Short Story Saturday!

Hmm. I may have to take a week of short story writing again. I feel they've gotten weaker with my working on continuing stories all the time.

Maybe after I finish Shannon's story I'll go back to writing a lot more shorts.

I've always thought it would be fun to work at a movie theater. That or really really stressful!


The lineup outside the Mega Movie Complex was enormous. At midnight they'd all be let in to view the premier screening of Michael Bay's "He-Man." The excitement was clear with all the energetic fans dressed in fur underwear and metal chest straps despite the cold weather. This night would be a special night for Jason Blum who sat in his collapsable deck chair on the roof of the theatre.

Jason had finished worked and set up on the roof to enjoy the star shower that happened once a year around this time. He and his best friend, Gordon Black, had done so every year since they both started working at the cinema together. The light pollution for the multiplex itself made it hard to see but not impossible. It wasn't really the star shower that was special more the chance to catch up with his old high school buddy Gordon. Gordon had moved to the States for school 5 years ago. He hadn't been back since. This was first time they'd talk in person.

Jason and Gordon both started working at the cinema when they were in high school. They were trained together which is how they found out they both attended the same school. And also how they found they had so much in common. A couple bitter rivalries for the cute concession stand worker had them hating each others guts but in the end they'd always come up to the roof with their collapsable deck chairs and watch the stars.

The door the roof opened. Jason didn't turn to see who it was. It could only be one person.

"He's still not here, eh?" came the voice of Bethany Caine, the projectionist.

Jason turned surprised. "No. What are you doing here?"

Bethany sat on the gravely roof next to Jason. "Just finished work. Someone told me you were up here waiting for your friend."

"Yeah, Gordon. He used to work here."

"I've heard the stories. You guys were regular terrors. Until he moved away."

Jason smiled. "Yeah. The good old days." They used to cause so much trouble. After Gordon moved Jason settled down. He threw himself into his work without anyone around to distract him he became a very competent employee and soon a very competent manager.

"He hasn't come back since he moved has he?"

"No. He's busy with school."

"What's he taking?"

"Accounting. He was originally taking journalism but he changed his mind half-way through first year. Said there was more money in accounting."

Bethany leaned back and looked up at the stars. The shower hadn't started yet. "Do you miss him?"

"I used to miss him a lot when he first left. Now I just kinda wish we could go for a cup of coffee and catch up."

"You should go visit him."

"I would but he's always working now. He studying to be an accountant and his uncle got him a job at a firm he works at nearby his school. When he's not studying he's working."

"You don't sound too happy about it."

"I'm happy for him. I just wish he wasn't so obsessed with making money all the time. He always was. He used to fight for raises. Had he just waited a few years I would've given him a raise when I became manager. Hell, he might've been manager before me. He always wanted that kind of thing."

"And you didn't?"

"It's not that I didn't want to be manager. If I didn't want to I wouldn't be. I just, don't care." Jason frowned. He wasn't explaining it right. "It's not that I don't care. I just... I dunno. It's not all I want in life."

Bethany thought about this silently.

"What about you?" Jason turned to Bethany. "What do you want from life?"

"Me?" Bethany thought for a moment. "I want to be a producer. I want to make children's cartoons. I like kids. And I like cartoons, so why not? Right?"

Jason nodded. The star shower had started.

"Are you happy, Jason?"

"For now."

They both silently watched the stars.

Jason turned to Bethany, "Next year bring a chair. Or a towel at least."