Concession, Concession

Over the Fourth of July holiday, my wife and daughter took a trip to San Francisco to visit our son and my wife’s sister and her family. I decided to stay home and keep my mom and our dog Buddy company.

On July 4, however, my sister, her son, my brother and I decided we would take our mother out for the day. I can’t remember the last time my mom spent the entire day with her kids. The plan was to take her out to lunch for traditional Japanese food and then see a Japanese movie playing at the Kahala Mall theaters for Spotlight Asia.

I was really looking forward to it, not just to spend time with my childhood family, but also because I would get to eat all kinds of good stuff. I stuffed myself at lunch, partaking in some dishes I haven’t had in years. However, that didn’t stop me from thinking about the standard movie treats I planned to have at the theater.

When we got to the movie, it was my brother’s treat at the concession stand. Naturally I had to have buttered popcorn and one of those ice cream malt cups. I hadn’t had one of those malt cups in a long time, so I was anticipating eating it as I waited in line. Once we got into the theater, the place was seriously full up. I sat next to my mom.

My priority was to fix up my popcorn while the previews were on. I asked my mom to hold my ice cream and I proceeded with my popcorn ritual – that being to pour it into a cardboard tray and then sprinkle mochi crunch over the top of it. I also smuggled in some extra salt, which I didn’t want my mom to see me adding, thereby avoiding that lecture.

I was ready to watch the movie, but when I looked back at my mom to ask her for my malt cup, she had opened it and was eating it! She seemed to be enjoying it so much that I didn’t have the heart to ask for it back. I looked on as she downed spoonful after delicious cold spoonful. Later, when I had to go to the bathroom, she asked me if I wanted her to hold my popcorn tray.

I’m no fool. I took it with me.