Between some jumbled days and movies, I remember the time it rained. Rain during the summer was something that didn’t happen in California, I mean it happened, but not often. It began in the morning and rained for several days. There were puddles in front of the theater, all through the streets and back parking lot. We were showing the movie Jacob’s Ladder, where Tim Robbins plays a mail carrier who has a shitty life in the Bronx. We had seen it and decided it was one of the worst ever shown. All it ever did was rain throughout the whole movie. Je t’aime brewed as she thought about how to create art from the irony of the rain in the movie and outdoors. Nothing seemed to come to her, so we worked the matinee everyday not expecting many patrons and still we stood behind the counter waiting for signs of life.

Our only patrons, on another rainy Saturday afternoon, strolled in before the movie began – two youngsters in love. They happily did not know what a lousy movie this was and as a matter of no choice sat in the two best seats in the house, near front and definitely center. They bought large popcorns with equally large sodas and settled in while speaking openly between themselves and laughing. They had on several layers of clothing, took off their scarves, laid them on the chair and sat comfortably on their coats.

Silently I strolled curiously down the center aisle behind Je t’aime. Together we walked across the grand carpet of red, maroon and blue shapes softly lit by the center chandelier and sconces on the wall. The high majestic ornate ceilings, the screen standing tall in front of us, one velvet curtain short, we boldly walked down the aisle towards the two men with our own large popcorn and sodas.

Je t’aime suggested we take off our theater shirts and put on our raincoats to make it look like we were coming to see the movie. As we came down the aisle Je t’aime had a look on her face as if we were wandering, then as we got to their aisle she appeared to have found what she was looking for. She turned down the aisle and walked deliberately towards their seats. As she grew closer, I could see the looks on their faces. They were stunned at our poor choice. It did appear that we were going to take the seats right next to theirs.

We continued the walk down the aisle our shoes making a sticking sound on the cement floor painted red and forever covered in an unknown sticky substance. I was behind Je t’aime straining to see over her shoulder what she had in store. My looking created more tension for our patrons as they began looking back at us, in shock. Finally, when we stood toe-to-toe with them, Je t’aime said, “you’re in our seats.”

The two men on their way out smiled at us cleaning behind the snack counter and said, “Your joke was like a broken vacuum – it didn’t suck.”

 Je t’aime and Amor: The End – Tomorrow!