The road crews cleared the roads Saturday and I was able to go see the movie, "Avatar."  I was stoked!

I've looked forward to this movie every since the first movie trailer came out about two months ago.  We were first in line to get our tickets and quickly grabbed our seats near the back of the theater.  About ten minutes later, a family came in and sat directly in front of us.  I noticed the teenage son had a cane and was blind.  My first thought was, "Interesting."

The mother sat beside him and before the movie trailers even started, she was obnoxiously loud.  When the previews started, we could barely hear what was said on screen.  My daughter looked over and said, "I hope she isn't like this through the movie."

Once Avatar began, the woman immediately explained to her son everything that was happening on the screen.  Not in whispers, mind you.  Out loud, as though no one else was in the theater.  After twenty minutes of this, her husband stood and seated himself four seats away from them because, apparently, he was having as much difficulty following what was happening on screen as we were.  Another ten minutes passed, and I went to find a manager.  I told my wife what I was doing loud enough for the lady to hear.

I explained to the manager what she was doing, and I really hated to have to complain since her son was blind, but we weren't able to enjoy the movie because she was talking right through it.  And, the first four rows of seats were completely empty.  He explained that it was a touchy situation due to the woman's son's handicap, but he'd be glad to give us passes to come back and watch it again.  He apologized for the inconvenience.

When I returned to my seat, she continued telling him about the movie, but she was somewhat quieter about it.  My heart ached for this teenager.  It really did/does.  But, essentially, he was cheated by being brought there.  Avatar is a visual effect movie.  No amount of verbal explanation can adequately describe the graphics on the screen.  I write novels, and I cannot possibly put into words the vast detail James Cameron achieved with his talent.  Mere words cannot justify the scenes.  It is phenomenal!

If it was physically possible, I'd gladly have let this teenager borrow my eyes for the 2 + hrs to watch the movie.  I cannot imagine how difficult life would be without sight.  I wouldn't want to.  I do wish with modern technology that something can be done to accomodate the blind for movies like this.  Who knows?  Maybe somewhere in the near future it will happen. 

When the movie was over, the father came over to them and said, "That was spectacular!" to his son.  To me that's like rubbing salt in his wounds.  How could you say that to him?  People really surprise me, and I wonder what more this young man has to put up with at home.