Without assistance, Lolly chose what she was going to wear to the movies. As much as she wanted to wear her new Adidas, they were still too new and too precious to risk getting them gross on the sticky movie theater floor. She wore her clogs, her new black jeans and the LA t-shirt her mother had sent her. It was turquoise with little rhinestones. The last thing she slipped on was a hooded sweatshirt she had borrowed from Aunt Jessie. For several moments she studied her appearance in the mirror. She didn’t look half bad.

When Uncle Luke arrived, he honked the horn. In the recliner Pa looked up from his book and said, “Sounds like your ride is here. Have a good time.”

Though Lolly knew she should say, “You have a good time too.” She could not do it. Instead, she kissed Pa on the cheek and rushed out the door.

The boys were in the back of Uncle Luke’s 1957 Chevy truck. It was a beautiful renovation with cream paint and shining chrome. In the bed of the truck were the boys. Mitzi stuck her head out the window and said, “Those are new jeans! I like them.” She glanced back at Uncle Luke and said, “Daddy won’t let me ride with the boy cause I’m a girl and you’re a girl so you can’t ride in back either.”

Riding in the back of a pickup was the closest thing to flying Lolly had ever felt. She so wanted to be back there with the boys, but Mitzi would turn on the whine and tears, Uncle Luke would crumble and the evening would be ruined. She climbed into the truck beside Mitzi. Puccini was attached to Mitzi's jacket with a huge diaper pin. It would be the tragedy of the twentieth century if that bear got lost at the movies. Uncle Luke gunned the motor and headed out of the trailer park. On the radio, Freddy Fender was singing, “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.” It was not the most cheerful song. Mitzi belted out, “Why should I keep loving you, when I know that you’re not true?”* Uncle Luke turned the radio dial to another station. “Hey,” Mitzi protested, “I like that song.”

“I don’t.” Uncle Luke looked grim and he had a death grip on the steering wheel.

Lolly waited for the whining to begin, but it didn’t because Mitzi liked the next song better. She sang out, “It’s a skippidity do da day, I’m the happiest girl, in the whole U.S.A.”**

All the way to Lake Jackson Mitzi sang with the radio. Aunt Jessie would have told her to pipe down, but not Uncle Luke. When they reached the movie theater, Lolly thought Uncle Luke was just going to drop them off, but he parked the truck. On the marquee of the theater it read, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, below that was the secong feature, The Apple Dumpling Gang. This theater was so cool it actually had two movie screens. The boys hopped out of the back. Munch stood beside Lolly. He didn’t smile, but he did nod at her and she nodded back. Kevin gave her a wave. Max's eyes were searching the parking lot. Was he looking for someone? Lolly tensed up, fearful he regretted inviting her.

Mitzi shouted, "Look at the line." People waiting to get into the theater, snaked all the way down the sidewalk. Mitzi asked, “Is everyone here to see The Apple Dumpling Gang?"

Max rolled his eyes and said, “No.”

“Good." She looked at Lolly and asked, "Are you going to go the movie with me or with the stinky boys?"

Uncle Luke intercepted this question. "No sweetie, we talked about this at home. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." The little liar.

At the window, Uncle Luke paid for four tickets for Monty Python and two for Apple Dumpling Gang. He gave the tickets to the boys and Lolly. When they stepped into the lobby the aroma of hot buttered popcorn hit them in the nostrils. Uncle Luke asked Lolly, “Could you take Mitzi to the restroom before the movie starts?”

“Sure.”

Just about every weekend, Uncle Luke took his kids to the movies. Mitzi said, “Follow me.”

In the restroom, Trevor’s sister Amber was looking in the mirror putting on lip gloss. She asked, “Hey, you here to see Monty Python?”

Before she could answer Mitzi said, “She is, me and Daddy is going to see Apple Dumpling Gang.”

Amber glanced down at Mitzi and said, “You’re cute.”

“Yes, I am, and I got to pee. So excuse us.”

Amber gave them a wave as they entered the stall. While Mitzi peed, she asked, “Who is that girl?”

Afraid Amber would hear her Lolly lowered her voice, "She's the salesgirl that helped me pick out my new clothes."

"I think I saw her someplace." Her eyes rolled up to ceiling. She tapped her head. "Oh, I remember. She has that red car. Her brother is Trevor. You like him."

Lolly peeked out the door crack to see if Amber was still at the mirror. She was gone. Lolly said, "I do not like him."

With a hop, Mitzi was off the toilet. She pulled up her jeans and said, “You do too. I heard Grandma Toady talking to Mama about him.” How did they KNOW?

Lolly whispered, “Were you listening on the phone again?"

Without a blink of an eye or any remorse the child said, “Yes.”

Angry, Lolly threatened, “I am going to tell your daddy.”

MItzi shrugged and said, “Go ahead. See what happens.”

Lolly knew what would happen. She grabbed Mitzi’s hand and marched her out of the stall and took her straight to Uncle Luke. What a little Imp!

The boys were waiting for Lolly by the concession stand. Munch asked, “You want some popcorn?”

“Yes, please.”

Munch got the biggest popcorn tub they had. There was no way she was going to be able to eat all that. He bought sodas for everyone.

In the theater, the lights were dim. The boys all wanted to sit in the very back. Lolly wanted an aisle seat near the middle, so she could see Trevor if he came in, but she couldn’t say that out loud, so she followed the boys to the back row. When they took their seats, she ended up between Kevin and Munch. Warily, she glanced over at Max. He gave her a smile. This was all so weird. Why did he suddenly seem to like her again? Why was he being so nice?

Kevin asked, “Can I have some popcorn?”

“Sure.”

The ad for a car dealership flickered onto the screen and then the rules of Movie Theater Edicate blared over the speakers. Ushers with flash lights made sure no one talked during the movie or misbehaved. If someone did they got kicked out. Lolly craned her neck around to see if Trevor was in the theater. She did not see him. She did see Amber sitting with a long haired guy.

The movie started. A blue mist filled the screen. The sound of horse hooves made their way through the fog. Two figures appeared, neither were on horses. They were galloping like children on their own two feet. The first figure was a knight and he held imaginary reigns. The other figure was clicking coconut shells together to make the sound of horse hooves. The dialogue moved quickly and was smart. The language and the rhythm of the words enchanted Lolly. She had never seen or heard anything like this before. Beside her, Munch laughed. It had been three weeks since she had heard Munch laugh. She felt her entire body relax. Soon she was totally caught up in the story. Every worrry and concern just melted away. Around her the audience roared. There were a few scenes and a couple jokes that she did not understand, but the boys sure did.

When the movie was over, Max exclaimed, "We gotta see this again!"

Munch and Kevin both agreed. Kevin asked, "Do you want to see it again, Lolly."

To her surprise Max said, "Of course she does."

"I do."

"Tomorrow afternoon then," Max said.

In the lobby, Uncle Luke stood holding a limp Mitzi. Puccini was pinned to his jacket pocket. Lolly prayed Mitzi would stay asleep. She so badly wanted to ride home in the back of the truck. The bright street lights did not wake Mitzi, nor did the roar of pickup trucks. Uncle Luke put Mitzi into the truck and Lolly climbed in back behind the boys. She wanted to sit against the side. Munch was on the other side of her. The theater parking lot was bright with headlights. Some high school kids were squealing their tires. Lolly saw Amber's red Mustang flash by. She waved.

Out on the highway the wind was cold. Lolly pulled up the hood of her sweatshirt. The boys were shouting out lines form the movie. "Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!" Pause. "But I'm not dead yet!" The merriment went on until they reached the road to Munch's house. Everyone went silent.

Uncle Luke turned into the drive. The truck headlights illuminated Pa's parked truck. Pa and Mrs. Dutchendorph were sitting on its tailgate. Uncle Luke pulled up along side them. Munch and Lolly got out. A heaviness filled Lolly's chest. Munch stood rigid beside her. In silence they watched Uncle Luke back out of the drive.

The silence was broken by Mrs. Dutchendorph, she asked, "How was the movie?"

Munch said one word, "Good." Without saying goodnight he walked into the house.

When the back door banged shut, Pa said, "I guess we best be getting home."

Mrs. Dutchendorph said, "I had a lovely evening Trace."

"Me too."

Gag! Was there anything more gross than old people in love? The question ricocheted in Lolly's brain. Could Pa and Mrs. Dutchendorph be in love already? She glanced at Pa. He had the goofiest expression on his face. How was this possible?

Pa walked Mrs Dutchendorph to the back door. Was he going to kiss her? Lolly did not want to see that. She turned away. There was a soft smack. Gross. Pa came back to the truck softly whistling.

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*Freddie Fender, “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” released 1974. Source: LyricFind

**Donna Fargo, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A,” released 1972. Source: LyricFind