Waiting at the Cinema

Waiting at the Cinema

By Laura Schiller

Waiting

With my coat piled up in my lap

Sitting on a bottom-flattening plastic chair

The minutes stretch like mozzarella cheese

Waiting

Staring at the multiplex spectacle surrounding me

Video arcade shots and shouts

Foozball table bangs

Spotlights floating from wall to wall

Blue...yellow...white

And a hint of tinkling otherworldly music

Waiting

Neon-colored drinks at the concession stand

Avalanches of popcorn

Cheesy nachos and cardboard-like hot dog buns

The Starbucks lady frozen in her green-and-white logo

Swirling lollipops and shining metal-wrapped chocolate

Waiting

People flooding past with distracted faces

A human zoo

Black, white, yellow and everything in between

Strangers’ faces blurring in front of my eyes

Not a single face I know

Waiting

Like a puppy in a cardboard box

For someone to take me home