Hope settled back in her chair as the lighted figures began to appear on the screen and the first music played. As the film progressed, she was utterly caught up in the story. She sat on the edge of her seat as the three lost pets encounted bears and mountain lions and all sorts of dangers. She cried into her handkerchief when the poor cat fell into the river and was washed away, then cried tears of happiness when the cat turned up later, unharmed after all. She thought her heart would break when the old dog finally fell into a pit and the others had to leave him, and so close to their home, too! But just at the end, there the dog came, limping up the street, and was reunited with his boy again. As the final music sounded and the names of the people responsible for the film moved up the screen, Hope looked down and was surprised to see that she had not nearly finished her popcorn or drink. She had been so caught up in the story that she'd forgotten to eat.
Finally the last screen shone out and then the music was silent and the screen went dark, and Hope found herself sitting alone in the dark. She just sat there for a while, thinking about what she had experienced. It was much more sensory than reading or just listening to a story--the sights, the sounds, why, it even seemed to move and you seemed to feel the things that the characters did. It really put you right in the middle of the story. On the other hand, a really skilled storyteller could do that, too, and there was a certain pleasure in imagining for yourself what the characters looked and sounded like. And those poor Muggles--separated from their beloved pets and unable to even use a finding charm to try to find them!
Finally Hope put down her snacks and went over to turn on the lights, but then she returned to her seat. She picked up the popcorn and cup again and started to eat and drink--well it would be a shame to let it go to waste, after all. Might as well get the full experience. |