20160122 (theatricide)

Couldn't find a good picture of a neighborhood movie theater. This will have to do. Real image would have more seating but be just as empty (abandoned?), rattier appearance in very dim lights. Great place for a mugging.

The writing is on the wall.

Has been for years. Motion 

Pictures in theaters is dead. 

Got a theater? Sell it. Rip

Out the seats, tear up the 

Stage. Convert it to chic

Little boutique-y shops

Or condos if you can.

Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s

Reality: I just don’t feel

Safe or comfortable in a

Dark place with strangers.

Could be because when 

They talk behind you and

You ask them, “Please be

Quiet so we can enjoy

The movie,” they don’t

Quickly apologize or 

Move away. They advise

Even louder, “Shut your

Pie hole, or I’ll cut your

Lips off.” Just suppose

You’re brave enough to 

Report verbal assault and

Harassment to the theater

Manager. First, you’re going

To miss even more of the

Movie by trying to find 

Him. Second, are you

Really going to leave your

Spouse or date in the dark

With an unidentified bully

Possibly razor-carrying

In the seat behind her? Third,

When you finally locate the

Manager, you find she’s

A short, slight, asthmatic

Wearing the uniform vest

With a franchise-logo and

Equipped with a pencil-thin

Mag-lite to guide her through

The aisles, and an iPhone with

The speed dial listing the 

Suburban police station as

#1, who, when you tell her

The nature of the problem

Produces two vouchers for

Any movies showing at the

Locations of their theaters

Any time of day within the

Next two weeks, and she

Suggests, “The best time is

Before noon while these

Types are still in bed.” You 

Seethe but recognize no one

Paid minimum wage should

Be forced into a potentially

Lethal confrontation this early

In their young life just so you

Can see some stupid flick

In a theater when in two weeks

It’ll be available on Netflix.

Grateful when you return

That your spouse is still alive

Unharmed except shaking,

“What took so long? They

Said all sorts of nasty stuff.

I’m afraid. They left just a

Minute ago.” You tell her,

“I’m afraid too. Let’s get 

Out of here.” Soon you’re 

Back in the lobby, thinking

To hit the can before leaving

But as you go in you hear a

Familiar voice and rethink,

“I can hold it,” return to the

Lobby, snag your lady,

And head to the car happy

Your lips are still attached.

c. J.S.Manista, 2016