Work Hazzards

I decided to go to a movie today.

It was 97 degrees outside.

I live on the third story.

I rarely turn on my air.

It felt like 97 degrees inside.

So I decided to go to a movie today to cool off and enjoy my Friday afternoon.

I got into my car. My air doesn't work in my car (it worked last summer, but this summer it decided to be a pill), so I rolled down my windows. I've gotten used to the wind blowing through my hair (and messing it all up). It's a fine system as long as my car is moving. When I'm at a stop light, it's not such a great system. Especially when it's 97 degrees outside.

So anyway, I rolled down my windows and started the 15 minute drive to Elvis theatre to see Bridesmaids. I had allowed myself 30 minutes to drive to the theatre, get my popcorn and pop, and find a seat before the movie started. Plenty of time, right?

Wrong.

There was construction.

No less than three minutes from pulling out of my apartment complex, and I was sitting (in a car that was 1,000 degrees). At noon. In traffic. Not moving.

Ten minutes later. Still hadn't moved.

Sweat was dripping down my leg. My knees were sweating. I had sweat in between my elbows. And sweat running between my b**bs. I was not in a good mood.

After 15 minutes of NOT moving, I made a turn at a corner, which I thought would be a good decision.

Wrong.

Another 10 minutes went by, and I was only three minutes from my apartment. I almost turned around and went home, but at this point, I NEEDED the air conditioned movie theatre.

I figured that even if I missed the previews, I would still make the movie in time.

Thirty minutes later, and I was finally pulling up to the theatre right as the movie should have been starting. There was a line. Of course.

I got my tickets after five minutes.

Then there was a line for the popcorn and pop. But I wasn't about to give that up.

I walked into the theatre, and it was pitch black.

Seriously, I couldn't see my hand in front of me.

Pitch black.

As if the movie was about to start but hadn't quite yet.

It was so dark that I couldn't even find a seat. I stood by the door, waiting for a preview to play on the screen to light my way.

I stood for five minutes, and the lights finally came on. The theatre was pretty full, even at 1 p.m. (do people not work?) I saw the light as a good sign. It allowed me to find a seat.

But then the dreaded happened.

The light was NOT a good sign.

I had been spotted.

By several of my students.

I was all alone.

They were thinking, "Poor Ms. Nichols. She has to come to a movie alone."

And then they shouted, "Hey Ms. Nichols!!!!!"

I politely smiled and waved.

Awkward.

For another 20 minutes, we sat with the lights on. An employee finally came to the front of the screen and said, "I'm sorry for the delay. We're having problems with the movie, and it looks like we might have to refund your money if we can't get it working. Give us a few more minutes to see if we can get the problem solved."

I'm thinking, "This is not happening. I did not just sit in construction traffic for 30 minutes and be spotted by my students (alone) in order to be sent home again without seeing a movie."

Finally, the movie started.

And the opening scene of the movie was a s*x scene.

Awkward, knowing my students are just a few seats away from me.

After the movie, I remained in my seat and waited for my students to leave first. I did not want to have to have a conversation with them. They left. I left.

With my head down, I quickly headed out to my car.

Guess who was walking right past my car as I arrived? Yes, my students. I made small talk and quickly drove away.

It took me 30 minutes to get home through the construction again.

I'm home. My skirt is drenched in sweat. It's 1,000 degrees in my apartment.

I turned on the air conditioner. I think I deserve it.