Dear Man-who-came-and-sat-beside-Me
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
It was the third week after the release of the blockbuster film I was desperately waiting to catch in the theater. None of my friends agreed to go with me, owing it to negative reviews and a stagnant excuse of having no time.
So I was on my own and on my own seemed like a breath of fresh air at that moment. I was excited to watch the movie I had waited for, with baited breath over these months, after they released the enigmatic first trailer.
I pulled into a pair of comfortable shorts teamed up with a loose Tee and I was good to go. I had forgotten how much I used to enjoy the alone outings, the self-introspection dates, the self-pampered saga.
With a playful jump in my step, swelling joy in my heart, I reached the cinema hall.
“Ticket for one, please”, I cooed.
Was there something wrong with me or was that sentence bound to get me an unusual look peppered with inquisitiveness and a slight dosage of pity?
Anyway, I drove away her weird look plastered in my head and trotted towards the Auditorium 1.
I scanned the area as I entered the hall and broke into a heartfelt smile as I see my seat exactly like I wanted it to be.
Now I knew the theater wasn’t going to be exactly full. Instead, only the top 4-5 rows would be occupied and that too being a weekday, the audience would majorly compose of the budding romantic couples and a few bunch of young boys scattered here and there.
I stumbled into the pool of darkness and I saw my glorious seat right there in the middle of the 2nd row from the front of the screen. I glided towards it, plopped into its lap, stretched my arms and cracked my knuckles.
Let the show begin!
It was only at the end of the second trailer that I spotted you. From the corner of my eyes, I saw a protruding striped belly of yellow and green approach me stealthily.
By now I had my bare legs up on the neck-rest of the front chair, laid out and crossed. I had made myself at home and an intruder was not welcome.
However, the hall as it was, I removed my left elbow from the arm-rest and snuggled into the right half of my chair.
Now I wanted to ask you a few questions, you, a good man in your late twenties.
Why did you have to come and sit next to me when your allotted seat was 5 rows above mine and 2 to the left?
I shall think of it because you were alone and perhaps wanted a silent company throughout the movie.
So, the film started and now you were laughing at all the jokes I was giggling at. What was this creepy move supposed to mean?
And trust me I took me around 5 such hilarious scenes to pass after I sensed this pattern.
Well, maybe we must’ve shared the appreciation of a common taste of humor.
It was soon interval.
Though you hadn’t been much of a nuisance until then, except for dropping the popcorn you had been munching loud enough to distract me, on me twice and accidentally brushing past your arm against mine.
Now accustomed to this, as I was, I could bear having you around (I have seen worse) but I preferred the comfortable, alone golden- time over it. So I picked up my purse and moved three rows above while I had discreetly observed you leaving to refill the popcorn bucket, maybe for a few more missed aimed shots at my lap. But maybe that’s just far-fetched even for you.
I tried to disappear inside the plush cushions as you entered. I could see you bewildered trying to locate me. The movie started and I was deeply engrossed in it with my 3D glasses cutting any side view distractions.
That was when I heard your hoarse voice,” Excuse me! Can I sit here?” and immediately you did.
I just sat there opening and closing my mouth like a fish, confused. I decided to concentrate on the movie. I wanted to be trapped inside my own mind palace then.
After it ended, I saw you stand up and instead of turning towards me for small talk, which I was positive of, you turned the other way and walked out.
That was totally uncalled for. I need to mention, you took me by complete surprise, a fairly happy surprise.
I want to sincerely thank you for it.
I don’t know whether you had sensed my rising fear and discomfort or it was never your intention in the first place to ask for my number. Maybe I had my imagination going berserk.
But all the more, thank you.
Thank you for wiping clean my stereotype for every man I find staring at me.
Thank you for cementing my belief that I am free to watch a movie alone whenever I want, wherever I want.
Thank you for not following me that day or spewing any vulgar comments at me.
Thank you for giving me the world I think exists.
Yours thankfully,
The-alone-girl-in-the-movie-hall
