A CHIRISTMAS STORY @LAURELHURST THEATER

自分が訪れた映画館の中で、最も素晴らしいと思える場所。
それがLaurelhurst Theaterなのかもしれない。
1923年に建てられた映画館を直しながら今に残しているらしく
古びた外観や内装に歴史や郷愁、そして映画好きの人たちの愛が感じられる。
信じられないくらい美しい外側の照明は、写真を見てもらえればわかると思うけれど
街頭の少ないポートランドの暗い道路沿いに、突如現れた楽園のようにすら見える。
どうしてこんなに色が鮮やかなのに、嫌味な印象がしないのだろう。
どうしてこんなに愛らしくて温かいネオンが存在するのだろう。
東京にいた頃は吐き気がするほどネオンを見てきたけれど、無機質で突き刺さるような悪意しか感じられなかったな。

無愛想なチケット売り場の番頭さんに4＄を手渡し(4＄、たったの4＄！！)「Have fun!」と送り出される。
カウンターで作るポップコーンの匂いや、カウンターの前のパブでビールを片手に話す人達。
映画を見る前後に、こうして仲間や家族と話す風景があるというのが素晴らしい。
僕は一人でベンチの片隅に座りながら、手をつなぎながら入ってくる老夫婦や、寒いのにTシャツで頑張る親子の後ろ姿を目で追っていた。
日曜の夜をこんなに素敵な場所で、大切な人たちと過ごせることが心の底から羨ましい。

そんな人達を見ていたら、いつの間にかお腹が減ってしまい僕もペパロニピザとコーラを買う。
拙い英語で「この映画館、超最高だね！」と声をかける。
「I love here too!Thank you!! Have a time!!」と送り出される。その瞬間が本当に嬉しい。
最高の空間に最高のスタッフ、映画が好きな人たちのための空間に今自分がいることを実感できる。

意気揚々とシアターに乗り込むと、広々とした館内にまばらに人が。
目の前に置いてあるテーブルに(テーブルが置いてあるなんて！！)ピザとコーラを置いて、スタンバイ。
今日見る映画は「A Christmas Story」。日本未公開の、アメリカで愛されるクリスマスの定番映画。
映画が始まると、みんな同じところで笑う。周りのことなんて気にせずにみんな大声で笑う。僕も笑う。

自分が日本にいたころ、クリスマスに映画を見たことなんてあったっけ？とふと思う。
もしこの映画を見ていたら、知っていたら、なにか違ったのかな？なんてことを考えていたらいつの間にかエンドロールが始まっていた。
満足気な顔で出口に向かう人々の様子を眺めながら、クリスマスを迎えるアメリカの雰囲気を感じる。

映画館のパブには次の映画を待つ人達や、映画の感想を話し合う人たちでいっぱいだ。
外は雪が降りそうなくらい寒い、目の前のバス停から、またLaurelhurst Theaterの写真を撮ってしまった。

It was the most wonderful place in the movie theaters that I've visited so far.
It might be Laurelhurst Theater.
This theater built in 1923, the goodness of the old days still remains.
The history, the nostalgia and the love of movie lovers were felt in the old appearance and pretty interiors.
You can see the incredibly beautiful neon lighting at outside, it is along the road with darkness where there are few streets. It looks like just a paradise that appeared suddenly.
Why was this color so vivid, I didn't feel disgusted?
Why was it such a lovable and warm neon?
When I was in Tokyo I saw so so so so many neon lights that as I felt nauseous, but I felt only malignant piercing with inorganic matter.

I handed out $4 to the unfriendly ticket counter ($4, only $4 !!) and he said "Have fun!".
A smell of popcorn made at the counter, and people who were at the pub had a beer in their hands and talked with each other.
It was wonderful this view that was talking with friends and family like this, before and after watching a movie.
While I was sitting in a corner of the bench alone, I was following an old couple who entered while holding their hands, the parents and their daughter who wore T- shirts in my eyes.
It was enviable from the bottom of my heart that I can spend Sunday night with important people in such a wonderful place.

I was watching those people, I got hungry and I also bought pepperoni pizza and coke.
In my poor English,  I said "This theater is super awesome" to the counter staff who was wearing cool glasses.
"I love it here too! Thank you !! Have a good time !!" He said to me. That moment was truly delightful.
I could realize that I was in the space that there were the best staff, people those who like movies very much. Here was the best space for the movie.

I was excited to enter the theater, people were sparse.
I put a pizza and a coke on the table  in front of me (There's a table! Amazing!) It was ready to see perfectly.
The movie I saw was "A Christmas Story". It was a classic movie of Christmas that was loved in the United States (It was unpublished in Japan, Jealous!)
When the movie started, everyone laughed at the same scene. Everyone laughed out loud without worrying about surroundings. I also laughed.

When I was in Japan, I haven't seen a movie in Christmas, I think.
If I were watching this movie, if I knew, my Christmas might be different? I was thinking about it while the end credits began.
I was feeling the atmosphere of Christmas of the United States, when I saw people heading for the exit with a satisfying face.

The cinema pub was full of people waiting for the next movie and people talking about the impressions of the film.
From the bus stop in front of me, I took a picture of Laurelhurst Theater again.
Outside was cold, that it was about snow.