel about people and their right to make fire in the wild or about restrictions? You know a lot of wildfires happen because of that. Some happen because of neglect and some because of ill intent. Buying wood, land or buildings much cheaper after a fire is a thing around.

On the other hand. It is so human an invention and so natural to us. On some occasions it's not about survival or necessity but about getting close to your ancestry.

In about half a year from now fans of a newly found tradition will gather around campfires on the beaches along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast line to have a July Morning. That one inspired by Uriah Heep. Just a curious thought that it was somehow connected to the beginning of my post - other artists' work still inspiring crowds.

Stay warm and take care! Of yourself and the environment.

Yours,

Manol