“Let's see here, Rocky VII or the Kill Bill remake?”
“Zach, we discussed this before. I can't handle the blood.”
Zach threw his head back and rolled his eyes in frustration. He wasn't really that frustrated, but he wanted to take the jab at his friend anyway. He sighed audibly and continued scanning the movie times, glowing red and yellow behind the counter.
“I mean, there's always Hannah Montana, Sean... Is that more your cup o' tea?”
“Shut up,” Sean retorted with a swing of his burly arm at his taunter. The man behind the counter was not amused.
“Have you ladies decided what you're going to see yet?” he interjected with melancholy. “Last showings start in 10 minutes, and at this rate...”
The two boys stood dumbfounded by the clerk's comment. His eyes were dark and dull, just like his voice, as he stared back at them with chin in hands. He had greasy hair that stuck across his forehead and a scraggly mustache covering his top lip. The tag on his shirt read “Flickers Cinema” in what was once probably shiny brass. Zach spoke first, as he was the quicker of the two.
“Okay, Flickers. What do you think we should see?”
Flickers shrugged and turned to glance at the glowing board over his left shoulder, than his right. He hummed lightly to himself as he skimmed the movie titles until his attention was brought back by another crowd purchasing tickets. After a few moments of attending to them, he looked back at the board and then to the two boys.
“Well, let me get this straight,” he said, shifting in his swivel-chair. “You like the action and violence, while you... don't...”
“Yeah,” the two agreed.
“But the chick-flicks are out, I assume.”
“Yes,” they both said adamantly.
Flicker sighed.
“Praise God. Now, I take it you both are indie film geeks. Shaky camera, lots of misplaced F-bombs, suits without ties, acoustic soundtracks... But I'm not going to direct you that way! Because you're nice guys and you deserve better.”
“Um... Thank you,” offered Sean before the clerk continued his diagnosis.
“You're welcome. They're all sold out anyway. But... Sean, right?” He pointed at the hefty kid. “You seem as if you'd like the dialogue-based stuff. Soderbergh, Coen Brothers, etc.”
“Yeah,” Sean concurred, impressed by Flicker's insight. Zach just rolled his eyes, this time actually a bit frustrated. Sean didn't care. He never cared. That's why they had been best friends for 8 years. Besides, this was intriguing and it was looking like the clerk may actually have a good suggestion for them to take.
“That settles it then?” persisted Zach.
“That settles it!” smiled Flicker as he punched in the movie title and tore the tickets. “Theatre 5 is showing a terrific little western with excellent acting, a decent plot, and some solid action sequences. And it's on the house, boys. Enjoy.”
He winked at Sean.
“Minimal blood.”
The two boys thanked the greasy clerk and entered the theatre without even checking the title on their tickets. As they took their seats, the lights dimmed and the previews kicked in. Zach spoke first, as he usually did.
“You've got to be kidding.”
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