Refill Please

Last weekend, we took the whole family to the local theatre to see the movie, The Waterhorse.

We loaded up the family van, withdrew the kids' college fund from savings and headed for the cineplex. We were right on time, so Lady Di took the kids in to the theatre while I got the popcorn and root beer. The clerk asked if I wanted butter on the popcorn. My brain said, "Heck, yeah! Just fill the bucket 1/4 full with yellow heaven and let the popcorn settle down into it."

But my cardio system screamed, "We're going on strike, if you do."

The heart won the argument, so with dry popcorn and cold root beers in hand, I searched for my family. Number One Son was sent out to find me and lead me to the correct screen. One half hour later, I was holding an empty bucket and two kids pointing to their empty, open mouths. Lady Di looked over at me and shrugged her shoulders. She also held up a cup and shook the unaccompanied ice in it.

So Dad was off to the concession stand for a refill. That is one good thing about the theatre. This time, when they asked butter or not, I said to myself, "Since I am making this trip and missing some of the movie, I deserve a little butter."

"Load it up", I said and went to get a root beer refill.

As I walked back to our movie, I tried to eat all of the 'wet looking' kernels so the family wouldn't notice the grease increase in the bucket.

It must have worked because nothing was said and another bucket disappeared.

We all enjoyed the movie. Sweet Pea was a little sad at the end but made it through OK.

Both kids sat still throughout and that pretty much is the highest rating we give kid movies. The Waterhorse gets our four greasy thumbs up.

Basketball Night

Last week we had a family night. After work we ate out at a fancy fast food restaurant. We then went to the local high school gymnasium to cheer on the boys basketball team. Number One Son had his play practice at the high school too, so he missed the first half of the game. Sweet Pea missed most of the game too even though she was present for entire game.

As soon as we sat down in the bleachers, Sweet Pea said she was hungry. Mind you, we just came from eating supper. She would have to wait for her popcorn. Well, then she was tired, and then hot and then thirsty and then hungry again. And then she was, "Soooo bored with this." Then the game started.

"Here's a dollar. Go get some popcorn.", I said. And then hastily added, "And bring back the change."

She came back with her popcorn, eating it as she walked. She kept spilling it on her way up the clumsy bleachers but it didn't stop her from feeding herself on the way. She sat down and I asked, "Where's my change?"

"I don't know.", she shrugged. And then ate a handful of popcorn.

"Well, how much was popcorn?", I pressed.

"I don't know." Another shrug, another handful.

I now had a decision to make. Do I go to the concession stand and ask for the price of popcorn, and then ask if they knew of a little girl who got ripped off a few minutes ago? I decided I was too lazy to do that. We found out later that popcorn actually was $1. Now who got ripped off? I can remember when high school basketball game popcorn was ten cents. We usually had to ride in covered wagons, battling dinosaurs on the way to the game in our day, but the popcorn was at least affordable.

Number One Son arrived at half time from his play practice. He was thirsty too so we sent him to the concession stand with a couple dollars to get two bottles of water for him and his sister. He came back later with nothing and said, "I didn't have enough money for two bottles."

"What!" I could feel an increasing ache in my wallet area. We told him to go back and get one to share then. He then came back with a bottle of Gatorade. He said that Gatorade and water were both $1.75 so he got Gatorade.

I can't fault his logic but since when did water cost as much as Gatorade?

I wanted the game to be a teaching opportunity for the kids to learn more about the game of basketball. We mostly had a lesson in economics and inflation. And the kids learned how cheap their dad is.

Well, we stayed until the end of the game and unfortunately our team came up a little short. It was a close exciting game so I believe we got our money's worth.

At least that is what I'm telling myself.