by shaun lawton
Immediately people began getting up out of their seats and leaving the place.
Meanwhile I sat mesmerized watching the beam of light from the projection booth behind us refract through the cascading rain drops, displaying a surreal image partially melting up on the silver screen. The rain itself wasn't cold at all, almost body temperature and it actually felt good. I didn't even look up to see how it could possibly be falling into the theater, I was so fascinated by the sight both of the light passing through the falling droplets and its final appearance wavering and deliquescing against the white backdrop. Most of the people were filing out of the theater when the film projector was shut off and the lights went on and a voice announced the movie was being cancelled. Abruptly roused from my enraptured experience, I became annoyed that they interrupted this magical incident. As I walked up the aisle toward the lobby, I asked an usher if I could talk to the projectionist. He indicated a frumpy middle aged lady sitting on the steps down the aisle from me. I approached her and asked why she stopped the movie, adding that there were a few of us who were mesmerized by it and who weren't bothered by the rain and wanted to continue watching the rest of the film. She explained something about the potential water damage and sort of waved me off. I sighed and gave up, and walked out of the theater.
I can see the message inherent to this dream, it should be discerned easily enough.
The ninety percent of the audience who walked out represent the majority of people today.
They're either not wired directly to the poetic or dream experience, or maybe that spirit in them has been worn down by the daily grind, I don't know. Maybe it means rainy dreamers like myself are the ones whose wiring is somehow off. Whatever the underlying reason may be, this was one of the more refreshing dreams I've had in awhile, despite the fact the movie in it was interrupted. As far as I know this is the first time I've been exposed to the idea of it raining inside a theater while a movie was playing. I think it says a lot about the state of our world today, or it just reveals something about me.
