Movies

To the movies:

    Turning to his sister, Max asked, “Would you mind if we got ice cream later?”
    Somewhat reluctantly, Marcia shook her head.
    “Great! I’ll meet you at the drug store as soon as the movie is over, all right?” When Marcia nodded, Max hurried after his friends. Fingering the money in his pocket, he smiled to himself. He had enough to buy his ticket and still have plenty for ice cream later, since the manager at the movie house was giving away popcorn.
    It wasn’t long before Max was seated in the darkened room munching the buttery treat as the newsreels crossed the screen in front.
    All too soon the film was over and the lights came back on. There was a collective groan from the boys. Max sighed and crumpled up his popcorn bag. He wasn’t ready for the movie to be over. He wanted to see it again.
    “Hey, Max.”
    Max turned. The other boys crowded closer and one said, “This one is going to play again in ten minutes, let’s stay and watch it again.”
    “Sure.” Not once did Max think of his sister whom he had left standing on the street corner, or of his promise to take her to get ice cream after the movie was over. Quickly the boys headed back to get new tickets and fresh bags of popcorn before returning to their seats for another trip into the world on the silver screen.

    Blinking in the bright late afternoon sunlight, Max said goodbye to his friends and trudged down the street. He didn’t feel too good. Perhaps that last bag of popcorn hadn’t been such a good idea, even if the manager had offered it when a slight glitch in the picture had come up. Suddenly he stopped short. His sister. Ice cream. He was supposed to meet her almost two hours ago! Would she still be waiting? Turning his steps in that direction, Max looked about, hoping to catch a sight of his sister. But there was none.
    “She’s probably gone home,” he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. His fingers felt the few remaining coins. Pulling them out, he looked at them. There was enough to get one dish of ice cream. “Marcia can have it. I couldn’t eat anything.”
    But Marcia had already gone home, the man behind the counter had informed him. Max turned away from the drug store and trudged down the street. His head ached and he clutched his stomach. That was the last time he would stay and watch a movie twice! Poor Marcia. His thoughts returned to his sister and he sighed. “I should have kept my word to her.”
    Reaching home at last,  and Max stumbled up the steps. He could tell Uncle Eli and Aunt Betsy had returned, but he felt too sick to talk to them. All he wanted was to go lie down.
    The front door flew open and Marcia rushed out to greet him. “Max!” she exclaimed in a breathless whisper. “He’s here! And he’s staying for supper!”
    “Who?” The last thing Max wanted was for company to keep him from his bed. Marcia didn’t reply, but Max could feel her looking at him as he leaned against a pillar of the porch.
    “You don’t look too good,” she said, not answering his question. “Was the movie this long?”
    Closing his eyes, Max shook his head. “We watched it twice.”
    “Did you eat too much popcorn? How much?”
    “Four bags.”
    “No wonder you don’t feel good!”
    Before Max could reply, Aunt Betsy came to the door. “Good gracious,” she exclaimed, “four bags of popcorn would be enough to send anyone to bed. I don’t think you are going to be wanting any supper. Why don’t you go on up to bed and lie down.”
    “But Aunt Betsy–” began Marcia.
    Max saw his sister open her eyes wide and give a suggestive nod, but his head ached too much to care what she was talking about. Aunt Betsy helped him inside, saying as she did so, “Maybe Max will feel well enough later for a little talk with him. I’m sure he doesn’t now.”
    The room was dim and cool when Max woke up. His head wasn’t throbbing any longer, and he no longer felt sick, only very full. A soft tap sounded on his door and then, at his invitation, it opened and a tall man entered the room.
    “How’s my namesake feeling now?” a pleasant voice asked.
    Max could only stare in disbelief. The ballplayer he had always dreamed of meeting was standing beside his bed.

The End