Turning Points
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
Life is a journey. It has a beginning and it has an end. All along its path are events, places
and people who are turning points. Here, I relate some of these turning points in my own
journey. Hopefully, the stories will illuminate and maybe entertain some of those who care
enough to read.
| The Drive In April 28, 2006 |
In this day of drive in restaurants, drive in banks, and
even drive in churches it puzzles me why the idea of
drive in theaters petered out. You drove into a lot that
was in front of a humongous screen. You parked the
car and grabbed the speaker off the short post beside
the car and put it in the window. Popcorn and cokes
could be bought and eaten in the car too. Then while
even drive in churches it puzzles me why the idea of
drive in theaters petered out. You drove into a lot that
was in front of a humongous screen. You parked the
car and grabbed the speaker off the short post beside
the car and put it in the window. Popcorn and cokes
could be bought and eaten in the car too. Then while
the movie ran, you could laugh and talk if you wanted to or carry on light romance if you had
brought your girl friend. You had privacy while you enjoyed a movie on the big screen. This was
before TV so there weren’t any small screens at home.
The closest drive in theater for us was over in Springfield. That was close to Lebanon and one
evening with Hugh Louis driving, several of us got in the old Studebaker and went to the drive-in.
We drove up, paid the admission, bought some popcorn and got settled in for the movie. As we
looked around, there were only two other cars there besides us. Must have been “Brokeback
Mountain” in black and white playing that night, or something.
Anyway, after the movie had been running about ten minutes or so, it suddenly shut off. We were
used to film breaking in those days. When this happened in a regular movie theater everybody
would start stamping their feet on the wood floor creating a big racket while the projectionist
fumbled around frantically to get the movie running again. But in the drive in theater, there wasn’t
much sense in stamping on the car floor so we just waited. Then the lights at the projection and
concession building went out. Soon, the other two cars started up and then drove off. We finally
figured out that the drive in people had decided it wasn’t worth running the movie for such a paltry
turnout and without taking a show of hands or anything, they had just decided to close down for
the night.
Not to be treated that way, Hugh Louis got out of the car and went over to the building. We waited
to see what would happen. Everything was dark and we strained to hear any conversation over
there. In a minute, the lights came back on as Hugh Louis walked back and got in the car. The
movie started back up and we watched it completely by ourselves. There was not another car on
the lot.
I don’t remember what movie we watched that night but I’ve never forgotten that sometimes you
need to speak up rather than slink off.
brought your girl friend. You had privacy while you enjoyed a movie on the big screen. This was
before TV so there weren’t any small screens at home.
The closest drive in theater for us was over in Springfield. That was close to Lebanon and one
evening with Hugh Louis driving, several of us got in the old Studebaker and went to the drive-in.
We drove up, paid the admission, bought some popcorn and got settled in for the movie. As we
looked around, there were only two other cars there besides us. Must have been “Brokeback
Mountain” in black and white playing that night, or something.
Anyway, after the movie had been running about ten minutes or so, it suddenly shut off. We were
used to film breaking in those days. When this happened in a regular movie theater everybody
would start stamping their feet on the wood floor creating a big racket while the projectionist
fumbled around frantically to get the movie running again. But in the drive in theater, there wasn’t
much sense in stamping on the car floor so we just waited. Then the lights at the projection and
concession building went out. Soon, the other two cars started up and then drove off. We finally
figured out that the drive in people had decided it wasn’t worth running the movie for such a paltry
turnout and without taking a show of hands or anything, they had just decided to close down for
the night.
Not to be treated that way, Hugh Louis got out of the car and went over to the building. We waited
to see what would happen. Everything was dark and we strained to hear any conversation over
there. In a minute, the lights came back on as Hugh Louis walked back and got in the car. The
movie started back up and we watched it completely by ourselves. There was not another car on
the lot.
I don’t remember what movie we watched that night but I’ve never forgotten that sometimes you
need to speak up rather than slink off.
___________________________________________________
| And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV) |
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