MOVIE TIME

Before we got married Rick and I enjoyed going to the movies. We went to the late show and held hands while I asked him questions about the movie. He would smile and tell me what I missed when I blinked. We snuggled together and ate buckets of hot buttered popcorn. Movie night was fun. He liked chick flicks back then.

Fast forward thirty years. Our idea of getting ready for a late movie is to hurry through supper, throw our pajamas on and stick in a Red Box movie that Rick picked up on his way home from work.

That’s when I found out that when we were dating he liked the chick but not the flick. I am an incredibly awesome wife so I simply sigh when he brings his, beat ‘em in the head, mystery action thriller home. We climb into bed, a popcorn free zone I might add, and turn on the movie.

“What’s happening? I ask thirty seconds into the movie.

“I don’t know hon. Just watch. I’ve never seen this movie either.”

I watch, afraid to blink and miss something. Why did they have to make the plot so complicated and talk so low you can’t hear them?
“Turn up the volume. Is he a bad guy?”

“Jane. I don’t know.” I concentrated harder.
“Oh honey, I forgot to tell you that Garret called today. You’re supposed to call him back.”

“Couldn’t you have told me after the movie?”

“No. I might have forgotten.” Rick snorts.

“What did that man just say?”

Rick takes a deep breath. “He said, ‘I don’t know what you’re up to but…’ I missed the rest.”

“I heard that part. How come you never hear what they say? When you ask me what they say I can tell you what they said.”

“I’ll rewind it.”

“No. Every time you try to go back it wrecks the movie. Just leave it.”
“I got it all figured out.” He tries to skip it back. He goes too far. “Crap.”

Rick tries to find the spot again and I go paint my toe nails. He finally gives up and starts the movie again. I get to figure out what happened and he gets to hear what he missed.
“Now what’s happening?” I can’t help myself from asking.

“I don’t know.”
I glue myself back to the TV screen.

“What did they say?” Rick missed another line.

“They said……..” I repeat back to him exactly what they said. “How come when you miss something I hear it but you can never hear what I miss. Do you know how annoying that is?”

We manage to get through the movie. I never quite know what is going on and Rick can’t hear half of it and there’s no snuggling or popcorn but we are entertained. I wonder why none of our kids want to watch a movie with us?