Yesterday was supposed to be gorgeous out, so I decided somewhat late in the morning that I would go see a movie that just opened that day. I think the Fates were bored yesterday and plopped that thought into my head just for fun.
I stand in my front room debating whether or not I have time to make it to the theatre for the first showing. Yes. No. Maybe. Okay, just go! I decide. A quick toothbrushing session, clothes upon my back and I rush out to the bus stop.
Ooh, but I don't have any money in my wallet. I need to stop by an ATM. If I catch the bus here, I can't get money until I get to the theatre, assuming there is a bank or ATM near the theatre, because while there is a bank near the transit station I'd have to pay another fare if I leave the station to go to the bank. I do not know. Maybe I should walk to the bank right now. But would that mean I'll miss the streetcar I ultimately need to catch in order to make the movie on time? Ach, I need money. So I start walking to the bank -- then the bus comes. Okay, I'll hop on the bus.
At the transit station: The streetcar I need isn't here. I wonder how long I'll have to wait. I should have gone to the bank first. Bet ya I would have been here before the -- ooh! Here's the streetcar!
Tick tock. Tick tock. The streetcar is making okay time. I may make it to the movie. Oh, right. Have to get money first. May still happen. Oh crap. Some idiot steps onto the car to drill the driver on what route the streetcar takes, and what other route would he be able to take? Just get off, would you? Some of us are tick tocking here -- phew. Bye bye idiot. I may still make my movie.
What is there right at my stop? Yes -- the bank I need! Ooh, thank you Fates. Quick look to my watch --- ooh thank you Fates! Time enough to get money AND go to a convenience store to pick up some snacks that won't cost me $12.95 for a pop and chocolate bar.
At the theatre box office with five minutes to spare, I open my mouth to ask for my ticket ... until I see my movie isn't listed behind the cashier. Oh. No. I open my bag to see the movie times I had written down ... and I wrote down the times for the wrong movie!! The movie I want isn't playing at this theatre!
Why would all these little things go right for me in order to conspire to get me to the wrong theatre on time?!
A quick check of my newspaper, and I see the movie I want is playing in twenty minutes down the street ... about a half hour down the street ... at a second theatre that charges over twice as much as the first theatre I am currently standing in. I could run to catch it. Or I could just throw in the towel on the early showing. The next showing at the second theatre is in three and a half hours. Fine. I'll go to that.
So I have three and a half hours to kill. Well, three hours; I'll need half an hour to get to the second theatre. So I check out the farmer's market. And I window shop on streets I haven't already walked a dozen times while roaming downtown to get to know the city.
After about 40 minutes, I realize something -- the point of seeing the movie I had endeavoured to see this afternoon was that it was playing at a cheap theatre. If I'm going to pay over twice as much someplace else, I'm going to see something else. Something I want to see more.
I remember that a movie I want to see more is playing at a theatre not quite so far away. A quick check of my newspaper - hey, the theatre isn't listed. I have no idea when the movie I want is playing. Did I just waste 40 minutes that I should have spent getting to the third theatre?
Off to the third planned theatre. It is out of the way of the second theatre, but that doesn't matter: if this doesn't work out I am just going to throw my hands up to the Fates, call it a day and go home wondering why my life is a catnip toy for them to bat around for their amusement.
I walk up to the box office at the third theatre, not holding out much hope as I check out the listings -- oh you are kidding me! The movie is playing in two minutes! Yes! Up I go to the theatre, and down I sit in a perfect seat right in the middle of the theatre. And the unexpected joy does not stop there: did you know the arms of these theatre seats swing up and out of the way if you want? I took off my shoes, pushed one seat arm out of the way, and lounged to the side with my legs stretched out across the seats. Ah. That was a good movie.
Do the Fates hate me enough to make sure I get to the wrong theatre on time? Or do they like me enough to let my third choice work so deliciously perfectly? Catnip never knows if it is catnip. It just is.
I stand in my front room debating whether or not I have time to make it to the theatre for the first showing. Yes. No. Maybe. Okay, just go! I decide. A quick toothbrushing session, clothes upon my back and I rush out to the bus stop.
Ooh, but I don't have any money in my wallet. I need to stop by an ATM. If I catch the bus here, I can't get money until I get to the theatre, assuming there is a bank or ATM near the theatre, because while there is a bank near the transit station I'd have to pay another fare if I leave the station to go to the bank. I do not know. Maybe I should walk to the bank right now. But would that mean I'll miss the streetcar I ultimately need to catch in order to make the movie on time? Ach, I need money. So I start walking to the bank -- then the bus comes. Okay, I'll hop on the bus.
At the transit station: The streetcar I need isn't here. I wonder how long I'll have to wait. I should have gone to the bank first. Bet ya I would have been here before the -- ooh! Here's the streetcar!
Tick tock. Tick tock. The streetcar is making okay time. I may make it to the movie. Oh, right. Have to get money first. May still happen. Oh crap. Some idiot steps onto the car to drill the driver on what route the streetcar takes, and what other route would he be able to take? Just get off, would you? Some of us are tick tocking here -- phew. Bye bye idiot. I may still make my movie.
What is there right at my stop? Yes -- the bank I need! Ooh, thank you Fates. Quick look to my watch --- ooh thank you Fates! Time enough to get money AND go to a convenience store to pick up some snacks that won't cost me $12.95 for a pop and chocolate bar.
At the theatre box office with five minutes to spare, I open my mouth to ask for my ticket ... until I see my movie isn't listed behind the cashier. Oh. No. I open my bag to see the movie times I had written down ... and I wrote down the times for the wrong movie!! The movie I want isn't playing at this theatre!
Why would all these little things go right for me in order to conspire to get me to the wrong theatre on time?!
A quick check of my newspaper, and I see the movie I want is playing in twenty minutes down the street ... about a half hour down the street ... at a second theatre that charges over twice as much as the first theatre I am currently standing in. I could run to catch it. Or I could just throw in the towel on the early showing. The next showing at the second theatre is in three and a half hours. Fine. I'll go to that.
So I have three and a half hours to kill. Well, three hours; I'll need half an hour to get to the second theatre. So I check out the farmer's market. And I window shop on streets I haven't already walked a dozen times while roaming downtown to get to know the city.
After about 40 minutes, I realize something -- the point of seeing the movie I had endeavoured to see this afternoon was that it was playing at a cheap theatre. If I'm going to pay over twice as much someplace else, I'm going to see something else. Something I want to see more.
I remember that a movie I want to see more is playing at a theatre not quite so far away. A quick check of my newspaper - hey, the theatre isn't listed. I have no idea when the movie I want is playing. Did I just waste 40 minutes that I should have spent getting to the third theatre?
Off to the third planned theatre. It is out of the way of the second theatre, but that doesn't matter: if this doesn't work out I am just going to throw my hands up to the Fates, call it a day and go home wondering why my life is a catnip toy for them to bat around for their amusement.
I walk up to the box office at the third theatre, not holding out much hope as I check out the listings -- oh you are kidding me! The movie is playing in two minutes! Yes! Up I go to the theatre, and down I sit in a perfect seat right in the middle of the theatre. And the unexpected joy does not stop there: did you know the arms of these theatre seats swing up and out of the way if you want? I took off my shoes, pushed one seat arm out of the way, and lounged to the side with my legs stretched out across the seats. Ah. That was a good movie.
Do the Fates hate me enough to make sure I get to the wrong theatre on time? Or do they like me enough to let my third choice work so deliciously perfectly? Catnip never knows if it is catnip. It just is.
Comments