As you may or may not know, Eric works with mentally handicapped people. He manages an apartment with 3 high-functioning guys. He also works as the "crisis manager." A crisis can be anything from a client freaking out and staff needing help or simply a staff shortage. Any time there is a crisis, Eric gets a phone call, and then he calls the person on call that day to go take care of the situation.
Monday is Eric's night on call. He had to take care of a guy named Jeff. For some reason, Jeff does not live in an apartment with other guys; he lives with his mom, and a few nights a week somebody from Chrysalis (the company that Eric works for) takes care of Jeff to give his mom some time off. Jeff is really easy to get along with. He loves to go to stores and wander around looking at everything. His verbal skills are very limited, so it's usually best to ask him yes or no questions. This particular night Eric was assigned to keep Jeff occupied out of the house all evening.
Following an afternoon of taking Jeff to his job as a custodian at a local school, then going on a hike, Eric decided to take Jeff for a quick bite to eat and to see the Simpsons Movie at the local dollar theater. Eric called me as I was leaving for work and asked me if I wanted to join them. I agreed that that would be a fun thing to do. Eric bought the tickets, and told me to meet him at a restaurant by the theater.
When I found Eric at the restaurant, he was sitting in the car with Jeff, so I got in as well. Eric informed that they had sat down, and the waitress was just about to bring the chips and salsa when Jeff inexplicably got up and left. He refused to go back inside.
So, I suggested we go to Sonic instead. "Jeff, do you want a hamburger?" "YUM!" Jeff shouted in reply. (Jeff doesn't really talk. He shouts. Sort of like some of my old roommates. No concept of volume control.)
We went to Sonic where Jeff rushed to the bathroom and remained. For a good five minutes at least. When Jeff emerged from the bathroom we noticed there had definitely been an accident.
Eric wasn't really sure what to do, so we finished eating and headed to the movie theater. And Jeff went straight for the bathroom again. I went and found us seats, since the previews were already playing. A few minutes later, Eric came in and informed me that Jeff wouldn't come into the movie.
I had the choice of watching the movie by myself or going with Eric to take Jeff home. I opted for watching the movie alone.
I had never done that before. It was quite an enjoyable experience. I'd like to do it again sometime. The movie was funny, but I'm glad I only paid a dollar for it.
Eric came back for the last 15 minutes or so, and then we went home.
When Eric told his boss about the whole ordeal, the boss said the company would pay to clean the car since the seat had gotten spoiled. Eric readily agreed.
Now our car is cleaner than it has probably ever been- detailed and all. But it smells like pine. Not like real pine. But like cleaner that wants to smell like pine.
It makes me ill.
And that is the rambling story of how I watched a movie in the theater alone for the first time.
2 comments:
I enjoy going to a movie by myself every once in awhile (you may have read Janssen's post). Especially $1 movies.
It seems like you and Eric have some pretty interesting experiences through Chrysalis. I bet you'll be better parents for it, though you might always feel (subconsciously, perhaps) like you should be paid for parenting.
It was interesting reading this right after Janssen's post about going to movies alone. At least it wasn't a mushy chick flick, I don't know that I'd want to go to one of those alone.
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