Last Monday night, sherlock and I went to see the movie I Am Legend at the local IMAX theater in the heart of the tourist district. The IMAX theater is ginormous. We sat fairly close to the back row, way, way up high in the nosebleed section, because any lower, and I get a neck ache from looking up at the screen, and we’re too close to take in that much movie in front of us.

In the row behind us, to my left, sat a professional-looking black couple who inexplicably brought their three year old son to the movie. Directly behind us sat two Puerto Rican late teens / early twenties girls. One of the girls got up, I assume to utilize the bathroom, leaving the other girl alone. Sherlock and I were eating our junk food waiting for the movie to start and noticed two Puerto Rican late teens / early twenties boys climbing the multitude of stairs. The men stopped about four rows down from us, in line with our position and hollered up to the girl behind us. This is the conversation, to the best of my recollection (PRB=boy, PRG=girl). Please bear in mind we were not paying close attention… at first.

PRB1: Come sit down here.
PRG: No, we’re sitting up here.
PRB1: (as PRB2 sat) Come sit down here.
PRG: Your girlfriend wanted to sit up here.
PRB1: Well she can sit here when she gets back.
PRG: The view is better up here.
PRB1: I am NOT sitting next to black people.
Me: **whispering to sherlock** Did he just say what I think he said?
PRG: Fine. I’ll move down there.
Me: **subtly turning my head to see if the black couple behind me to my left heard the racist comment**
sherlock: **whispering to me** I think we might see a race riot here.

Sherlock and I decided we must have mis-heard. Surely in 2007, no one would seriously holler that in a crowded theater. Certainly not in a theater full of black people. And surely not in a theater playing a movie staring a black actor. Anyway, how could a Puerto Rican — a frequent victim of racial prejudice — say something so hateful about another race? We must have mis-heard.

Moments later, after PRG2 rejoined her friend and the two boys four rows in front of us, several black people climbed the stairs and chose the same row as the racist Puerto Ricans. PRM1 glared at the black people as they walked past his seat and sat just a few seats down from them. Yes, he must have said what we heard him say. The hatred radiated off of him. Sherlock and I held our breath, just waiting for a fight to start. I lamented not having my camera with me to document what would surely be a blood bath.

It seemed as if PRM1 looked around to find seats to move to, to get away from those pesky interlopers. Alas, the theater was packed, and there was just no way to avoid sitting near black people.

Honestly, what decade is this? Can you believe someone would have the nerve to holler something like that in a crowded theater? Good grief!

wRitErsbLock