Ran originally in the Sunday March 15 editions of The Times and The News Star.

Let’s do what we did last week and talk about drive-in theatres, for a couple of reasons.

One, every time I try to write about something important like the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, I screw it up. Besides, I am not medically trained — made a D in biology in college — so what do I know?

If I were to write about it, I would say write that you can’t mess around with Mother Nature. She is indifferent and undefeated. You have a game to play or a championship to win? Mweh. Mother N could not care less, and with her track record, we defer to Her. Again, it’s not that She is out to get any of us. She is indifferent. Read The Open Boat by Stephen Crane sometime, a free short story based on a true event; you can Google it.

Sobering.

Nobody wants to postpone or cancel events or games — it’s heartbreaking considering student-athletes — just like nobody likes lightning delays at sporting events. But here’s the deal: if lightning hits someone, I don’t want to be there when it happens. And I don’t want to give anyone’s grandmother or grandfather a virus there’s no medicine for yet.

But again, my opinion doesn’t matter as I know less about the current medical scare and virus than I know about nanotechnology, women, or the gross national product of Liechtenstein. Or even precisely where Liechtenstein is.

But I do know a bit about drive-ins theatres, and apparently so do you. Last week’s effort about the Galaxy Drive-In Movie Theatre in Enni, Texas, a welcomed relic, generated more mail than expected. Since all of you are quarantined and we can’t actually go to a drive-in together right now, I wanted to share some of our friends’ memories. Many of you had coming-of-age moments at the drive-in; we’ve edited those parts out …

From Jane: “Many years ago I discovered Colorado and started visiting regularly. One of the things that keeps me visiting is a drive-in movie in Buena Vista on US Hwy 24. I’m mostly there in the summer, so don’t know if it is even open in other seasons. There was a theatre in town, but it closed. There were two theatres in nearby Salida — both closed. So now it’s movies from the library or the drive-in. I usually visit the drive-in at least once each trip. I saw the perfect movie there back when the movie was new: ‘Twister.’ So perfect!

“However, our current cars do make it more difficult watching. Only the front seat can really see because of the head rests. The rear view mirror is in the way because of the way it is attached to the window and it can’t be adjusted out of the way.

“But the ambience is still there. Popcorn, candy, hot dogs, drinks all sold in the concession stand. For the diehards it is still fun, but if there are more than two of you, bring folding chairs, quilts, mosquito spray. A real experience!”

From Curtis: “Anyone who grew up in the ’50s and ’60s has a story or two about the drive-in. I even remember going to the one in Ruston about 1971 I think it was, and there were still two in the area when I moved to Shreveport in ’72.  But I grew up in Springhill where the drive-in was the place to be. We had to buy those mosquito repellents that you lit and set on your dashboard … lol.

“But the one night I remember, in the late ’50s, we were at the drive-in when word began to circulate that Jerry Lee Lewis was spotted at Brown’s Cafe in Cullen, which I’m sure you know was the little town right in front of the paper mill. Well we left and drove over to see if it was true and sure enough, parked outside was his big long baby blue Cadillac, and there he was with a few of his people, sitting at a table having dinner. I got his autograph on a napkin but it’s long been gone.”

From Jim: “In my little ole Mississippi railroad hometown of McComb, we had only one outdoor theater, the Ren Drive-In. How was that for a catchy name?

“Like everywhere, I suppose, a lot of cars that came in with only a driver and one passenger were actually carrying two or three more non-paying movie lovers in the trunk.”

From Maurice: “We had a Twin Drive-In and I thought that was great. Drive-Ins are what bring young people from the adolescent to grown-up stage. Thanks again for something to replace the virus, shootings, and other issues of the day — we needed that!”

And finally, from John: “My mom took us to see The Blob at the old Star Drive-In in a 1953 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, four-door. From the back seat you could see the whole screen fine. Kinda brings tears…”

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