MOVIES ARE REAL

Today, when I was at work something happened that was straight out of a movie script [so it would seem]. These are the events as they actually unfolded, possibly with some intentional exaggerations.

I was cleaning theatres, like I always do. I was thinking about how when I worked at the theatre in Cedar City I would get complaints about things all the time. It made me wonder if the customers in Salt Lake City would rather just go to a different theatre than complaining. I have digressed. I scooped the final pieces of popcorn and went out to the lobby. There was an employee that was pretty flustered, and was asking where the managers were in a tone that was quite unusual. He told me that a lady had fallen down and was unconscious. I realized then why his voice had a bit of a quiver in it, and dashed over to assess the situation. She was not unconscious. In fact she was very conscious. She was rocking herself in pain on the ground, holding her stomach. There was a man standing next to her with a terrified expression as he was talking to someone on the phone. I asked if he was calling an ambulence, and he gave a quick nod.

She started to rub her stomach in a motion that was almost like she was saying that she was hungry, but the look on her face was telling quite a different story. I just stood there in a bit of a stupor. I didn't know what I could possibly do to help her. I started to think about things that could be wrong with her. Maybe she ate bad popcorn, maybe she is having a baby, maybe she is just old and having some crazy spasms, maybe she is faking for attention. My mind began to wonder farther from anything that was possible. I was looking at the woman, but it was more looking thru her. I began to amuse myself with the silly things I found myself thinking of, and realized that I was looking at the woman with a grin on my face. I don't think anyone noticed it, but if they did I am sure they thought I was sick in the mind.

I then thougth about the other 4 theatres that I still had to clean. I was not going to possibly be any help to this woman that is not able to control her motions from all the intense pain. Just then, the theatre nearest the woman began to have a flow of people leaving. There was a man that walked over, but then in an intensely important tone said, "Look out, I'm a doctor." "I am not an emergency doctor, I deliver babies"

The doctor asked her some questions to see if she was having a heartattack. The lady calmed down quite a bit once there was a doctor there, and stopped rocking back and fourth on the gound. She told him that she thought she had bad diareha, but didnt' have to go when she was in the bathroom just a few minutes earlier. He told her that it could be spasms or cramps or possibly a kidney stone. Once again I started thinking about funny things, and her stomach rubbing started to make more sense. I chuckled, and had to turn away when she so openly talked about her diarhea to the doctor, although many other people had gathered by then.

There was enough going on that I thought I could slip away unnoticed. Just as I was about to walk away the paramedics began their ascent up the escalator. I was in the clear to leave, and left quickly.