I was all set to have a boring weekend. I thought about driving to San Diego to keep the cats company since my parents are out of town, but with all the people on the roads headed that way, I nixed that idea. After reading about people's fun plans, I decided I needed to live a little. What did I decide to do? Brave the movie theater on a Friday night. For many of you this does not equate to living a little, but for me? It's an adventure:P
I've wanted to see Mission Impossible: III (though I haven't seen the first two) and there was a late showing, so I got my stuff together and headed out! It was crowded when I arrived (as expected), so finding parking was a challenge. After less than a minute, I triumphantly pulled in to a vacant spot.
As I got out of the car and headed to buy my ticket, I noticed that something smelled like it was burning. I glanced around, but everything appeared normal, so I figured someone's car had just overheated a bit (ah, if only I had known...)
I join the ticket line, which is of course at a standstill. Just as I am about to get to the front of the line, I notice people running toward the parking lot on the side of the theater. I hear the words "car on fire" and think, "Oh crap!" because everyone is running towards where my car is parked! I jump out of line and run down the ramp.
The first thing I see as I round the corner: flames shooting out of a car in the corner of the lot. I'm talking bonfire-big, light-up-the-whole-parking-lot flames. It was totally out of control. My first thought is, "Thank God it's not my car!" This is, of course, followed by guilt as it is somebody's car. People are running toward the car as theater people are shouting at them to keep back. Just as I'm reaching for my cell phone to call 911 (since it seemed no one had actually done that), a theater employee says into his walkie talkie, "We are definitely going to need the fire department."
I thought about moving my car, but figured that wouldn't be a good idea since it was too close to the actual fire. When it appeared I couldn't do anything to help, I went to get back in the ticket line (which was no longer actually a line).
The first responders pulled up before I even made it back to the line, so someone had obviously called 911 pretty quickly after the fire started. I suppose I could have watched them put out the fire, but I figured I was safer inside.
I think I was in shock for quite a while after that. After the movie, I came out and saw the debris left over from the fire: scrap metal, glass and a lot of foam. And woo boy, the stench. It wasn't pleasant. If I ever smell something burning again, you can bet I will be on the lookout.
2 comments:
Michelle, as I was reading your post, I could so totally relate - going the movies by myself is an adventure, one I haven't had in awhile LOL. I might have to change that since there are a few movies I kinda want to see that no one I know does. And I don't want to wait til DVD.
And I'm glad it wasn't your car on fire :)
I generally don't mind going to the movies by myself. I just try to avoid the "date" nights so I don't feel quite so alone.
I'm not sure why going alone doesn't bother me. Maybe because whenever my parents, sister and I try to go as a family over the holidays, we can *never* agree on a movie. Once we do, it is inevitably sold out by the time we get there LOL! It makes for quite a movie night.
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