How Can a Teen AFFORD to Date???

When we were dating, way back in the 60's, we often went to a movie in downtown Birmingham. We always got the biggest popcorn bucket they had and ate out of it together. At the time, that seemed so romantic. We still go to movies from time to time, but now we go during the day and get the Senior discount. LOL And we do NOT buy anything from the concession stand!

We went to the movies today at a Rave Theater and really had a good time. It was just too hot to go Estate Sale hunting on our Date Day, so seeing a movie seemed like a "great date" idea. I laughed and laughed, even cried a little, thoroughly enjoying Hairspray.

DH stopped in the restroom before we left, so while I was waiting for him, I started looking at the prices of the concession stand snacks. When we were dating, the boy paid for everything. I don't know if boys do that anymore or not, but I can certainly understand where the change to going Dutch came from. Not only are the tickets to the movie very expensive, but treating a date to popcorn, a large drink, and maybe a candy bar, is downright expensive.

I noticed that the three largest Combo suggestions did NOT have a price on them. After DH listened to my outrage, we started consciously looking to see if the prices were shown anywhere at all. They were not.

By now, the floor manager noticed that we were obviously discussing something in a very upset way, and came to ask if there were a problem. We let him know that we were not at all happy with the lack of prices. The very idea of having a young fellow, eager to impress his date, and she picks one of these combos, without either of them knowing how much it is going to cost? Can't you just see that fellow telling the cashier that he can't afford it, after his date has picked it out? How embarrassing!!

By now, the big boss had come to see what we were all hot and bothered about, and his "reason" for not posting prices on those most expensive choices (he said the most expensive was in the neighborhood of $18.00!) was that they had promotions with different candy companies, so the price varied from time to time. I pointed out to him that the price marquee was electronic, and could be changed at the touch of a button. He then changed the reason to it was a company policy that he had no control over. That's when we asked how to contact the company.

I've complained before to Krystal's headquarters for not having handicap accessible bathrooms in a Birmingham location, and to a large local Realtor, Engel Realty, for not having handicap accessible outside doors on a medical building of all things, so I'm quite willing to complain to the Rave Theaters!

I've written an email to them, offering to post their reply. That should be interesting!

In the meantime, I think our grandson better start saving his money, as he is 13. We were planning to encourage him to start saving some money for his first car. Now, I'm thinking we had better be telling him to save money so he can take a girl to the movies!!

Playing Football at IHOP

We went to see Spider Man this last Thursday, as my Mother's Day present, as we're both big fans of the comic book genre. Mind you, I still enjoyed it, but we were both disappointed with it. The plot just doesn't seem to be there. Without plot, the special effects held little suspense, and I didn't even think the bad guys were very interesting. Thank goodness, we enjoy being with each other, and that's what made it a good day.

We went to IHOP for pancakes as a late lunch, after the movie, and pretty much had the place to ourselves. And we did what we always do. We played football with a folded up soda straw wrapper. We've been thumping that little triangle of paper back and forth on restaurant tables ever since we started dating in 1960, and we still laugh and enjoy ourselves. We don't play it in fancier restaurants, and fast food places don't leave any time for it, but with Shoney's, Denny's, IHOP, and other restaurants of that type, it's just as much a part of eating there as the food.

And oh, what memories it brings back each time we play it. It seems to touch a place where young love was blooming, and we're always closer to each other after one of our "battles." DH almost always "wins," but we aren't really keeping score. It's the ritual that counts. The waitress was one of the talkative, interested ones, and she was flabbergasted when we told her we'd been playing that game for 47 years. People just don't stay married long enough any more to have those kinds of records in their lives. I never cease to be thankful for my wonderful marriage and the time I've gotten to spend with the love of my life. I am truly blessed.