|
My husband and I went together to the 9:30 p.m. show at Austin AMC Barton Creek Square. It was showing on three screens for each show time and all were sold out. We got there at 8:30 knowing from DU reports that there would be long lines. The previous show must have started late because it was long after 9:30 before they let out so ours didn't begin until at least 10:30.
In our late 40's, we were definitely some of the older couples in the crowd but when the 7:30 show let out, we saw that the people our age had gone to the earlier show! It was fun and encouraging to be around so many young people and it occurred to me that many of them may have been there just because it was the cool place to be last night and not necessarily for political reasons, so hopefully, some eyes would be opened!
I wore my "John Kerry for President" T-shirt and I couldn't believe how many people on the way out commented to me about the movie or gave me a thumbs up or even flashed the peace sign. It was like they were so relieved to see my T-shirt!
Anyway, while we were waiting in line, a young man called out my husband's name and it was Travis, a high school friend of our 20-year-old son, who is a Marine stationed at 29 Palms, California. Travis, who is a year younger, interned with my husband's remodeling company for three weeks as part of his high school program and we hadn't seen him for a year. He seemed so happy to see us and came over to talk for awhile before the movie. Since he was in a different line, I thought he ended up in a different theater and didn't expect to see him again that evening.
After the movie let out, my husband and I were walking away and hadn't yet been able to speak, we were feeling so emotional. Travis came running up to say goodbye. I could tell he seemed on the verge of tears and he could hardly speak. He hugged me and I found myself patting his back and telling him, "It's okay. It will be all right."
I felt so sad for him, this young man watching that movie and feeling so helpless. I think all of us have felt that despair about what's going on around us but deep down inside, we still have hope that it has to end, that people have to see the truth and come to their senses. But this young man seemed truly afraid and I tried to reassure him. Then I called my son so Travis could talk to him and they shared a laugh about whether F9/11 will be showing at the theater on the Marine base any time soon!
My husband and I talked on the way home about how we hope that people will walk out of that movie determined to DO something rather than deciding it's a lost cause.
|