For months you watched the previews on TV. Hanging on every second of the trailer, you vowed to go and see this movie because you know it will be life changing. The critics are calling it a once in a lifetime event and it’s set to be the top grossing movie of all time. All of your favorite actors are in it. It has action, drama, suspense, comedy and more. You know that attending the premier of this movie will be something you can tell your grandchildren about.
About a week before the Movie is set to open you drive by the theater and notice a line has formed. Not wanting to miss out on something you so desperately want to be a part of, you park your car and get in line. There are at least five hundred people already waiting, this does not bother you because you hope you still have a chance of getting in and know you just need to wait and see what happens. Even if you don‘t get in, you can still say you were there. As the hours pass more people show up and get in line. After the first day goes by the line has reached over one thousand people but you also notice something else, the distance between you and the ticket counter has gotten shorter. A few people started to become impatient and went home bringing you closer to your chance at making the premier.
By day 3 you are starting to become weary, you're thinking that maybe you should give up and go home. You are tired, bored and are beginning to forget why you got in line to begin with. Suddenly, your cell phone rings. It’s your best friend and he called to tell you he saw you on TV, and that he noticed there are only a few hundred people in front of you now as over half ended up leaving. Gathering a new burst of energy after hearing this news, you decide to stick it out and see what happens.
It’s now day 5 and once again you are beginning to get discouraged. Home and your bed sounds so good right now. You are tired of eating the fast food your friends keep dropping off and the cold concrete is an unforgiving place to sleep. It feels like an eternity since you first parked your car and started standing there, waiting for a movie. Who even does this? Wouldn’t it be easier to just rent it when it comes out on DVD, a little voice inside your head says. You want to go home, and just when you are about to get out of line like so many before you have, you notice there are only about one hundred people between you and the ticket counter. Knowing the theater only holds 100 people you start to get excited and sing a little song.
Day 6, only 24 hours left until the movie opens. You didn’t even notice you are now only a few dozen people from the front of the line. Maybe it’s the lack of sleep, or being stuck in one place for so long. Maybe it's because you are surrounded by strangers who have oddly enough become friends, but you are actually starting to settle in and find comfort in sharing this experience with the people surrounding you. You are no longer worried about petty things like sleep or your nice warm bed. You are on a mission, you are going to see this movie.
The eve of day 7, a bad storm rolls in. No one expected this. People all around you are whining and complaining and many gather their things to head home. It’s raining so hard you can barely see and you are sure this is the worst storm in history. A group of people leaving yell at you as they go telling you how stupid you are for staying. They tell you that the storm is sure to go on for days and that you will get washed away with the theater. You start to panic, could they be right? Maybe I should not be here! A little voice inside your head instinctively wants you to follow the others and leave for the safety and comfort of home. You are just starting to gather your things when the manager and employees of the theater come out and bring out rain coats, dry shirts, hot chocolate and umbrellas. They also announce the storm will pass within the hour. In all the chaos you failed to realize you are now only a few people from the ticket counter. The storm passes, just like you were told it would. You put on your dry shirt and close your eyes to get some sleep.
The big day. You wake up to the sound of the loudspeakers outside the theater playing the theme song for the movie at top volume. You quickly jump to your feet and wonder how much longer it will be before they start letting people in. Half awake it takes you a few minutes to realize you are now 1st in line. Could it be true? Did you really make it to the front of the line. It’s really happening, you stuck it out through all the road blocks that were presented to you along the way and it paid off.
As the ticket counter opens and you step up to purchase your ticket for the movie, they congratulate you on being first in line and tell you that you just won an all expenses paid trip to meet the cast in LA. This turned out to be the best experience of your life...and the movie was better than you could have ever imagined.
The moral to the story is, no matter what life throws at you, never give up and you will always be rewarded. Stick it out and see it through and you will eventually reach the front of the line. Quitters never win!
Christine Mikulski
