You know what to expect
but never sure what you’ll get
when you walk inside the Brighton Bar.
And thus it was with the Brighton Bar movie screening.
“If you have a black ticket, you can come inside,”
said the lady from the historical association.
“Tickets? I didn’t know we needed tickets,”
responded the dozens waiting outside the screening room.
“If you want to see the second screening, take a green ticket,”
explained the lady from the historical association.
“Go to the Brighton Bar and have a drink while you wait.”
And around the corner walked some of the huddled masses.
But, the Brighton Bar was closed — its staff and patrons
had gone around the corner to see the documentary movie.
So back out in the cold walked the huddled masses
to wait for the second screening of the movie.
“Shhhhh,” beckoned the lady from the historical association
as the huddled masses buzzed in anticipation outside the screening room.
But they didn’t need to stay quiet for long,
for a technical difficulty had delayed the first showing.
After an hour, the patrons from the first screening emerged
smiling, chatting, seemingly relieved at the experience.
And in marched the green ticket holders, smiling, chatting,
in anticipation of being entertained by the Brighton Bar movie.
The co-host from the library welcomed the patrons
and invited them to enjoy soda and popcorn.
Then the lights dimmed, and the movie came alive
to the cheers of the second screening crowd.
The moviegoers roared as familiar faces appeared on the screen.
They cheered as footage from years gone by rekindled memories.
They booed when the video reminded them of unwelcome changes
and applauded when it all ended.
They filed out with smiles across their aging faces.
Some repaired to nearby watering holes,
others simply drove home.
But one walked around the corner to the Brighton Bar.
“Hi, I just saw the documentary and realized
I never bought one of your t-shirts,” he said,
pointing to the display of items for sale behind the bar.
“Do you have a men’s size medium?”
A moment passed as the bartender spoke to the owner.
“Actually, we’re out of them and don’t know
when we’ll be getting some more,” he told the man.
“What do you want to drink?”
The man waved him off and walked out to head home.
You know what to expect
but never sure what you’ll get
when you walk inside the Brighton Bar.
Copyright 2018, Charles A. Bruns
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