Charlie at the Movies

Charlie and I used to be able
To walk to the movies
From our house
When we were kids

Back when the movie theater
Was downtown
Before they moved it
Off the highway

During the day on Tuesdays
In the summer
We'd go and sit there
All day

We'd pay for one movie
And just
Because they had air-conditioning
And sometimes
You could see four different movies that way
Because the owner never cleaned up
In between shows

I liked being there
Because both my parents worked
So it was either go to the movies
Or sit at home
And watch The Price is Right

I don't know why Charlie used to go
But I got the feeling
He didn't like being home very much either

One Fourth of July
My parents drove us all to the beach
And we didn't get back until seven o'clock

I don't know why
But I had this urge
To go see what was playing downtown

When I got there
The theater was empty

There wasn't even anybody working the box office

I guess they figured
Once the last show started
They'd just come back later
And lock the doors

I walked down to the fifth row
Where Charlie and I usually sit
And there he was

I remember that the movie playing
Was some bad romantic movie
About a guy who falls in love with a woman
And then they go walking on a beach
And she tells him she's going to die

We'd seen it the week before
And it was pretty bad
But Charlie looked like
He was hypnotized by it

I sat next to him
And said--

'Charlie, how long you been here?'

The place was never busy on holidays

He must have been by himself
In that theater
All day

'My family went to a barbecue,' he said, 'I didn't want to go'

I wish I could tell you
More than that

You know, how like
In a story
The person telling it
Knows more

Like he knows how Charlie's family actually left before he got up
And put a note on the kitchen table
Saying he'd have more fun sleeping in and spending the day by himself
So they were just going to take his brother?

Well, I don't know that for sure
But...

But I know Charlie looked pretty upset

So I just sat with him
While the movie played

Until the air conditioning went off
And then the lights
And the last credit
Ran up across the screen
And disappeared