Going to see a movie has always been a very special treat for me and in more
recent years perhaps it is the wide screen, those very comfortable lounge style
chairs, the sensational surround sound, the larger than life images of the
characters on screen and even the chance to indulge myself in some popcorn and a
choc top that makes it even more of a treat.
I also have some wonderful memories of the days when I was a young boy and my
mum took me to a Saturday matinee. I will never forget that she would often buy
me a packet of chocolate Jaffas to eat during the movie. I would always
discretely drop one or two onto the timber floor during the movie and then
giggle quietly as they rolled all the way down to the front of the theatre
making a clattering noise on the timber floor. I am sure this boyish prank upset
many of the older members of the audience, as well as my mum.
Even to this day there has always been a ritual that I go through once I get
seated in the theatre which involves looking around to see if I know anyone,
then as the lights dim I will dig into the box of popcorn or devour that choc
top whilst watching the customary advertisements and trailers of movies that are
about to launched. As the lights fully dim and the screen expands to full
viewing size I always settle back into that comfortable seat in anticipation of
what is to follow over the next one and a half to two hours.
In the majority of cases I enjoy the movies I go to see and usually have just a
hint of chocolate on my mouth and the remains of spilt popcorn, sprinkled all
over my lap as the lights come up and the credits roll. I always sit there for
just a minute or two reflecting on the movie and its message, often with a hint
of a tear in my eye if the movie has had a very sad or touching ending. Then up
I get and return to the reality of the outside world where I can further
contemplate what I have just seen or discuss it with my family and friends.
I have always liked to watch the movie credits so that I could see the names of
all the cast that I don't know or to find out the name of a particular song that
I enjoyed. I have never really stopped to think very deeply about the importance
of the movie credits and what they really mean, however, at the end of the last
movie I went to see I sat engrossed in the credits which lasted for around two
minutes and as I got up to leave, I realised that there was not one person left
in the theatre except for my wife and myself. All of those people we had joined
to watch the movie had quickly got up and left, some as I recall, even before
the credits had started.
Often in life the enjoyment of the moment or the event is all that matters and
we can be guilty of quickly moving on and forget to take a minute or two to
reflect on and acknowledge those who have made all that enjoyment possible. At
that instant, watching those credits meant more than just looking out for that
cast members name or song title and the following quote from Samuel Goldwyn had
a new meaning for me . . . 'When someone does something well, applaud! You will
make two people happy'
Even though I was not applauding as I watched those movie credits, at least I
was taking time to acknowledge and pay my respects in a very small way to all
those talented and hard working people both in front and behind the camera, who
have given me my two hours of movie enjoyment, as well as a special treat.
Hopefully my silent acknowledgement will make them happy, as it did for me.
Inspired by The Worlds Fastest Indian and written by Keith Ready
Keith Ready lives and in Sydney, Australia and is affectionately known as Mr
Inspiration. He is publisher of InspirEmail which provides inspirational
messages to refresh the spirit and boost the emotional bank account. You can
visit his website at www.agiftofinspiration.com.au and he can be contacted via
e-mail at info@agiftofinspiration.com.au
Writers Note
Choc tops are a delicious range of flavoured dipping compounds for Soft Serve or
Scoop Ice Cream cones which leave a thin, flavoursome and crackley coating on
the cones.
Jaffas are a small round sweet consisting of a soft chocolate centre with a hard
covering of orange flavoured and coloured candy. Jaffas have often been sold in
movie theatres and have gained iconic status because of the noise made when they
are dropped (accidentally or deliberately) and rolled down sloping wooden
floors.
Keith Ready is an Australian based business adviser and trainer whose specialty
is working with his clients to improve top and bottom line business performance
in a measurable way, through people. Keith is also known as Mr Inspiration and
is publisher of InspirEmail which provides inspirational messages to refresh the
spirit and boost the emotional bank account.
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