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September 19, 2007
I don't know what about this upset me
There are times, admittedly, when the smallest things bother me and even I can't figure out just what went wrong.
Yesterday I shot out of work a bit early to pick the boys up so we could go see Balls of Fury. I thought we'd go to Westpointe but at the last minute decided on another theater.
[I should point out that I have over 100 screens available within 9.5 miles of where I live.]
We arrived at 4:45 for a 4:50 showing and spent the next five minutes looking for someone to sell us tickets. The theater was empty except for a customer in the bar area (which sort of tips of the fact that this was Movie Tavern) and a kid on his cell phone.
I gave out a few "hellos" with no response. I went up the ramp to where the theaters are and looked down the hallway in either direction. The kid that had been on his cell phone was in the hall area and I saw him go through a door that must have led to a projection room.
The boys and I meandered around a minute or two more. I talked with the customer at the bar and jokingly said "movies must be free today."
I went up the ramp again as the kid who had been on his cell was coming out the door he'd previously gone in.
"I'm looking for someone to sell me tickets," I said politely. "Can you do that?"
"I'm off the clock," he said, equally as polite.
"What if I try to go back and see the a movie without paying?" I said with some humor in my voice.
"I guess I'd have to stop you," he replied, and he seemed to be a bit uncomfortable.
"But you're off the clock. Why would you care?" And I was still just joking around.
(I was never going to sneak back and see a movie. I couldn't, I wouldn't feel good about it. )
I went down the ramp. There was still no one there to sell me tickets and I'd been there at least five minutes. The bar area is cavernous and it just made place seem all the more empty.
And something snapped. It had been at least five minutes. Common sense suggests that someone would show up any second. But, my movie was starting and for all I knew it would be 15 minutes before anybody came out from wherever they were.
I knew I could be at Westpointe before then and I knew Balls of Fury was starting at 4:55 there. With previews we might make it without missing anything. I was fairly certain someone would be available to take my money.
We missed about two minutes. We saved about $30 when you count the savings of ticket prices and the fact we didn't have the opportunity to have salads, wings and pizza.
I don't know what about the experience irritated me. The parking lot was almost empty when the boys and I arrived so it makes sense the staff would be light (devoid of staff doesn't make as much sense). Maybe the lack of staff bothered me as the movie was about to start and there should have been someone available to sell tickets at least up until the movie started.
Who knows? Maybe I'm just a jackass.
Posted by delmer at September 19, 2007 7:01 AM
Comments
You should have walked in an watched the movie. Sooner or later someone would have shown up to try to sell you food and beer (that's where the real money is). At that point you could have done the honest Delmer routine and paid your admission.
Posted by: Icy Mt. at September 19, 2007 11:18 AM
I would have taken a piece of chewing gum and stuck the 30$ on the ticketcollectors box and gone in.....
Posted by: Jack at September 19, 2007 2:30 PM
What does your jackassness have to do with it? Your supper jackass power warded off the ticket people? If that was the case I could go anywhere for free!
Posted by: mikeo at September 19, 2007 9:24 PM
That is completely ridiculous! If I had been in the situation, I probably would have done the same thing you did- seeing as you had your boys with you (and you don't want to teach them to be dishonest opportunists) but if I were alone, it would be difficult to resist the temptation of a free movie.
Moreover, the jerkface who was "off the clock" should have been able to at least call someone over to take your money.
I work in the service industry, so based on the way things work (generally) I would suppose that if you were to call during regular business hours (before 5pm) and talk to a manager, he might send you a movie pass voucher or two.
Posted by: dyna at September 20, 2007 12:35 AM
IcyMt: I gave that a thought.
Jack: The Dutch seem to be paying too much for movies. I know the Brits pay an obscene amount. My boys and I got in at Westpoint for about $12.00
MikeO: People should pay you to visit their establishments.
Dyna: I would have gone of to get a ticket seller as well. Maybe the young guy will know to do it next time.
Posted by: delmer at September 20, 2007 1:39 PM