Next time I go to the movies, I'm bringing Syndrome

[Big Wallaby]

My wife and I have had a weekly thing now, that on Tuesdays we go see a movie for our day off. As far as movies go, we have very similar interest: she would rather watch a guy movie than a chick flick. Tonight it was Transformers. It was a great movie, too bad I didn't get to enjoy it.

Mommy comes in with two children, two little girls, about 6 and 4, and takes the seats directly behind us. First off, Transformers is a rather violent movie, so I have to question bringing a six and four year old to see it in the first place. Then, the four-year-old, sitting directly behind my wife and me, starts coughing repeatedly. Then she's getting up, bumping both our seats in the process, talking loudly to Mommy. Then she's goes back to her seat, where she resumes coughing. At the point where Sam, his mom and dad are talking in his bedroom, Mommy had both kids cover their ears and start shouting "La la la la!" so they wouldn't hear when Sam's mom asked if he had been masturbating. There was a good 15 seconds that we didn't hear because of this. Later, during a fairly important scene (one that sets the whole mood of the rest of the show, in fact), I heard the girl cough and I felt liquid on the side of my face. I got up, went to the bathroom, washed my face, came back and spent the next half hour or so not following the storyline. Second time it happened, I went to the bathroom, and on my way back got a manager. He said that it was really to late to expel them, because it would create more of a ruckus for the guests watching the show than if he just left them there. He offered me free tickets to come see it again, which I turned down because it wasn't his fault, and I respected his decision to not interfere with the enjoyment of most of the guests watching the show. Went back to my seat, and finally, after more coughing and kicking the back of our seats and the like, we packed up and moved to the back of the theater where we stood the rest of the movie.

When it got out, I asked Mommy what her daughter was sick with, as I wanted to know so that if it knocked my wife and me out for a week, at least I knew what I had that was causing me to lose my livelihood for that time. The lady told me it was "just" a cold, and I shouldn't worry, just get over it. I responded that I had felt stuff her daughter was coughing up land on me, I had to leave twice to wash it off me, and that she had ruined the movie experience for me. And I don't know for sure that it's just a cold, those were some awful coughs coming from such a little girl. Mommy laughed again. At that point, I knew more words would be pointless and that I would be wasting my breath with her.

Throughout the movie, any time the daughter would cough, talk loudly, "La la la" or bump my seat, I was shooting Mommy dirty looks, but she did not notice once. If someone in the row directly ahead of me was turning around and shooting me dirty looks, I would notice, and I am a guy.

I would also like to give a kudos to the manager... Jeff or Josh or Joey. Four-lettered name starting with J. Even though I had turned down the tickets, after we moved to the upper area, I felt a bump on my shoulder. It was him, two tickets in hand. Good for any showing with seats still available. If I wanted, I could use those tickets for Harry Potter at 0:01 tomorrow morning. I tried to refuse, again because it wasn't his fault, but he said to think of it that he wasn't doing anything for me, that instead he was filling up seats and we'd probably get concessions and stuff next time we came.

So if you find yourself going to a movie at AMC at PI, if you run across a manager with a four-lettered name starting with J, let him know that I send kudos his way. Great way to force a guest to take your Service Recovery action and thank you for it. 'Least, it worked on me :D:

The only thing I can think of that this lady is worth calling is a bitch, which is a word I don't use often.

So here are the main things for which I have a problem with Mommy:

1) Bringing a small child to see a movie in which she will have little to no interest, because she is a little girl who grew up long after the Transformers went off the air (any guesses to whether she knew what the Transformers were before the movie?).

2) Bringing a small child to a movie rated PG-13 for language and violence.

3) Bringing a sick child to see any movie, especially one in which there are guaranteed to be other people in the theater.

4) Having her kids speak over parts of the movie they don't like.

5) Not even an "I'm sorry my kid coughed her lungs up on you".

If I see them tomorrow waiting for my bus, there is a good chance that I won't let them on. I don't want someone on board that I know is a health hazard, especially on a bus that recirculates the same air for hours for me to be even more exposed to her daughter's disease.

Really, people like this should not be allowed to breed.

[hobie16]

That really sucks! Some people are so self centered they have no clue about anyone around them.

The manager sounds like someone very focused on customer satisfaction. He'll do well wherever he goes.

[mechurchlady]

Be thankful you met a CM who went beyond the call of duty. I would have gone down there and told them to knock off their antics but I am never going to be a CM, never.

At least you you got a night out. Didn't the two of you have dinner out or do something like shove a SG in the water?

Hugs big guy and good luck next time.

[dannydp]

It wasn't too much skin off his back. When I worked in a movie theater we gave them out like candy. Ok maybe not like candy since candy was pretty expensive.

Movie theaters don't make much if any money from the actual ticket. Industry standard is 95-100% of ticket profits go to the studios, depending on the contact that brought the flick there. The theaters makes money off of concession. That's why 50¢ worth of popcorn costs you $5 :)

[BRWombat]

You're a better man than I, Wallaby. Don't know what I would've done, but I'm pretty sure my patient endurance of the SG's wouldn't have lasted half as long as yours.

One small quibble: you initially refused the passes because you said it wasn't the manager's fault. Maybe I'm starting to turn into an old fogey (starting?), but I think a theater should do more than rent a seat for two hours, they are responsible for ensuring a pleasant viewing environment. Once theater employees are aware of a problem, it is up to them to resolve it or otherwise make things right for you.

Translation: next time, take the tickets without a second thought.

[Cranbiz]

You're a better man than I, Wallaby. Don't know what I would've done, but I'm pretty sure my patient endurance of the SG's wouldn't have lasted half as long as yours.

One small quibble: you initially refused the passes because you said it wasn't the manager's fault. Maybe I'm starting to turn into an old fogey (starting?), but I think a theater should do more than rent a seat for two hours, they are responsible for ensuring a pleasant viewing environment. Once theater employees are aware of a problem, it is up to them to resolve it or otherwise make things right for you.

Translation: next time, take the tickets without a second thought.

Well said Wombat. Who said that marsupials were not smart. :D:

[Big Wallaby]

Well said Wombat. Who said that marsupials were not smart. :D:

Hey, I think that was a stab. Kinda itches a little. :p:

[Princess Susi]

EWWWWWWW :ewww: ....kiddie phlegm, Wow, I spelled that right! That is plain nasty and I catch everything when kiddies sneeze on me or even look at me when they have one of those upper respiratory thingys. I CANNOT take it when people have colds or who knows what and sneeze and cough and hack up a lung anywhere near me. Just grosses me out. They should not be exposing the public to their germs, that is how these bugs keep going round and round. It is especially bad for elderly people and those whose immune systems are compromised. That mother is just plain rude and STOOPID! :duh: It is rude to take a sick child or a sick self out to a movie, no less or anywhere where there is a large gathering of people to expose! :sick: You were a kinder person than I would have been. I would have said something to her the moment that snot hit my face. That would have been it, period. I don't do snot, mine or anyone elses's, BUT especially someone else's! GAG! And making them sing la,la,la, : puglears : during the film's "naughty" parts so they could not hear, jeeze...I definitely would have taken the tix, it IS managements job to make sure EVERY guest gets their money's worth. You paid for your tix, not to be slimed by a mucosy kid! :puke2: I would have taken the tix and come back. We have done this for movies when kids have been too noisy and will NOT shut up even after a word from management. If Mgmt does not kick them out so as not to disturb the rest, we go get a refund or comps and come back another time. It is NOT fair to you to have to put up with that during a movie with the prices you pay these days.
Better load up on Echinacea and Vitamin C and sit in a :hottub: Boil those germs! Remember, germys have a way of seeking adults out. I avoid childcare facilities, playgrounds and sit well away from families with small kids in restaurants and other social settings whenever possible! Same at WDW and DL. We try to seat ourselves away from them in restaurants and attractons whenever possible. I don't hate kids, just never wanted them, never had any and don't want to be around the loud snivelling little snot factories when they are acting like brats or sick!
Keep those sick ones off your bus or spray it down with Lysol afterwards. Let us know if you start coming down with something. I would send you some of my homemade Jewish penicillen, my tasty Chicken soup, but it does not mail well in an envelope :hysteria:
Hope you stay healthy and if you start sneezing anytime soon, stay away from me! JK. Me loves me bus drivers :love: :driver: Besides, I am a couple thousand miles away from WDW and the magic... :(

susi-Q

Hey ZAZU, Where's the smilie or should I say sick frownie of someone blowing their nose? heh heh heh...

[mechurchlady]

Hey Wallaby are you still alive, how you feeling? Were do we visit you and when are visiting hours? I would like to send a get well card and flowers.

[Cranbiz]

Hey Wallaby are you still alive, how you feeling? Were do we visit you and when are visiting hours? I would like to send a get well card and flowers.

At the moment Wallaby is alive and well. We passed each other today in the parking lot. He was going in and I was coming out. Yes, I know that I said to try finding us at night but I'm training at AK today and tomorrow and AK training starts at 0630. Talk about messing with my body clock!