We could have whispered to each other

By WILLIE GALANG • Posted 29 August 2008, 05:58 HOME

The post “17 Simple Rules For Going To The Cinema With Me” from Vitamin Briefcase (via Jason Kottke) reminded myself of a little event that, for some reason I cannot explain, somehow bugged me in many ways whenever I remember. And I was just at the first rule! Of course, you know I’m going to write about it. It happened a few years ago and it went this way:

It was around 6:30 in the evening, and I was alone in my department’s office, wrapping up some paperwork before I call it a night. A tall and comely female figure from another division walks in our area, looking for my co-workers. Seeing that her usual posse have left the building, Jeanne (not her real name), approached me and casually asked if I want to watch a movie with her tonight. Not wanting to disappoint a pretty lady (plus, I was curious to know more about this person before me), I said, rather nonchalantly, “sure, let me finish this report in a few minutes and we’ll be off in a jiffy.” She broke into a huge grin and said “Great!”

We went to the nearby Glorietta and picked a Winona Ryder starrer. After Jeanne and I have settled in our seats and the beginning film credits started to roll, I didn’t utter a word to her. Not a single word -- for the whole length of the film. It’s not that I was totally unaware of Jeanne the entire screening. Peripherally, I saw that she glanced at me numerous times, I’ve lost track counting. I noticed that she often shifted in her seat too, as if something is bothering her. Poor girl. I thought to myself that this was probably the first time that she was totally ignored inside a moviehouse by a red-blooded male companion. As we walked out of the cinema, Jeanne said “you really don’t talk while the film is running, do you?” To which I replied, “yup, that’s me.” “I wanted to chat with you while we’re watching, but I was afraid you’d be annoyed with me seeing you’re too engrossed with the movie,” she added. At that very instance, I knew I wasn’t a fun companion that particular night at the movies. I mean, I could have whispered, and she would have whispered back. (This was one of those times when being a stickler for rules backfired on me.) We had dinner afterwards, but the two of us never went out again after that.

So much for Rule Number 1. That’s why I sometimes prefer to watch movies alone.