Alone In The Dark

 "Friday night I went with two friends of mine to see World War Z. Despite the lukewarm reviews I really liked it. Brad Pitt and non-stop intensity from beginning to end. The friends I was with were a couple and usually they are really good at not making me feel like a third wheel, but this night...not so much. Given it was the opening night of the flick, we arrived close to 40 minutes early which gave them about 35 minutes to argue about what they would be doing on the one week they are off together in late July.

 After about 10 minutes of trying to involve me in the discussion, they, and I decided it was best I remain out. That gave me close to a half hour to sit and think, and try to save some of my popcorn for when the movie actually started. We were in the back row so I had the perfect vantage point to view, and of course mentally mock and judge, the others in the theater.

 The usual suspects were all there. The young couples on dates, the old couple bound to be bothered by the movies violence. A group of young girls, sitting close to a group of young guys. Parents with children far too young to be at this movie and couples who really didn't need the large bag of M & M's that came with their popcorn combo. What surprised me as I watched all these people were how many people were attending the movie all alone.

 There was a time in my early twenties when I traveled a lot, usually to visit friends who moved away for school after high school. During some of these trips, I would go to movies on my own, usually a matinee when my hosts were in class or at work. There was something sort of cool about attending a movie alone in a strange city. No one knew me, no one cared. I am older now, living in a pretty small town and would never think to go the movies alone now. 

 As I watched the many people sitting by themselves, I have to admit they earned both my fascination and my respect. There were no real similarities between them, there were men, there were women, there were older people, there were younger people. Many were attractive, which stupidly had me wondering why they were there alone, dumb of me. They were alone of course, in that theater  in the dark, by choice. A choice, I am not sure I would be brave enough to make myself these days." -- Tye Briggs