What do you get when you combine a roaring, ground-stomping, earth-shattering beast, three overpriced pop tarts, and a casually dressed six-foot-five mayor in one day? Well, I could think of a few things, but I’m not prepared to answer that question just yet.
MOVIE DAY
It was 8 AM and I had awoken to sunny blue skies with no clouds in sight. I knew that because I peeked out the window next to my headboard as soon as I opened my eyes. I was still sleepy but was definitely in a good mood especially after seeing sunlight peering inside the bedroom. So I turned on the TV and watched a little news and then decided to sleep some more before realizing that I needed to get up and get going. It was almost 11 AM, and I was running late. You see, my friend and I had planned to see the remake of Godzilla (and, yes, the matinee show). But sometimes, things don’t go as intended. Needless to say, the plan did not work out as some unforeseen issues arose. So we had to watch the 2PM screening instead.
Not even halfway through the movie and my friend began to snore. I thought to myself, “I guess an angry and cranky dinosaur can do all the screaming it wants, but it has no match for a guy who’s had a rough night the day before.” I just laughed inside thinking I’d just let my friend sleep through the entire film. Where, you ask, did we see the movie? The Pavilion Theater, of course. I always found it to be a charming neighborhood theater reminiscent of days gone by. There were other theaters, of course, but lately, this has been the theater of choice. It has gone through some renovations over the years, and more are planned to come.
The Pavilion has been in the news recently and the center of a recent complaint where a man was thrown out for bringing in strawberries inside the theater. They have a policy that no outside foods are allowed. Understandable. But the man happened to be diabetic. And with the lack of healthier options, he opted to bring fresh fruits inside. Smart man, if you ask me. However, things didn’t go as smoothly for him as he probably envisioned it. He asked for a refund when told he could not bring in his fruits, but the manager refused, so he decided to walk into the theater anyway. Management called the police and he was later escorted out by cops a few minutes into the previews. This was an unfortunate event and might even be rare, but come on. Strawberries?! If he had brought in burgers and fries or a huge bag of potato chips and ice cream, along with a huge dose of attitude, then maybe the theater’s actions would have been justified. But sweet, innocent, harmless, red strawberries? And they call the cops on you? I’d be devastated if I were in his place. The theater owner later made an apology and, I believe, has vowed to change their policies. This is a lovely theater in a wonderful neighborhood, and sadly things like this had to happen. But I am glad he stood up for himself. He was “willing to forgive and forget” according to the news. What would you do if your life was on the line? [Source: New York Daily News, March 28, 2014]
[WARNING: SPOILER ALERT] Thank God, I was eating popcorn and M&Ms and didn’t have to go through that. I did, however, found myself thinking, as Godzilla became less of an aggressor, at least, to the human population, and more of a hero as I watched the film. I always thought of him as “THE” monster of all monsters, but in this version, he seemed more subdued, showing his age over decades of existence. He was a little bit slow and exhibited a little more roar than power. He seemed more like a grumpy old grandpa looking for his old pair of glasses, finding his way in the dark. Although once he did, he still managed to show who’s the boss in the world of monsters and winged giants. He prevailed, defeating two equally beastly behemoths, but at a cost. I almost felt bad for him, the monster that he is. But at the same time, he saved mankind from further destruction. And after everything in sight was completely obliterated, Godzilla picked himself up and marched on, leaving his anti-heroic mark on the planet. I was elated just like everybody else in the theater. Two boys began to clap, and soon, everyone was rejoicing until the credits started rolling. I woke my friend up and told him it was time to go.
There was no talk of the movie although we both knew it had a good ending. I almost wanted to get myself my own Godzilla action doll after seeing the movie. Additionally, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him defeat the creatures and use his signature atomic breath. I thought that was awesome.
GROCERY TIME
Walking past our favorite grocery store in Park Slope, I always made sure that I bought a pop tart, except this time I put three in my shopping bag. I chose one of each of the available flavors–apple, cinnamon, and strawberry. I would normally buy my bottled milk and butter as well but not this time. Just pop tarts and some cookie flavored ice cream for my friend. We left the store and were on our way to the train station when, all of sudden, I saw a tall man in his early fifties walking. I thought to myself as I carried my Union Market bag, “I know this guy. I’ve seen this guy before…but from where?” And then it hit me as soon as he and his entourage of just one person passed us by. “That’s our Mayor! That was Bill De Blasio!” I shouted with utter excitement. But my friend had completely missed him. The two cops that were standing in the corner next to the station couldn’t believe they missed him as well. I just bumped into the Mayor of New York City. How often does that happen? At least, I recognized him. But he still has to prove his worth. And so far, it hasn’t been too bad. Although just five months into his term, he has already made some provocative mark in the city: snow day controversies, eliminating iconic horse carriages and replacing them with horseless ones, and eating pizza using a fork and knife to name a few. Fascinating enough. However, I think it will get more interesting as the months and years pass by.
So going back to my question… What do you get when you combine a roaring, ground-stomping, earth-shattering beast, three overpriced pop tarts, and a casually dressed six-foot-five mayor in one day? If Godzilla would have appeared right there and then, I think he would’ve chosen to eat the three pop tarts over us, the people, and most likely left the Mayor alone to do his work. But I’m pretty sure he would have left his footprint right in the middle of the intersection of 9th Street and 7th Avenue and gave the people a reminder that not all heroes come in a perfectly designed package. I think the Mayor would agree.
Aidenn's Journey 