We tried to see 'Pirtates of the Caribbean' today....
.... but it didn't work out the way we planned. MFH, her sister, and myself made it to the Big Mall and into the Regal Cinema just fine and sat down to enjoy the movie. Started off just fine, we got as far as the scene where Captain Jack Sparrow's hearty first mate is signing the commodore up for duty on the Black Pearl when.... the lights pop on, the screen goes blank, and an alarm starts bleeping. Then a smooth female fake recorded voice comes on telling us a fire has been reported in the building and we should immediately exit. So everyone dutifully files out through the outside wall of the Mall. Then everyone files quietly around the wall to the main entrance and files back into the Mall to try to get their money back. True American grit in the face of danger. Chaos reigns. More people move out of the Mall while more people are moving into the Mall.
Inside a huge mass of people are milling around in front of the boxoffice. There are a few very young teenage girls manning the ticket booths, but seem to be doing nothing more than talking seriously to the first people in the line - which does not move. There are no adults in charge. No one attempts to direct the mob or to tell them what is going on. Finally a pair of the teenage girls who work for the cinema come out and start telling everyone that if they keep their tickets they will be honored for the next three months.
Outside MFH has struck up a conversation with another couple who had just gotten seated in their movie when the alarm went off. We were more than halfway through ours.
About that time the fire trucks began to arrive - they were bright lime yellow. Out hops the shortest fireman I have ever seen who goes into the building by himself while all his buddies remain on the truck. We decide it is time to leave. As we drive away from the Big Mall, we see more firetrucks and ambulances pulling up.
We have no idea what really happened, but it certainly spoiled our nice matinee at the movies, lost a lot of business for the Mall, and cost the tax payers of the Port City a bundle to mobilize so many fire trucks and rescue teams.
.... but it didn't work out the way we planned. MFH, her sister, and myself made it to the Big Mall and into the Regal Cinema just fine and sat down to enjoy the movie. Started off just fine, we got as far as the scene where Captain Jack Sparrow's hearty first mate is signing the commodore up for duty on the Black Pearl when.... the lights pop on, the screen goes blank, and an alarm starts bleeping. Then a smooth female fake recorded voice comes on telling us a fire has been reported in the building and we should immediately exit. So everyone dutifully files out through the outside wall of the Mall. Then everyone files quietly around the wall to the main entrance and files back into the Mall to try to get their money back. True American grit in the face of danger. Chaos reigns. More people move out of the Mall while more people are moving into the Mall.
Inside a huge mass of people are milling around in front of the boxoffice. There are a few very young teenage girls manning the ticket booths, but seem to be doing nothing more than talking seriously to the first people in the line - which does not move. There are no adults in charge. No one attempts to direct the mob or to tell them what is going on. Finally a pair of the teenage girls who work for the cinema come out and start telling everyone that if they keep their tickets they will be honored for the next three months.
Outside MFH has struck up a conversation with another couple who had just gotten seated in their movie when the alarm went off. We were more than halfway through ours.
About that time the fire trucks began to arrive - they were bright lime yellow. Out hops the shortest fireman I have ever seen who goes into the building by himself while all his buddies remain on the truck. We decide it is time to leave. As we drive away from the Big Mall, we see more firetrucks and ambulances pulling up.
We have no idea what really happened, but it certainly spoiled our nice matinee at the movies, lost a lot of business for the Mall, and cost the tax payers of the Port City a bundle to mobilize so many fire trucks and rescue teams.
posted by Clemens | 10:56 PM
2 Comments:
Shame -- it's pretty good (though not as clever as the first). We're going to try to see Talladega Nights this week. Here's some great irony: we're down at the coast, and A Prairie Home Companion has finally arrived at the $2 theater.
We'll probably wait until Pirates comes out on DVD. Not sure I want to set through the first half again.
A shame about Prairie Home Companion, but isn't that the way it always is.
Take care, and hugs to Miss Squiggles
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