Drive-In

I did something tonight that I haven't done since I was a child; I went to a drive-in movie.  The last drive-in movie I have any real memory of was one of the Star Wars movies.  I have a very clear memory of C-3PO's giant golden face filling the screen.  It sort of imprinted on me, I guess.   Maybe it is one of the key things that set me on my path of geekdom.  I don't know.  I just remember it being like a giant moon up there dominating my entire horizon, an awesome thing when I couldn't have been more than six, if I was even that old at the time.

Tonight's film was a much less grand affair.  A group of people who really love movies have been looking for a place to show them for awhile now.  They used to use the old movie palace in town, but for a variety of reasons, that stopped.  After exploring other options, they bought a giant screen and got permission from a guy who used to own a race track to use his facilities to make a drive in.  It's sort of awesome.

I had to drive quite awhile to get there tonight, but what else is new?  Very little worth doing is local for me, and besides, I enjoy driving, so I loaded up with the sky still brightly lit and headed out.  I stopped at the last town before the rural roads and got some Krystals, another thing Podunk no longer has, and a large Diet Mt. Dew to supplement the bottle of pink lemonade I had brought from home.

I got there early enough to watch them hang the screen, a rather perilous enterprise, and to listen to the sound test of the radio broadcasting equipment that turned all our car stereos into the sound system for the movie.  The better your car stereo, the better your movie soundtrack, basically.  I like that  SO much better than the whole concept of the little box that comes in through the window...  While everything was getting finalized and we were waiting for dark, I ate my sumptuous repast and read a Harry Potter novel.  It was very relaxing.

When it got dark enough, they started the movie and I kicked the seat back and put my feet up on the dash.  The PT Cruiser makes a remarkably comfortable lounge chair.  We watched Jurassic Park, and I am not sure I ever saw the film although I vividly remember reading the book.  I don't think those two things match up well.  I am almost positive the book was nowhere near that....nice....for one thing.  It was an entertaining bit of fluff, though.

If and when I go to the next one, I want to remember three things.  1)  Off Mosquito repellent (those little clip on things) -- there were field mosquitoes out there that looked Jurassic throwbacks all on their own.  2)  Bring more food -- because there are NO concessions and I wanted some chips or some popcorn or something and I didn't have any.  Boo.  I should have thought of that.  I remembered to bring something else to drink, but I didn't get my act sufficiently together on the food.  Maybe dill pickle chips would be a good thing.....   3)  Bring a flashlight to get out to the back forty where the restrooms are.  REALLY.  Because I am SO NOT hiking out there without one.

Also, next time, I really want somebody to go with me.  Not necessarily in a date type situation because those always go so damn badly for me, but just somebody who would like to see a movie and maybe MST3K it with me or something.  It would be fun to have the company.  I don't really care who, just somebody to share the trip with.  It's well worth enjoying.  I mean, you've got the stars (and a gorgeous sky full of them), the movie (and they always show good ones), and a road trip.  What else could you ask for?  (Well, that I can provide for you, anyway?)