The Wallace Theater, Levelland, Texas
I am greeted by a swoosh of cool air as I push open the theater doors and enter into the lobby. This is such a respite from the hot angry wind outdoors. People are lined up at the counter to purchase soda, candy and pop corn. Oh the freshly popped corn smells heavenly. Thick mosaic carpet covers the vast area and continues up the stairs to the balcony. I have never sat in the balcony but I long to. I want to see the movie from as many different angles as possible. 
I watch the couples hand in hand as well as families ascend the stairs, but alas I will sit downstairs with my parents and siblings. My mother calls for me and we enter the dimly lit theater looking for seats of six. There are never six seats in a row, so my mother allows my sister and me to search closer to the front for two seats. We hold hands as we briskly walk towards the front getting ever closer to the screen giggling all the way. We find our seats just as the lights dim and the screen bursts with color.
My father loved movies. He would take us to the drive-in during the summer months, so we could play outdoors until it grew dark enough for the movie to begin. We would climb back into the car and settle down with popcorn and soda, a real treat, and inevitably I would fall asleep, so I saw very few drive-in movies. Occasionally, my father would take us to the indoor theater, but that was special as it cost more than a drive-in. His favorite movies were action packed with stars like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, but he also took us to see Disney movies and other family movies like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I also remember watching The Bible with my dad as the circumstances were a bit unusual. My mother sang in the church choir, and most Wednesday nights we attended choir rehearsals with her because our father would work until late in the evenings. My dad picked us up at the church and drove the two blocks to the theater. Apparently, this was not a night for most viewers as we parked within feet of the door. It was a brisk autumn evening, and we quickly ran into the theater as dad paid for tickets. He escorted us to our seats just in time for the movie to begin. I was mesmerized. I could not take my eyes off of the screen as the scenes were incredible to such a young girl. The movie must have exceeded the normal 1 1/2 - 2 hours as it was very late when we returned home. I was groggy the next morning, but I felt especially happy that we were allowed to stay up past our bed time and watch a movie in town. Those are the little things that make childhood so special.
As I have aged, I rarely visit the theater because it bothers my eyes, so I enjoy most movies at home on television. I love old 1940’s and 1950’s movies, so my channel gravitates to Turner Classic Movies. I have seen many of the movies of my childhood, and one day The Pink Panther aired. I stopped long enough to watch a few scenes and grew a bit alarmed that I had seen that movie as a youngster. I quickly Googled the year(1964) it debuted. I guess I was a bit young for the bedroom innuendos because I do not remember being embarrassed watching them nor do I remember discussing the scenes later with my sister. I do, however, remember discussing long after watching them, movies like Flipper, Parent Trap, and my favorite The Three Lives of Thomasina, a movie about a wayward cat. I took my old tabby and replayed several scenes from the movie, over and over again.
I will venture to the theater when my grandchildren are old enough to watch. I will purchase the overpriced popcorn, and then I will follow them to their selected seats. For it is not the actual movie that is playing that is important. It will be the memories of having been with those we love and doing what they like most. I thank my dad for giving me the opportunity to appreciate film, but mostly for letting me have a wee bit of his time.
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