So, last night, my SO and I decided to do dinner and a movie. I had been sick for a while, so I was excited to get out and have some fun.
We had dinner, and arrived at the theater about 30 minutes early. As you can imagine, the theater was pretty empty at the time. We sat in an empty row, towards the middle right of the the row second to the last. Time went by, and the theater filled up, except the first 5 rows which remained mostly empty. A group of friends sat next to SO, leaving an empty buffer seat by his side. Two friends sat next to me at the end of the row, and also left an empty buffer seat on my side. The trailers rolled, and the movie began.
About 3-5 minutes into the film, a couple enters the theater. They walk up the stairs to our row, and walk through the row from the left side (remember, we are on the right side), and looks at me, asking if the seat next to SO is taken. I truthfully answer “No”. She asks if the seat on the other side of me is taken. I again say no. She then asks me to move. I politely decline. She asks why wouldn’t I want to be more at the center. I tell her I am happy with my seat, sorry. She gets upset with me, after which I point out that the first 5 rows are just about empty. She is annoyed with me, but goes away.
A few moments later, her male companion comes in front of everyone. He asks if the seat on my side is occupied. I say no. He asks me to move. I again, politely decline. He asks why not.* I tell him I am happy with my seat. I again, point out the 5 empty rows in front. He grows indignant saying “What is your problem!” blah blah blah. I say I got to the theater 30 minutes early, I suggest you do the same next time. He becomes even ruder, and I finally say " Listen, I’m not doing anything wrong. What are you going to do, have me arrested?"
my SO gets annoyed and says “She says that she doesn’t want to move. End of story”. The guy starts throwing profanity my way, and SO has had enough. He says “Get out of here, NOW.” I tell SO not to let the guy get to him. Fortunately, the guy finally leaves.
…And then 5 minutes later, the woman comes back into the row, and takes the seat next to SO. Whatever. A minute or two later, the man comes into the row, approaches the woman, and the people on the other side of her move for him. They just had to have those seats.
I have been in their shoes. I have gone to the movies, and walked into a packed theater, or one with all of the prime seats gone. And I sucked it up. I have sat in the very front row (we are talking bend your head all the way back seats), or I have even been separated from my companion by several rows. I have never demanded that someone move, and never will.
So, who do you think was in the wrong?
In case you were wondering, why I did not want to move:
I had just gotten over a cold, and the people we would of been moving closer to were sniffling and stifling coughs. I felt it wrong to humiliate the sick person by pointing her out, so I didn’t. I had just gotten over a cold myself, my balance wasn’t so great, and there we go. I don’t know if the guy in question watches the news, but there is a flu epidemic out there.
On top of that, I don’t care for entitled people, and I a had an inkling they would not be the best movie goers. And what did they do? Text during the whole 3 hour long movie. Who would of thunk. :rolleyes:
But to me, I don’t need a reason. If I didn’t want to, I didn’t want to. It’s as simple as that. As the old adage goes…"A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part
