the husband was gone this weekend playing hockey and big j was at a hockey camp on saturday, leaving the little man and i alone for a date day. it turned out to be kind of chilly on saturday (but yesterday more than made up for it, thank you sunshine) so we bagged our plans to go rollerblading and went to see a movie. we saw "how to tame your dragon" and it was a great movie. i love that dragon. i want that dragon. seriously, go see it or buy it when it comes out. i don't care how old you are. in fact, the rest of this post is about that exact point. before the movie started, i saw a cute little old man shuffling into the theatre in his walker. i figured he was coming with his grandkids or something. nope. he sat just to the right and front of us, all by himself, with a big bag of popcorn and a soda. there was no one anywhere around him. i kept an eye on him, kind of intrigued. he removed his cap, and smoothed out his little straggly hairs, and settled down to the movie. the animated kids movie.
i think i watched him watch the movie just as much as i watched the movie myself. he was laughing and smiling and would nod his head or shake it, he muttered to himself a few times and sat forward near the end, when things got exciting. after the movie, i wanted so badly to go ask him how he liked it. little j and i sat and watched all the words at the end, i was kind of waiting for him to get up. he didn't. he just sat there, looking at the screen. we made our way out and little j had to go to the bathroom so i was waiting for him in the lobby. i finally saw the guy come out of the theatre--only to line up in the line again to pay. i was so curious and wanted so badly to talk to him. i never did get up the nerve, but i did hear him tell the ticket lady that he'd like a ticket to "how to tame your dragon." he told her "i think i'd like to see that one again" with a big grin on his face.

my heart just about squeezed itself right out of my chest. i love that little old man. i want that little old man...