Page 89 of 7 Miles High
“You have a very strange look on your face,” I say.
He licks his lips and reaches in his pocket for the breath spray. “What are you talking about? Nothing’s wrong.”
Now I’m certain.
“I didn’t say anything was wrong. What’s up?”
As we round the corner I’m met with the smiles of two uniformed ushers standing at the door. Like they used to have in the fifties. My dad’s first job was as an usher in a theater in Santa Monica.
“Oh look! That’s so cool.”
“Yeah. Nice touch.”
“Everyone must be here already. I don’t see any other people.”
“Evening,” Parker says to the two boys.
They don’t respond, but as if on cue, swing open the double doors.
As we pass inside, I see a red carpet leading to one of the theaters. A man stands guard at the beverage counter.
“Fancy! I’ve never seen the red carpet here for any other film preview we’ve been to. This is very strange. It’s so quiet in here.”
Just as the words leave my mouth, the man comes around the counter and approaches.
“Good evening. We’re having a lighting problem in theater three. Let me accompany you so I can help with finding your seats.”
Parker doesn’t skip a beat. He’s acting like this is all perfectly normal. I guess it is, but something’s off.
We follow the man into the theater. He wasn’t kidding! The place is pitch black, and I can’t see two feet in front of me.
“Let me have your hand,” Parker says, wrapping his around mine.
“This is crazy! Are there any people in here?” I say.
A woman’s giggle pierces the utter silence.
“Well, that answers my question.”
“Yes ma’am, we have a few guests tonight.”
He directs us to our seats on the first tier. The row is completely empty. What the hell is happening?
We sit.
“This is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” I whisper to Parker.
The sound of the curtain opening and the light of the screen pull my attention.
GREASE 2020
FOR NATALIE
The words come on the screen in big bold letters. I look at Parker, who wears the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on him. Are those tears in his eyes? That’s when it hits me. This is no film preview. Not of Jack’s or Steven’s anyway. This is for me. I look around to see the familiar faces now visible in the screen’s light.
My parents! His parents! Our siblings! Jack and Nicki, Bliss and Steven. Matt and Maggie and every one of the Cancun revelers! Family and friends wave hellos and call out their love. My mother blows a kiss. My hand goes to my mouth as the music swells and the movie begins. The first notes of “Summer Nights” play.
Parker appears in a close up of him combing his thick black hair. He’s playing Danny Zuko, John Travolta’s part! Leather jacket, greased pompadour, and tight white T-shirt and black pants. He remembered this was my favorite film when I was a girl.
