The Father Sitting Behind Me In The Cinema

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Looking for some excitement, I rang my brother to see if he wanted to do some film test stuff. Finding out that he had gone swimming with his friend, I asked my mother if she wanted to go shopping. It was terrible. There were people everywhere, walking in front of me and bumping into me. Any how, being unable to find any cheap decent DVDs that I didn't already own, we decided to go see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was a massive line up, mostly of kids. Whilst mum got the ticket, I waited in the queue. She had to then go to the toilet so I went in alone. To my surprise, I got a decent seat in an empty aisle up the back. Sitting down in one of the vacant chairs randomly, I listened to the pre-show music. Behind me, I heard murmurs. I didn't turn to look straight away, but they went as follows:

Boy: Um... say something.
Girl: No.
Man: Just ask him.
Boy: You should tell him.
Girl: I can't see.
Man: Just tell him.

At this point I realised they were talking about me. I turned around and the boy got all nervous. The father seemed quite forceful and was watching my reaction.

Me: Did you say something to me?

The father looks at the son sternly.

Boy: Could you move, my sister can't see the screen.
Me: Okay.

I got up, move across one seat and sat back down. After all that whispering, that was the end result. Any how, I didn't really care and didn't think much of it at that point. My mother came in just as the cinema was starting to really get packed out. Watching the trailers for the upcoming movies, I could hear more talking from behind me.

Mother: Excuse me...
Mother: Excuse me... are you listening to me?
Mother: Hello.

This was another woman, another total stranger. I was unsure if she was addressing me, but I briefly turned around. She was talking to the man.

Mother: Yes, would you be able to move up one seat please so I can sit with my children please?

I turned back around.

Man: No, my little kid won't be able to see.

Mother: Please, I'd like to stay with my children.

Man: No, she still won't be able to see.

After some brief talking, sniping, the lady banged into the back of all the other seats in my row and sat down next to the little girl, four seats over from her kids. As she did, she was grumbling something like "I wish I could sit next to my kids." I think, trying to get the attention of the man.

I know this is a bit wordy but what do you make of this? I found it extremely odd the way the father was expecting courtesy yet gave none in kind. If it were me, just like I did for the little girl, I would've moved up one seat, not even thinking about 'courtesy'. It would just be instinctive.

But for other people, is there some mechanical rationality that plays through their heads when they're asked to do something simple like that?

Either way I found it weird.

Sounds to me like the bloke was just an ass. He could have swapped seats with his kid so that she could see and still move along one seat.

I went to the cinema a while ago on my own (to watch harry potter). I went alone because I was working away from home and I doubted that my work colleagues who were there would have enjoyed my selection. This group of teenagers sat near me, leaving an empty seat. I was thinking, great, glad they left the seat. But then this kid turned up and sat in the space (he was about 15/16). The little **** farted a couple of times and would not shut up. I can't wait until I buy my big screen High Def LCD Television so I don't have to suffer at the cinema. I hope the kid followed through.

I think it is a conspiracy - any public venue, such as a train, or a theatre etc, there will always be someone there to piss you off. On the train, there is always some emphasemic old fart or someone with a cold who wants to sit next to me or behind me, or, if I sit in the quiet coach, a family with kids decides to have a chat-a-thon. The parents usually ignore the kids, so the kids keep repeating the same sentence over and over. Last time it was an annoying 5 year old girl with a weird way of pronouncing "hair". Can't remember what the sentence was, but something like "can I have my princess comb I want to comb my HAYER". She said this for about an hour. GRRRRRRR. GIVE HER THE PRINCESS COMB! PLEASE. LET HER COMB HER HAIR.

I also know you pain about shopping.... I live in town and the tourists at christmas are hell. They are the most ignorant people in the world. You might be standing there minding your own business but they won't walk around you. Nope. They walk up to you and glare or hit your legs with their bags. Even if you are standing right at the edge they will march up to you. Same with Christmas drivers, normal civilised behaviour goes out the roof, people drive like maniacs. People have less tolerence of others at christmas - I suppose because they are being more tolerant at home. Don't even get me started on supermarkets at christmas.

It's not weird.

You'd be surprised about what people are like. Because you would do something, does not mean other people would.

Mum is 50 and still learning that.

Thus, the distinction of an AS individual being self-absorbed and others being self-centered. Despite age many never pass the ego-centric stage.

Heh, the last time I went to the picture with my mother before that, we sat in the middle and a group of teenagers plomped down in front of us. The one who sat in front of her had this big (I don't know the actual word for it) ball of hair. I mean, it wasn't an Afro or a boufant, it just looked like he had rolled all his long hair up into a ball and sealed it with hairspray, turning into some sort of hair turban.

Any how, as we were watching the movie, he kept scratching at his head. My mother was counting it was that frequent. She became convinced that he had nits. When we left the cinema, his friends were ripping him off about it, so I assume she was correct. Still, I'll keep going to the pictures. I normally wait a bit for the early crowds to pass before going to see the big films.

I love kids and I want to become a teacher, but when I'm at the movies and there are a lot of kids there I hate them

They always have to ruin the movie by talking.