Friday, July 17, 2009

I'm Just Sayin' . . .

Have you seen this child?
If you've been around here any time at all, I would guess the answer would be "yes!"

Well, last night, this wonderful child (teenager) and I sashayed on out of the house to see a movie together. (Hannah Montana at the $2 theater, in case you're wondering.)

Since the movie has been out a while (and since we were at a bargain place) the theater was very empty. Like about 95% empty. Which is fine with me. I'm good with empty.

However, what I am not so good with is what took place in that almost empty theater.

Five minutes before the movie started, three sort of loud teenagers came crashing in and sat in the seats Right. In. Front. Of. Us. There were one bajillion empty seats all over the theater but they chose to sit as close to us as they could possibly get.

Being an inveterate "people observer" from way back, I sat in my little chair and pondered human nature and why someone would choose to sit so very near someone else in an almost empty theater.

However, once the movie started, I got distracted by Miss Montana and her complicated life and I forgot all about our "in front of us neighbors."

But then? Then the unthinkable happened.

A family with two small children came in and sat in the row Immediately. Behind. Us.

Are Sarah and I "theater go-er magnets?" Or what?

The two little girls behind us were of the wiggly, giggly variety and they managed to hit our (rocking) theater seats about four or five thousand times during the course of the movie.

Now I have had small children in my lifetime and back in those (wonderful, stressful) days, my very FIRST thought upon entering an almost empty theater would be to corral said children into a densely unoccupied area where they could spread out and wriggle around to their hearts' content. I would most certainly NOT guide them into a row RIGHT BEHIND a middle aged mom with (obviously) middle aged nerves. And I would NOT let them kick their legs and move around and hit the chairs in the front of them.

Sigh.

I truly have a very long fuse regarding most things. I would consider myself a tolerant, patient person almost always. And if the theater was completely full and those were the only seats available, I would be even MORE tolerant than usual.

But people. I'm telling you that there were only about seven movie attenders in the entire theater. So WHY did the family of wriggly children choose to sit right behind us?

If anyone out there has any clues, please, I beg of you, fill me in so that I can better understand the unusual thought processes of that species called the Child Accompanying, Theater Going, Human Parent. It would be a great help to me.

Now to look at this whole scenario from a different perspective, a couple weeks ago I took myself off to a matinee showing of "My Sister's Keeper." I made it a priority to find a seat far, far away from anyone else in the room because I knew I was going to be blubbering like a, well, like a blubber-er. I even got my little pack of Kleenex out of my purse ahead of time so that I would be well prepared.

And I did use the Kleenex, four or five of them, at least.

But I was comforted by the fact that I wasn't the only one in the room crying; there were sniffles galore. It is definitely a touching, sad, poignant movie for anyone who views it. But to watch it as someone who has actually had a child with cancer? Whew! Incredibly, utterly heart wrenching.

But for me at least, it was well worth seeing. (Steve's still not so sure he wants to go.)

So that's my "movie going stories" for the past couple of weeks. If anyone has an opinion on My Sister's Keeper, or has any movie-going stories to share with the rest of us, go for it! I always love to hear from you! (And so do all the other Smithellaneous folks.)
________________

PS In regard to my entry about the turkey yesterday, Heather asked what wonderful recipes I served along with the turkey.

Well, the truth of the matter is that by the time I finally got done with the preparation and cooking of the turkey, I was so thoroughly traumatized and exhausted that I had no creativity or cooking fervor left. I think I did manage to whip up some mashed potatoes and I made gravy from the turkey drippings. Along with some peas and bread, that was the extent of my fabulous turkey feast.

And then I went and laid down.

9 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Judy said...

Sounds as though you had the prime location in the theater or were wearing signs saying "Please fence me in."
For me the question that begs to be answered, is why you chose to remain the sandwich filling between the teenagers and the family when the movie theater was practically empty? Just wondering??

lesley said...

Yes, I was wondering also. Why did your feet not move you to another spot? :)

Anonymous said...

I was very surprised that the ending to My Sister's Keeper was changed. Heard that Jodi Picoult was upset by that, too. The book aside, though, it was a very well made, heartbreaking story.

Anonymous said...

#3 coming up . . .why didn't you move?!

Alas, you are not the only one with turkey jitters! A friend wanted me to teach her to stuff & roast a turkey. I showed up only to dissolve into laughter as she put on rubber dishwashing gloves! (I understand she now has a box of latex surgical gloves to last for many years!)

HOWEVER, another perspective is that after all you've been and are going through, it's great that some things are still just plain icky!

Ciao, Bella!

Guerrina

Lyndsay said...

That theatre scenario would drive me crazy too. A related annoyance that happens to me at work all the time - when I'm sitting in a bathroom stall and somebody enters the bathroom and uses the one RIGHT next to me even though there are 6-8 others to choose from. I would just like some personal space, y'know?!

Pam D said...

I think you and Sarah must have radiated such wisdom that the other moviegoers HAD to be near you, because you obviously KNEW where the very best seating was. (the teen-aged boys could have also been attracted to a very pretty young PGC's appearance.. and apparently Mom didn't look very fierce). I have NO clue on the folks with the little kids. The very LAST thing I'd do if I had small children is to plop them directly behind anyone, if the opportunity was there to have a few degrees of separation.

Anonymous said...

Hee hee...I so would have flashed them dirty looks and shusssshed them....responsibility people!

I have not seen My Sisters Keeper and probably won't. I did read the book and would love to know the change in the ending....
Reading the book was hard because my husband and I did talk about the fact that we would try for another child in a heartbeat if our DD needed a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully we never had to cross that bridge, but the book certainly made me think about what I was prepared to do, and if it would have been the right and moral thing. Could someone fill me in on the different ending? My email is lynies1@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I also saw My Sister's Keeper after reading the book. I had heard it ended differently so I wasn't surprised when I saw the movie. I thought the movie ending was a little more believable than the book, but I did miss the part of the storyline about the relationship between the attorney and the guardian ad litem.
When I think someone is going to sit near me in the theater, I start fake coughing loudly! Works every time.
Hope
Raleigh, NC

Unknown said...

My Sister's Keeper was an excellent, well acted film...accept for the last 10 minutes. I was absolutely INFURIATED that they changed the poignant ending of the book and turned it into C-R-A-P.

However, I think Sofia Vassileva (the girl who played Kate) deserves an Oscar...she was phenomenal..)