How was your weekend? Mine was lovely, thanks. It’s still going on, actually…I don’t return to work ’til tomorrow, something that makes me unreasonably happy. I plan to do nothing today, since the first two days of my weekend were a bit busy.
On Saturday, Leslie and I decided to venture downtown for brunch and a movie. Maybe you remember this little gem of a video. So, a good portion of this (completely ridiculous video, by the way) centered on the idea of riding the Light Rail, which is Sacramento’s version of public transportation. We were shooting photos near the Light Rail station by Leslie’s house and decided to use it…except, I’d never actually been on the Light Rail. It’s not really near my house, and okay, fine: it freaks me out just a bit.
Still, on Saturday, we decided that in the name of being able to indulge in mimosas freely at brunch and Adventure, it was the day for me to try it out. And it was awesome. Sure, there were some colorful characters, but that just made for awesome people watching, which is one of my favorite things ever. The only truly scary moment was when the doors shut in my face, and I needed to get off because the train was out of service after that stop, so I just did what any totally normal, capable person would do: BANG ON THE WINDOW GLASS. Sure, there was a little button there, clearly reading “PUSH TO OPEN DOORS” but I figured that frantic rapping on the window was better.
Good call, Amy. Banging on the glass of any sort of huge moving vehicle is clearly the best way to escape.
After a delicious, ridiculously filling brunch at Tower Cafe, we journeyed over to the Tower Theater to watch An Education. The movie was totally adorable, plus it combined a bunch of my favorite things: British accents, being an English teacher, France and French culture, and general loveliness. It is very deserving of it’s Oscar nod, and you should see it.
The movie itself was lovely, but I’ve ranted before about how much I dislike bad behavior in movies. It seems that I am forever seated next to the loud chewers, the laughers, the person with the hacking cough—and this movie was no exception.
We were seated near the back and sort of away from others because I don’t like people sitting near me. About halfway through the film, these two elderly women come shuffling through, loudly excusing themselves before settling in behind Leslie and me. Their entrance was annoying enough, because they were both carrying enormous bags of crap and were not making any effort to be quiet while entering.
Once they were situated, directly behind me, one of them started talking, saying, “Do you want to see something else? I know you’ve already seen this…” and the other one responded in turn, “Oh no…” and then PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN THE ENTIRE PLOT. Like, giving character’s names and details of the early portion of the film and ON AND ON AND ON. I could hear the people next to them quietly issuing the standard “Shhhh!” but these women WOULD NOT STOP.
So, what did I do?
Turned around, and said in my best teacher voice, “EXCUSE ME!” They gasped and mercifully SHUT UP.
I really don’t know where that came from. I am NOTORIOUS for being annoyed as hell, but refusing to say anything. Somehow, these women really got to me—maybe it was the fact that they’d clearly snuck in AND the talking? I don’t know. But Saturday will forever be known as The Day I Was Rude To Old Ladies. Or maybe, the day I stopped dealing with them being rude to me. Either way, it was completely out of character.
So, to recap, while I can’t navigate public transportation, I can get two 80-year-olds to stop talking in a movie.
19 Comments so far
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HA! Take that annoying old ladies! Good for you- I wish more people were willing to speak up in that kind of situation.
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By Sarah Faherty on 02.15.10 1:33 am | Permalink
HA! Take that annoying old ladies! Good for you- I wish more people were willing to speak up in that kind of situation.
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By Sarah Faherty on 02.15.10 1:33 am | Permalink
Haha, I LOVE that you managed to shut them up! Good on you girl!
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By Paula on 02.15.10 6:08 am | Permalink
sometimes I wish I could do a teacher voice. My mum is a teacher and growing up, well the teacher voice definitely works. I did not want to mess with my mum!
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By SSG on 02.15.10 6:26 am | Permalink
Charlotte, where we’re moving in at the end of April, has a light rail. I’m scared to use it, lol.
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By Shannon on 02.15.10 6:31 am | Permalink
Ted and I get SO annoyed by bad behavior at the movies. I have to say, more often than not, it seem to be the adults that have such a hard time being polite at the movies.
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By Erin on 02.15.10 9:45 am | Permalink
There are 2 amazing things about this story. 1: That you told 2 old ladies off (in a very polite manner) and 2. That 2 old ladies snuck into a movie!
Now, I don’t necessarily want to be the loud old lady in a movie theatre that ruins everyone’s good time (especially with the plot-telling, that’s a serious and unforgivable movie-goer no-no) but I wouldn’t mind being the 80 year old woman who sneaks into a movie theatre.
It would be so easy to get away with it. I mean, unless they had you positioned at the ticket-stand in all your old-lady-shushing awesomeness, no one is going to question 2 old ladies!
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By Claire Suzanne on 02.15.10 9:46 am | Permalink
We’re not getting light rail here, but we are getting dedicated bus only lanes that are fully separate that can be made into light rail some day. I’m excited for you to some day come here and we can become trapped on the busses together lol
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By Kyla Roma on 02.15.10 9:56 am | Permalink
I am very irrational when I go to the movies. I get SO AGITATED because DUDES, I AM SPENDING MY SAVINGS TO SEE ONE DAMN MOVIE AND YOU ARE RUINING IT FOR ME WITH YOUR OBNOXIOUSNESS AND THAT CANNOT HAPPEN.
When Twilight came out, I went to the midnight showing and kind of lost my shit on the teeny boppers whenever they swooned over Edward or Jacob.
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By barbetti on 02.15.10 10:05 am | Permalink
I’m so glad to hear that An Education is good. I’ve been wanting to see it but for some reason got it in my head that it might be too heavy?
I also love the visual of you riding around on the light rail and banging on the doors to get off. Hilarious.
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By Rebecca @ Diary of a Virgin Novelist on 02.15.10 10:49 am | Permalink
LMAO nooo, rude movie goers are a pet peeve of mine. Why? Because I didn’t just shell out $25 for a ticket and popcorn to try to listen to a movie over you. I am the girl who goes and tells someone. LOL. I used to be the girl who tapped you on the shoulder and said COULD YOU SHUT THE F UP? But Sean reminded me thats not classy. Boo. LOL. It reminds me we went and saw something and the lady two seats over kept taking calls. TAKING CALLS. I finally said, “Can you go outside?” Geezus. People in large groups are nasty. Now I’m rambling and my bitter is showing! =D
I looooove Peter Saarsgard so I’m down to see An Education! <3
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By Brittney on 02.15.10 11:17 am | Permalink
I’ve been using the bus to get to work and I have used the light rail before. It’s not as scary as I thought.
In Germany, I was used to take the train/bus to College every single day and the bus was always PACKED. And with packed, I mean every sit and every bit of standing room was used up (think: NYC metro at rush hour or something).
I love the Tower Café. Haven’t been there in a while though.
And old ladies or anybody else shoud NOT disturb other movie goers. Period.
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By san on 02.15.10 11:24 am | Permalink
Good for you for standing up for yourself!
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By Suburban Sweetheart on 02.15.10 12:14 pm | Permalink
I hate public trans. The bus more than the el here. I’ve taken the bus a handful of times. I HATE IT.
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By Jamie on 02.15.10 1:15 pm | Permalink
Public transit is never fun. It’s my main mode of transportation, and I dread it every day.
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By Angela on 02.15.10 1:35 pm | Permalink
Oh my god I cannot imagine how annoying that was. If the theater isn’t full, I’ll get up and move and make it clear to them why. But if it’s full, I will totally turn around and say something. I don’t pay to hear THEM talk.
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By Jessica on 02.15.10 7:47 pm | Permalink
You did what you should have! I’ve usually seen younger high school aged people suck at the theater and at LEAST those fools can fall back on the “we’re young and ASSHATS!” These old women should know better, and maybe now they do.
Also: NEVER ride the lightrail after 7pm. I did that once when I was still using it to get to and from work and I thought I was going to get shanked.
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By Angel on 02.15.10 9:56 pm | Permalink
The TEACHER VOICE. My parents are both educators, so they have that down. Use it responsibly, especially against bad movie types!
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By Her on 02.15.10 10:05 pm | Permalink
I understand the elderly delima. I also snapped on two old ladies this weekend; so much that JP left before he had ro watch the bloodsshed!
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By Britt on 02.16.10 10:03 am | Permalink
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