As I was reading another friend's blog, I was reminded of my "Clerks" experience. I'm sure any of you who have worked with the public have had them, and feel free to post them here. I think it would be a fun read. Anyway, since mine is holiday-themed, I thought this would be a good time to share. Some of you may have already heard this, but it's one of my favorite theater stories. I believe it also evidence of, or perhaps even part of the reason for the generation gap.
In 2003 the movie "Elf" with Will Ferrell came out. It's a happy little feel-good Christmas movie. Basically the plot is that there's not enough Christmas cheer in the world anymore, and since Santa's sleigh runs on Christmas cheer, it won't fly except by artifical means now. This is all good and well, until it is broken beyond repair on....could it be? Christmas Eve! So they have to try to drum up Christmas cheer to get the sleigh into the air. It's actually a pretty funny movie. There's a narwhal. Anyway...
So I'm minding my own business, standing behind concession, trying to look like I'm doing something important. I think I was checking between-set counts. Anyway, the film gets out, and there are suddenly a TON of people in the lobby, most of them looking like they were about 14 or 15 (I was 23 at the time), standing around looking like they are waiting on their parents to come pick them up. I think it may have been snowing. Some of the kids are standing near concession because the lobby is small, and frankly, they don't have a choice. So this teenage girl walks up to me to get her soda refilled. As I'm refilling, she says something along the lines of:
"Are you excited for Santa to come to your house?"
Me: "Not really. Santa hasn't been to my house in a long time."
Girl: "But you still believe in him, don't you?"
Me: "Are you serious?"
Girl: "Yes." (Keep in mind, she's maybe 14-15 years old.)
Me: "No, not really."
Girl: Turns to her group of friends, points at me, and says "That girl doesn't believe in Santa!"
Group: A mixed chorus of "What? You don't believe in Santa? How could you not believe in Santa?"
Girl: "You should see 'Elf.' It will change your mind."
Me: "I've seen it."
Girl: "And you STILL don't believe?"
Me: "Sorry."
Girl: (Glaring a little, or maybe it was a look of pity...) "You know, it's people like YOU that make the SLEIGH NOT FLY." Then she turned on her heel and walked off.
I stood there dumbfounded for a minute or two. In that moment, I understood Dante's plight in "Clerks." I felt like I had been pelted with cigarettes. I would like to think she was just messing with me, but she didn't crack a smile the whole time, except when reassuring me that if I saw "Elf," I'd go back to believing in Santa. Can a 14-year-old mess with someone for that long and not crack up?
No comments:
Post a Comment