Ground Rules for Your Socially Distanced Get-Together

Yes, it’s a little weird discussing utensil handling and bathroom procedures. Do it anyway.

Michelle Woo
Forge

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Photo: Westend61/Getty Images

The invitation nearly made me jump off the sofa. “Would anyone be open to a socially distanced backyard movie night on Saturday?” my neighbor Devon texted a few friends on our street. “I understand if no one is ready yet.”

I wanted to immediately respond: “Should I bring red or white?” I’d had almost no real-life interaction with people outside my immediate family for months unless you count the dentist who gave me an emergency filling and the kids in my daughter’s first-grade class who waved to us from their sidewalks during their drive-by birthday parties. The thought of spending time with friends — and maybe even wearing something besides yoga pants — made me wistful and a little giddy.

My excitement, however, quickly turned to uneasiness. Was I really comfortable with this? What would the event look like? How does live human communication even work, again?

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