ONE FOR THE FIRE by VINCENZO RATED FRC

A trip to the movies - Scott, Virgil, Gordon and Alan take in a movie. My thoughts about what their reaction to one particular film would be.

Scott couldn't remember the last time he had taken in a movie with his brothers. Had to be in high school, he thought.

He also couldn't remember the last time he felt this embarrassed.

Virgil, to his left, was laughing so hard he was crying. Every couple of minutes he would settle down, then something would happen on the screen and another fit of laughter would start. And so would the people around them trying to watch the movie. "SHHHHHHHH!" Some were throwing popcorn at Virgil in an attempt to get him to be quiet, but Scott didn't think he noticed.

"Virg," he whispered. "Come on, the usher is coming back" Scott looked over his shoulder and could see the flashlight bobbing down the aisle.

Virgil looked at Scott through his blood shot, tear filled eyes, started to say something, when something big and green on the screen caught his eye. He spit what ever he was about to swallow all over Scott's jacket, but that also went unnoticed, except for Scott, he noticed it.

He looked to his right to see how Gordon was holding up, wiping off his jacket from the popcorn and spittle that Virgil had deposited.

"RRRAAAALLLLGGGHHHHH!" Gordon had emptied his popcorn bucket and was throwing up into it.

Scott rubbed his back, hoping that he would be finished soon. "It's almost over."

Gordon looked up at him, his eyes as blood-shot and as teary as Virgil's. "It better be, I think I just threw up my boots."

"Would you guys hold it down?" piped in Alan. "I'm trying to watch this!"

They all looked at him, Scott rolled his eyes, Virgil started sputtering like an old Chevy and Gordon buried his head back in the popcorn bucket.

At that moment the glare of the usher's flashlight blinded Scott.

"If you can't keep down the noise, I am going to have to ask you to leave!" the voice behind the light said.

"No problem," replied Scott. "I think we are going to leave now anyway." He stood up, grabbed Virgil and Gordon and steered them up the aisle. "Come on, Alan, we're leaving."

"Awww, come on, this is the good part," Alan said, as he followed his brothers.

That was all Virgil needed. He started laughing so hard he fell from Scott's grip and crawled the last few feet to the exit door, howling, cackling, gasping for air and clutching his sides.

Outside, Scott was sitting at the curb, his arm around Gordon's shoulder. "Feeling better?" he asked.

Gordon looked over and nodded. "Yeah...better, thanks."

Alan plopped down beside Gordon, pouting as only Alan could do. "That's the last time I invite you guys out to an Oldies night!"

Virgil was lying on his back looking up at the marquee of the theater. "This is one print they should have burned, not restored."

"Humph," Alan replied. "I'm going for coffee, anyone coming?"

As they all crossed the street, Scott looked over his shoulder at the marquee one more time. THUNDERBIRDS 2004!

"Ya know what Virg?" he said. "I have to agree with you, definitely one for the fire."