CCECYOUTH.COM

By Jackson Stace

I take long strides to walk quickly through the entrance of Hoyts at Erina. There are so many dangers standing out the front, particularly the people who like to congregate and discuss loudly and with little regard for those around them about the movie I am there to see that they have just seen (the truth is in two hours I will be that person). It also seems to be the chosen place of public break-ups- why be subtle when you can scream your 14yr old lungs out at your 14yr old ex-boyfriend in front of at least 15 complete strangers?

I scan the carpet to avoid chewing gum as I walk to the ticket register (which is now the candy bar because someone has finally figured out that they can halve their wage cost by doing this)

I wait in line for about 3.6 minutes. Not the longest line I’ve had to wait in but it’s not the shortest.

I request my purchase of a movie ticket- “adult for transformers please”

I decline the offer for a popcorn and coke combo for $11.95 (because of course I have been here before and I know not to get ripped off from the cinema)

I make the mistake of indicating that maaaybeee a small drink would be nice.

I agree to a medium coke for an extra 60 cents (whats 60 cents?)

I agree to a small popcorn which isn’t too much.

I then agree to a further upsizing to a large coke

I am then told that for an extra $1 I can get my coke in a limited edition bottle which looks like and oversized lamp thingy that genie’s pop out of.

I agree to this.

I am then told that what I have agreed to costs more than the original $11.95 combo I was offered and if I would like to change my mind but still get the novelty bottle.

I say yes.

I swipe my card through eftpos, take my ticket and goods , hang my head in shame and walk away- grateful that the wonder of eftpos spares me the distress of physically seeing how much money I have just spent.

I realise I need to use the toilet and yet have nowhere to place my popcorn and coke. Luckily within the men’s bathroom, there is a convenient shelf above the basins for me to place my food. I try to avoid the wet patches and assorted hairs that adorn this shelf.

I hand over my ticket to be ripped in half and am told by the ticket girl that she hopes I enjoy the movie. My enlightened spirits are soon crushed when she says this to the next person and I realise that instead of taking an interest in my life, she is simply doing her job.

As I walk out of the movie after its finished I am upset because it wasn’t as good as the book, or it wasn’t as good as I was told, or it wasn’t as good as the first one, or the cartoon series was better or Johnny Depp just wasn’t as funny.

I realise with annoyance I have left my $1 novelty bottle behind.  Its too late to go back now…isn’t it?

I walk past the giant Harry Potter rectangular prisms that advertise the upcoming movie. I look around and realise I could easily take one of them with me  straight out of the cinema and into the car. But I can’t- Christians don’t steal, not even large cardboard replica’s of Daniel Radcliffe.

I walk outside into the frosty 11.30pm air and witness another public break-up. Different faces- same words.

I get into my car and drive home, wondering as I drive through an empty Erina Fair carpack if a man in a black coat with a fishing hook will appear from behind one of the pylons.

I’ve been to the movies five times in the past week. In fact, I’ve been 10 times in the past month.

I have spent at least $150 on Blades of Glory (3 times), Harry Potter (2 times), Transformers, Knocked Up, Shrek 3, Pirates of the Caribbean and goodness knows what else.

And I’ve become a bit tired of it. In fact I’ve decided that the movies is an unhealthy place to go. If nothing else it smells. Read a book instead. Read the bible. Talk with your friends.

That’s what I’m going to do anyway.