Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Last Friday night I took

Last Friday night I took the advice of two of the most sophisticated observers of popular culture I have had the pleasure to meet - my sister, and Mr. G. A’Plenty.  Both of them urged me to visit Oakland’s Parkway Theater, and I was unable to withstand the onslaught of their combined persuasive powers.  As a result I found myself looking up at a traditional theater marquee at nine o’clock at night, paying $5 for a ticket, and negotiating pizza topping preferences with Greg.  We would have taken a metal pizza-seeking spindle with a number on top to our seats with our pitcher of Newcastle, but that was my job and therefore it was overlooked.  But it was waiting for me when I remembered and went down to look for it, and, once retreived, enabled total pizza delivery convenience.

The scintillating Meredith soon joined us, having ridden over on a mysterious bottle-sprouting bike.  She’s as lovely as she is witty, which is loads, and it was a pleasure to meet her.  The grilled chicken and spinach pizza arrived with the previews, and then we had our BLT - Better Luck Tomorrow, which I really liked.  Good writing, good characters, excellent direction and camera work.  But after all those years I spent in an asian youth gang, maybe I’m not being objective. 

And the Parkway itself is a very cool theater.  Low-budget, low-key - professional but self-deprecating, eclectic, and more than anything, comfortable.  The rest of the crowd was a very entertaining and mellow mixed bag; the three of us shared a little couch (when I sit next to a man I refuse to call it a ‘love seat’) with a coffee table at prime footrest height, where our beer and pizza patiently awaited our desire.  The screening room was good sized, and though the sound may not have been THX Dolby Invasophonic with tinkle enhancement, I heard just fine. 

There’s only one thing I found a little weird - the projector was in front of us, at the downstage edge of a long broad raised apron in front of the screen.  I always look back at the projector when I go to the movies - all my life except one single time in college.  And now at the Parkway.  And it looks like I’ll be facing that situation more often as I go, because I’m definitely going back to that theater.  Maybe it wasn’t the single best pizza I’ve ever had in my life.  THEY FREAKING BROUGHT IT TO ME WHERE I SAT ON MY ASS DRINKING BEER WAITING FOR MY MOVIE WITH MY FEET UP.  While chatting with Greg, which is always like being a guest on the Today Show or something - you just try to keep up, not make too many mistakes, and let him look good for you both. Once I got my beer I did okay.