Saturday Matinee

  It was a cold dreary winter day. The streets were covered with the dirty slush of  the snow, which had fallen earlier in the week .The sun was hidden in a pile of grey clouds hanging overhead. The unpleasant smell of drying coats and gloves filled the downstairs rooms of the crowded wooden house. Nevertheless, at this time, there was a distinct feeling of joyous anticipation in the air. Today was Saturday. Saturday was movie day! The entire family, we four kids, mom and dad were in a festive mood. The kids, ages from seven to eleven, me being the oldest, were going to the movies. Mom and dad were going to have the deserved peace and quiet of an empty house.The two groups each had their own reasons for celebration. Movies on a Saturday afternoon in a small town in the forties was a pack your lunch affair. The show consisted of a newsreel, lengthy previews of coming attractions, a serial continued from the week before, and a cartoon all of which was followed by a double feature generally consisting of a Gene Autrey cowboy film and a Shirley Temple film or something similar. Now, all the kids were bundled up in their winter garments. This was no easy task for their mother. Items had to be located, sorted out and put on.  They were then given ten cents a piece and sent out to trudge the three blocks to the theatre. The street looked like army ants invaded it with all the kids noisily swarming together heading for the same destination. Finally, everyone arrived and got in the line to give their money to the usher. As we progressed toward the front I heard an agonized shout  ‘I lost my money in the snow and I can’t find it. My sister’s money had fallen out of her  mitten when she had dropped back a few paces to stand with her friend. I went back but it looked hopeless. Hundreds of feet had trampled on the snow and it was buried deep in the slush. The line was brushing past us when Mr. Thomas heard the commotion and came out to see what was up. When he heard the story, he kicked around with his feet and he spied the nickels clumped in the snow and gave them to my sister. My sister and I thanked him for helping us and we went in to the show. When we got home I told dad what happened while mother removed our winter clothing and found a shiny dime deep in one of the fingers of my sister gloves .I looked at my dad and he smiled. I guess he knew now how a dime became two nickels.