This morning I had a dream that I was at my hometown movie house, the Kansan Theatre, watching a crime drama. When I awoke, this dream seemed strange because, #1: the Kansan came to its crispy ending decades ago in a hellacious fire and, #2: I was alone in this dream and, in real life, I absolutely never went to the Kansan by myself. To do so would have been a social disaster. Back in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s, I either went to the movies with my big sister, girlfriends, or, on rare occasions, with a date. The first three movies I recall seeing at The Kansan were The Wizard of Oz, Around the World in 80 Days, and To Hell and Back. I can understand why the first two choices made a big impression, but I have no idea why the Audie Murphy World War II saga was such a hit with me. Maybe because it was the first time I'd witnessed carnage on the big screen. How I was even allowed in the Kansan at such a tender age, probably seven or eight, is beyond me. Oh, yeah. Movie ratings hadn't been "invented" yet to protect the young and innocent.
Spending a Saturday afternoon at The Kansan was a cheap thrill. Mom would give me a dollar bill, and since admission was only 20 cents for kids, there was plenty of cash left over to spend at the concession stand. My initial purchases always were the same: a bag of popcorn, a small Coca Cola, and a Butterfinger candy bar. And even after that, I STILL had change left over to get Beach Ball sour candies and another cola for the second movie. I suspect a double feature and all that sugar would go for around $50.00 today. Of course, one must remember that this was in the age before liter-sized soft drinks, a barrel of popcorn, and half-pound candy bars were the norm. Could this be the reason for the current "spread" of obesity? Movie house concession stands are to blame!
The Kansan was a multi-level theatre, but I usually stuck to the floor floor. So did wads of gum. There were two aisles, seven seats in the middle and two seats on each side. If you were on a date or just with one girlfriend, the dual seats were the usual choice. If you were on a hot date and didn't really care to watch the movie, the balcony was the best place to sit/grope. You didn't have to put up with brats running up and down the aisles. Oh, periodically, pests would make a run-through to throw popcorn on the lip-lockers, but the unwritten rule was that the balcony was off limits for the pre-teen set or losers like me who rarely had dates as a teen.
Going to the Kansan Theatre was almost as much fun as going to Kansan Drive-In, but I'll save that experience for a whole new dream.
Spending a Saturday afternoon at The Kansan was a cheap thrill. Mom would give me a dollar bill, and since admission was only 20 cents for kids, there was plenty of cash left over to spend at the concession stand. My initial purchases always were the same: a bag of popcorn, a small Coca Cola, and a Butterfinger candy bar. And even after that, I STILL had change left over to get Beach Ball sour candies and another cola for the second movie. I suspect a double feature and all that sugar would go for around $50.00 today. Of course, one must remember that this was in the age before liter-sized soft drinks, a barrel of popcorn, and half-pound candy bars were the norm. Could this be the reason for the current "spread" of obesity? Movie house concession stands are to blame!
The Kansan was a multi-level theatre, but I usually stuck to the floor floor. So did wads of gum. There were two aisles, seven seats in the middle and two seats on each side. If you were on a date or just with one girlfriend, the dual seats were the usual choice. If you were on a hot date and didn't really care to watch the movie, the balcony was the best place to sit/grope. You didn't have to put up with brats running up and down the aisles. Oh, periodically, pests would make a run-through to throw popcorn on the lip-lockers, but the unwritten rule was that the balcony was off limits for the pre-teen set or losers like me who rarely had dates as a teen.
Going to the Kansan Theatre was almost as much fun as going to Kansan Drive-In, but I'll save that experience for a whole new dream.
3 comments:
I am so glad you started a blog. I will read it along with all the others I read during the week. So far your writings are cute.
;)
I think I was with you at the Audie Murphey movie!! You used to let me have a very small piece of the Butterfinger. My Dad only gave me a quarter for the show, so it was great of you to share the Butterfinger. Remember going there one time to the V-burg's bday party??
Very small piece of the Butterfinger. What a chintzy pal I was! Don't remember the V-burg's party. Remember---you were a Stinkin' Lincoln under 5th grade. Right? Mound and Lincoln didn't mix much in the early years.
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