|
| |
|
TAKING A TRIP
DOWN MEMORY LANE |
|
Last Sunday felt like old times. I woke up to the sound of
rain pelting our roof. Real rain, just like the old days. And it wasn't
going to stop for a while.
"Remember rainy weekend days?" I asked my wife once
she opened her eyes. "What do you say we go see a movie in a real
movie theater?"
She was still a little sleepy, so I understood her lack of
enthusiasm. "COVID," she replied as she turned over. "Wait
for Netflix."
But I was determined. It had been two years since we had been
to a movie theater, and I missed the buttered popcorn. And there's nothing
better than seeing James Bond kill the bad guys on the big screen.
"No Time to Die," the latest Bond thriller, was
playing in a bunch of theaters near our Marin County home. Unfortunately,
the closest theater had a ceiling tile fall into the audience (no one was
hurt) a few days earlier. That didn't sit well with my wife when I
suggested we go to that theater for the 12:00 showing.
"No way," she said, now completely awake. "It's an
atmospheric river out there. There's a lot more ceiling tiles up there
ready to drop."
"James Bond wouldn't be scared," I replied,
squaring my shoulders as I sprung out of bed. "And neither am I.
Let's risk it."
It took some convincing, but she finally agreed. Arguments
that worked: Shorter drive, more comfortable seats. Arguments that didn't
work: Better popcorn.
This was a must-see movie, and we were both excited to see it
on the big screen. We had grown up watching Bond movies, and now the
latest Bond actor, Daniel Craig, has announced it was his last one.
"Does it make you feel old to know that we have seen six
James Bond actors retire from the role?" I asked as we drove through
a torrential rain to the theater.
That depressed her, but she perked up when I told her Pierce
Brosnan was my favorite. She thought I was clueless, and enjoyed telling
me so. She went with Sean Connery, with Daniel Craig a close second.
The short drive came in handy. We arrived just as she
launched into a scathing review of Pierce Brosnan's Bondness. Before she
could ruin my image of him, I bolted out of the car and headed for the
ticket booth. It was time to return to normalcy.
Except not everything was the same. We bought our tickets and
had to select our seats, which I had never done before. Most people
purchased online and had no need to get to the theater early. It felt like
a Broadway show.
And then, of course, masks were required, except for when
you're eating or drinking. Fortunately for me, that was about 90% of the
time once I ordered my buttered popcorn and medium Sprite.
Within moments, I was sitting in my selected seat, bag of
buttered and salted popcorn in hand. The previews were beginning, with the
much anticipated feature film to start soon. Few moments in life surpass
the happiness I always feel during that moment. Maybe the birth of my
children, but it's close.
There were a total of eight previews, which was a bit much.
It used to be no more than three, but I guess Hollywood is making up for
lost time. Luckily, I rationed my popcorn well and had plenty left once
James Bond made his 25th appearance (dating back to 1962 and the release
of "Dr. No") on the big screen.
As always, the first 20 minutes were a rollicking, thrilling,
edge-of-your-seat cinematic spectacle. I'm no fan of violence and killing
in the movies, and neither is my wife, but for some reason James Bond gets
a pass. We grew up with him, and that's just what he does.
The movie is two hours and 43 minutes long, but it flies by.
The ending was interesting, to say the least, and I walked out of the
theater with a lot of thoughts. Most importantly, I felt like life was a
little closer to normal.
"How did you like it?" I asked my wife as we walked to the car
in the steady downpour.
"It must have been good, "she answered,
"because I forgot all about the ceiling tiles falling on my
head."
That sounded normal---escape to the movies. I guess we're
getting there. |
|
|
