Kid Riot

 


kid riot


    South Gate had two movie theaters when we were kids. There was the Allen on Tweedy boulevard and the much nicer Vogue on Long Beach boulevard. The Saturday matinee at both venues was kid chaos as few adults ever attended with their children. You walked there or got dropped off by relieved Moms if it was the Vogue. The overly- stimulated kids, free of supervision unleashed all their suppressed bad behavior at such shows. Greg went to see a movie called something along the lines of Sinbad and the Village of Alakazam  The title is unimportant but the movie just set the young miscreants into a frenzy and when the movie ended the place erupted into bedlam. Foolish concessionaires served popcorn in folded cardboard vessels that when emptied and flattened could be sailed long distances and when they hit their random targets they stung a little or "COULD PUT AN EYE OUT!" Cups, once filled with soda pop could be set down in the gummy floor and stomped making a small explosion adding to the anarchy.  As this kid riot progressed, ju ju bees were hurled, popcorn boxes filled the air, coke cups popped unrelentingly and some horseplay spilled into the aisles. The manager, probably a high school kid stood on the stage and directed ushers to apprehend the mischief-makers shouting stuff like "hey Joe, grab that kid in the striped t-shirt!!" 

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