One night hubs and I went to see a movie (a rarity but we had gotten a bunch of passes from the kids so we have been going out on a movie date after 10 years). The movie we saw was No Reservations which was pretty good. We termed it a 'chick flick'. But critiquing it isn't what this post is all about. It is about another dirty place....the movie theater. Theaters are crowded and I bet at least one if not 2 people in there are sick. Remember many viral infectious diseases are contagious a day before you know you are sick. During flu seasons it is not uncommon to hear someone sneeze or cough and an uncovered sneeze or cough can spray fresh microorganisms several rows away. Children's movies are the worse. There you can add head lice to the things you can catch if there are cloth seats. Think I am kidding? Did you know that during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, movie theaters in all major cities were closed?
Ever thought how many people sat in your same seat before you? Ever hear how often the clean those seats or for that matter the theater? I didn't know either until my son worked in one. They are lucky to get swept once a day and mopped once a week. My son said he couldn't ever remember when the seats and arm rests were wiped down.
Then there are the movie bathrooms that see waves of people using them after drinking those large colas. Ever notice how movie-users are not big hand-washers (I notice these things). Usually they are either rushing back to the movie, or trying to avoid the traffic jam in the parking lot. Bathroom stall door locks have got to be one of the more contaminated areas of the movie toilet, namely because they are always opened with unwashed fingers. Now think of all those man dribblers. Yanno the ones who either don't aim good or don't care. While urine is usually sterile and clean, what woman wants to put their purse on the floor of the theater where someone's foot with urine once was?
Then for many film buffs, a movie just isn't a movie without a tub of buttery popcorn or a jumbo-sized box of Raisinets. Ever wonder where most of that food ends up? Yep the floor. Ever wonder why they keep the lights on low? So you can't see how dirty the theater really is. Then there is that ice factor I talked about in an earlier post. And the teen factor in another post.
For me: I don't eat at the theater. I don't use the restroom. I only go to theaters that have non cloth seats and I never go during cold and flu season. I never take a purse but I do carry a lysol towelette to wash my hands as I leave.
