CHAPTER 6 - PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONES
Chapter Six is now up, with its chosen title reflecting on a problem that seems to crop up from time to time at the movies when other folks are trying to watch the show (see further down to see what I mean). There's also a little reference to the 6teen episode "Double Date" early in the chapter when David unveils his replacement movie for the sci-fi convention crowd.
Loseph21 - Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like what you've read so far. Unfortunately, I can't include a Lo-Broseph subplot in this story as it's almost complete, but I could include a little "Loseph" in my upcoming fic after this one. Since I pre-plan my stories and pre-write their synopses in advance, working a bit of Loseph into the story shouldn't be hard to do, especially as part of the storyline I have planned.
Super Guest - Based on the pranks Sabrina pulled on her fellow staff in "Stoked: Year Two" and so far in this story, the gang figuring out that quickly it was her after what David told them wasn't too surprising since they've come to know how she operates by this point. As for overloading the popcorn machine at the snack bar...you may just have given me an idea for the final chapter (LOL). :D
MOMENTS EARLIER...
"Thanks to everyone for coming here tonight, and welcome to the sci-fi convention's feature movie, as well as the re-opening of the Paramount Theatre!" As the moviegoers cheered again, he did not look forward to what he had to tell them, however. "Before we begin the movie though, I have a bit of bad news to break to all of you..."
The next few words David had to say to the gathered conventioneers waiting to see Big Steel 2 were going to be hard, he knew, but he also knew they had to know the truth about what happened with the movie. "...due to circumstances beyond the theatre's control, the movie you all came to see, Big Steel 2: The Annihilator's Revenge, won't be playing here tonight." The moment David said those words, there came a collective groan of disappointment from the crowd, peppered with some booing and calls of "Refund!" from a few disgruntled guests in the audience. Meanwhile, Sabrina cracked a pleased grin at seeing the success of her prank to disrupt the movie presentation and throw the convention into chaos.
"Okay, I know," David said, trying to settle the displeased crowd down. "I understand how you all feel about the movie not being here tonight. I was just as mad to hear about it not coming as you guys all are, trust me. But even though we don't have Big Steel 2 playing tonight, I was able to book a replacement movie which should be familiar to you all, and which we hope you'll enjoy just as much."
"What movie is it?" Reef called from his usher's spot in the aisle.
"Good question," David answered. "You all familiar with the original War Star movie?" When the crowd replied affirmatively, he continued, "Good, because you're in for a big surprise. The movie I got for tonight has only played in special engagements in New York, Los Angeles, London and Toronto and has not been seen outside those cities until now, and it has updated visual and special effects and over half an hour of added footage. Tonight, the Paramount is proud to present...the director's cut of War Star!"
The moviegoers, along with Reef (but not Sabrina, who did not care one way or the other), began applauding and cheering again when they heard they would be treated to the rarely-seen director's cut of one of their favorite sci-fi classics. Glad to hear that the convention crowd was willing to accept the substitute movie he had picked, David let out a sigh of relief. "And before the movie starts, we also have a short feature to play related to the convention theme, so enjoy the show, folks!"
As David exited the auditorium after the lights went down, the opening notes of the Looney Tunes theme could be heard playing inside. "Nice work, David," said Fin, who had watched his announcement to the audience from the entrance to Theatre One while snacking on a bag of popcorn. "Looks like your getting the director's cut of War Star helped defuse a potential disaster."
"That it did," David agreed while he and Fin walked back through the theatre lobby. "I was lucky the girl I talked to at the film exchange mentioned they had the director's cut available and suggested it to me."
"Perfect," Fin said. "By the way, what cartoon did you get to play before the main feature? You said it ties in to the convention theme, right?"
"Basically, Bugs Bunny saves the world from getting blown up by Marvin the Martian," David said. "Works for me, works for the convention and it'll keep a lot of the audience happy."
"I know it'll keep Reef happy for sure," Fin said with a smirk. "Then again, I've seen him get amused by those drinking bird toys."
Knowing what Fin was talking about, David laughed a little. "I figured as much," he quipped before he let Fin return to work while he went upstairs to his office above the adjoining Cinema Brew.
Later on in the projection room, David was watching War Star through one of the windows in the wall separating that room from Theatre One while Kahuna kept an eye on both the film and the digital projector. "The projector's working very well for its maiden voyage, isn't it?" David asked.
"Sure is, bossman," Kahuna replied. "No complaints yet on any of the movies."
"I don't think there would be anyway," David said. "It's only our first night back in business since the expansion finished. I'm just glad I didn't run into any major trouble over the convention movie."
"Don't speak too soon, dude," Kahuna said. "The night's still young. Never know what could happen."
"Yeah, I'd rather not think about it," David said, preferring not to tempt fate.
"'kay dude, suit yourself," Kahuna said with a shrug before he went off to check on the movie playing in Theatre Two. Moments later, David was distracted from the movie by the arrival of former Surfer's Paradise employee Snack Shack, whom he had hired to manage the Cinema Brew before its opening earlier in the week, followed moments later by Kelly.
"Your coffee as requested, my liege," Snack Shack, who was dressed as a Jedi for the sci-fi convention, said as he handed David the coffee he ordered, a mocha latte.
"Snack Shack, you don't need to call me 'your liege'," David reminded his employee. "Either Mr. Hughes or David'll be fine." Taking a look at his coffee, he then remarked, "Wait a sec, I don't remember asking for whipped cream or chocolate sprinkles to top off my latte either."
"He insisted on it," Kelly then said. "I wanted to take the coffee up to you myself after I ordered it for you, but Snack Shack wanted to make a good first impression on the job."
"If your coffee's not to your satisfaction, sir, I can take it back and make it as you wish..." Snack Shack said.
"No, no, it's fine," David said, deciding to accept the coffee as is. "Another thing too, Snack Shack - I'm not Mr. Ridgemount and I'm not Bummer either. You don't have to brown-nose this boss or worry about getting your head bitten off. Just do a good job downstairs in Cinema Brew and I'll be impressed."
"Of course, my li...er, sorry, David," Snack Shack said, correcting himself just as David was about to. "Your wish is my command."
After watching Snack Shack leave to return to work, Kelly turned to David and said, "I don't get it. Why'd you hire Snack Shack to manage the coffee house, anyway? The guy was a major brown-noser to Bummer back when he worked at the hotel last year and he did whatever that jerk told him to, including anything Bummer planned to undermine the rest of the summer staff before Mr. Ridgemount busted Bummer down for all the things he did to screw up the hotel. Besides that, Snack Shack wasn't exactly popular with the girls on staff either - he tried putting the moves on Lo and Emma on several occasions, and he even tried to ask me out on a date back before I met you. He's not what most girls would call appealing, or what they look for in a guy."
"Well, I hired Snack Shack based on his experience running the poolside food stand he's nicknamed after back at the hotel," David pointed out, "along with his work at the Beaver Tails stand and the Tradewinds restaurant here in town. If he can do a good job at all those places, he ought to be just as good managing the Cinema Brew. I agree with you about Bummer being a jerk to his staff before Mr. Ridgemount knocked him down a few pegs, but I didn't see it having any bearing on Snack Shack's ability to do his job when he focuses on it."
Taking Kelly's hand and drawing her to him, David then added, "Anyway, don't worry about Snack Shack - I talked to him about his putting unwelcome moves on the female staff here, so he's on a short leash as far as that goes. But if some girl who comes along does find him appealing based on common interests, I won't interfere as long as she's willing and it doesn't affect his job."
"It may take a miracle for that to happen," Kelly said as she thought back a moment to Snack Shack's failed attempts to get with a girl in the past. "But if it does, more power to him." After a pause, Kelly glanced up at David and prepared to kiss him as they engaged in an embrace, but the couple's attempt at a kiss was disrupted when Lo came into the projection room next.
"Hey David, sorry to interrupt you and Kelly," Lo said after coming inside, "but there's a problem going on inside Theatre One."
"No worries, Lo," David said as he looked the rich girl's way. "What's the problem?"
"I just came from watching a bit of War Star in there and I noticed there's a disruption going on there," Lo explained. "Someone's busy texting on their iPhone or whatever it is they got during the movie and some of the audience is starting to complain."
"Oh good grief, one of those?" a chagrined Kelly said with a roll of her eyes. "I've seen that happen before whenever I went out to the movies back at home. I hate it when inconsiderate jerks talk or text on their phones in the theatre during a movie."
"Hang on, let me see," David said as he went to look in Theatre One. As Lo told him, he spotted the light from an iPhone screen in the darkness on the left side of the auditorium and he could hear some of the disgruntled moviegoers complaining, with a few directing some choice curse words at the phone's owner. "Yep, you were right, Lo," he confirmed when he saw the phone screen's glow.
"I was even starting to enjoy the movie before the phone turned on and disrupted the show," Lo complained, echoing Kelly's sentiment. "What're you going to do to stop it?"
"I got an idea," David said as he went to grab the wireless microphone he had earlier when he welcomed the convention crowd to the movie. "I have this little trick I've been wanting to try for an occasion like this." Going over to the digital projector, he paused the movie, then turned up the house lights, causing a collective groan from the audience and more complaints before David turned on his mic.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please," David began, putting on a radio announcer voice as he spoke into the mic over the theatre's sound system. "This is Big Brother speaking. Will whoever is texting or talking on their cell phone in the theatre please shut his or her phone off until the movie ends so they don't ruin the movie for everyone else. We won't start the movie back up until the phone's owner turns their phone off." David then paused a moment to see if the offending iPhone owner would shut off their phone, but there appeared to be no sign of that person doing so.
"Hey, wait a minute," Kelly said as she also looked inside the auditorium and spotted the phone's owner, who was still busy texting and appeared ignorant of the growing frustration of the audience, some of whom were now taking to throwing handfuls of popcorn at the offender to make their point. "I think that's Sabrina down there with the iPhone!" she added, recognizing the snobby blonde the moment she saw her. "Boy, she's got nerve to do that."
"You're right, that's Sabrina alright," David said as he also recognized her texting while trying to ignore the increasingly hostile crowd. "I better do something about this before the audience decides to form a lynch mob against her," he continued as he grabbed his iPhone and used it to send a 911 page to a chosen usher in one of the other theatres elsewhere in the Paramount.
Downstairs in Theatre One in the meantime, Sabrina continued texting on her iPhone, oblivious to the clear disruption her self-centered behavior was causing as she continued getting pelted with popcorn by angry patrons who wanted her to stop so the movie could restart. "Hey, do you mind?!" she snapped rudely at a patron behind her who had thrown a crumpled-up drink cup at her left shoulder a second ago before she returned to her texting session.
Moments later, Greg, who had been ushering at a surfing movie in Theatre Five, arrived in the auditorium after being paged by David to see what the trouble was. Spotting Sabrina with her back turned to him, he walked over and tapped her on her shoulder. "What do you want?" she said curtly as she turned around and saw the big Hawaiian grom standing behind her.
"I got paged from seein' a cool surfing flick to go see what the hassle was," Greg pointed out. "I don't like havin' my movie time interrupted for stuff like this, 'specially when it's a surfing movie, so shut your phone off."
"Well, I don't like being interrupted when I'm busy texting a friend," Sabrina retorted, "so go take a flying leap."
As Sabrina returned to texting on her phone, Greg simply shrugged his shoulders, then took drastic measures as he scooped her up and carried her out of the theatre under his left arm while covering her mouth with his right hand to muffle her screams of angry protest. "Can't say I didn't warn you," Greg said as he escorted Sabrina, who was kicking her legs in the air in a bratty display of temper while she continued with her muffled yells, out into the lobby as the relieved and satisfied moviegoers cheered and applauded his means of ending the disruption. Having seen Greg successfully remove Sabrina from the auditorium from up in the projection room, a grinning David then turned down the house lights again and resumed the movie.
After the break - the aftermath of the movie, and David has another surprise in store for Kelly.