We were one of the first groups in the theatre and sat down in an empty row. A few minutes later a guy came and sat down next to my friend, we will call her...uh...Tara, so Tara looks at me and has this look that says, "Why is this guy sitting right next to me when the entire theatre is empty." We just kind of laugh it off and continue chatting, while we wait for the movie to start.
By the time the movie started, it seemed like the entire theatre filled up with either high school kids or frat boys. To my left there was a group of high school boys sitting next to us. They were trying to be funny by talking loudly to each other, jumping over the chairs and yelling and cussing through the entire movie. Good times, right? Not so much! (FYI: One of the kid's fathers was sitting there with them not doing a dang thing about it, come on Dad! Step up!! Tell them who the boss is! Don't be afraid! YOU are the adult!)
So anyway, by the time the movie was over these kids had about driven me completely crazy and I was so frustrated!
[I think I need to mention that for the past week I have been dealing with severe knee pain, my knee cap keeps moving in and out of place and grinding against another bone. My leg had been swollen the entire week and I am unable to put a lot of pressure/weight on it. I visited the orthopedic surgeon yesterday, and they gave me a very uncomfortable brace to hold the knee in place and some steroids to help with the inflammation. I know this has nothing really to do with the story, but I need you to know that I was already dealing with some irritation to begin with, I was in no mood to be around rowdy inconsiderate high school kids and rude couples with no "manners".]
It was 1:15ish (in the morning) when the movie ended, so I was also a little tired.
Anyway back to the story, remember the guy who sat next to Tara? Well it turns out he sat there so he could save the end of the row for his entire family, including a grandmother. (Another thing you should know about this seating arrangement…there is only one entrance into the row. There is a wall on one side and a set of stairs to exit on the other.)
Anyway, the movie ended and people started exiting the theatre. My friends and I stood up to exit along with everyone else, but the family sitting next to Tara would not move and we were blocked in. The family just sat there…and sat there…and sat there…and sat there. I looked at the girls and just laughed because I couldn't believe them, we obviously wanted out, but they wouldn't budge.
So finally I just sat back down. (My knee was killing me!!) But then, my other friend we will call her…uh…Trina, she decided she wasn't having it and started to exit while the family just sat there. She was nearly past the entire family, trying not to step on the toes, when the guy who sat next to Tara started yelling at Trina, that's right yelling.
Man: "EXCUSE ME? EXCUSE ME? EXCUSE ME?"
I couldn't believe it! This guy was yelling at my friend because she wanted to exit the row and not wait on them because they obviously didn't want to let us through.
Now if you know me, you know I am NOT the kind of person who likes confrontations. I hate them! I try to avoid them at all costs. Ask anybody…So I'm not really sure where all of this came from, but I don't think I could have stopped it even if I tried. Add the irritation from the pain and the frustration from the teenagers and here is what happens. See the conversation below:
Me: "Seriously? Seriously?" I obviously have been watching way too much of Grey's Anatomy, seriously.
Man: "Yes, seriously. Seriously." The man turned his attention away from Trina and started yelling at me and shortly after, his wife turned on me too.
Woman: "She was being very rude, she should have said excuse me when she walked in front of us or she could of waited her turn!"
Me: YOU WERE BLOCKING US IN!! It was so obvious we wanted to leave. We were standing there waiting, but you guys wouldn't move!"
Woman: "It's called manners. She should be saying excuse me when she cuts in front of people."
Me: "YOU'RE telling ME about manners??"
At this time, the entire theatre emptied…everyone had left…including my friends and this couple continued to yell at me (the poor crippled girl)! I don't really remember all that was said because I was standing there wondering how in the world I got in this situation and I was suddenly very aware that I was alone in this theater with these raving lunatics!
Finally, they shouted the last words at me and turned around and started to walk out. I stood there in shock and a little impressed with myself (is that bad?) for being oh so brave for not backing down. But as I followed them out, I could feel the pride slowly fading away…because there is nothing like standing up to the confrontation and then follow the confronters out of the theatre….while limping. Kind of takes away from it, doesn't it?
So, I follow them out into the hallway and look around for my friends, but surprisingly they are no where to be seen! I go around the corner toward the lobby/exit and still they are no where to be seen. Finally I spot them "hiding" near the bathrooms. Tara had her phone in hand ready to call her husband, "Trent" for back up. I walked up to them and explained to Trina that I had just defended her honor.
Just to let you know, in the car we discussed what happened and Trina actually DID say "Excuse me." They just obviously didn't hear her. Tara said that an older couple who had overheard the "exchange" say, "Do you hear the way they are talking to that poor girl?" So it sounds like I wasn't in the wrong, right?
And another little side note, just to paint a picture of who these people are, before the movie started the guy told Tara as people were walking in the row in front of us, that she would need to put her feet down off of the chair in front of her. And then later told us we might need to move down a couple of seats!! Excuse me? We were the first ones in the theatre. We picked our seats. HE came in sat next to us when the entire theatre was empty and now he was telling us we would need to move down? Who do these people think they are?? Now if they had asked and said, would you mind moving down a couple of seats…I would have been all for it, but telling us that we "need" to is a different story!
What do you guys think? Was I in the wrong?
I was laughing all the way home, because I couldn't believe I had finally had my first big grown up confrontation! I think the laughing was actually nervous laughter because I had been shaking during the entire confrontation! Tara sure did give me a talking to though. She said I should have kept my mouth shut. She said that you never know who is going to pull out a gun. But I kind of knew that they weren't going to attack me, while their kids and grandmother were standing right there, right?
Anyway, just thought I would share with you and maybe help people learn a few tips on Movie Theatre Etiquette.
Note to all Moviegoers:
-To all you high school kids who think it's funny to talk through movies the entire time and yell at the screen and cuss and scream to your friends…let me just tell you, IT'S NOT FUNNY!!! Maybe one day when you are all big and grown, you will come to realize this on your own…but until then please take my word for it.
-To all you married couples who think it's not rude to yell at a poor crippled girl for defending her friend's honor (who by the way DID say "Excuse Me") you should be ashamed of yourselves. Preaching to that poor innocent angel of a girl about manners…tsk..tsk! Please take your own advice about manners and from now on, (if there are no special features or outtakes running along with the credits…and I probably need to clarify even more…if it's just a black screen with the credits going up in white letters) get up and leave so the other people blocked in can leave!! Another thing, please don't TELL people they need to move down the row when they were obviously there first, either pick another row or ASK them nicely if they would mind moving down. And if you see another person who has their feet up on the seat in front of them and you don't know them, don't tell them they will need to move their feet. I'm pretty sure that everyone in this world knows that if somebody comes to sit in the seat in front of you that you will need to put your feet down.
-To all of you parents who "chaperone" and take your kids to the movies with their friends, can you please actually CHAPERONE them?? That would be fantastic!
-To all of you who have friends who defend your honor, please make sure to watch their backs and not go hide in the bathroom and call for help. (Although the call for help may be appreciated later.)
Thank you!!
