In 1962-63, while a senior at Pensacola Catholic High, I worked as a theater usher at the Saenger Theatre (that's how they spelled it), on Palafox Street, in downtown Pensacola, Florida. On Saturday nights, we would have a midnight movie. At about 12:30, all the adults went home leaving us teenage ushers in the "custody" of an off-duty Pensacola police officer... in uniform.
Ralph, a Pensacola police officer, who shall remain last nameless, was a nice guy and the cop who usually worked the midnight movie with me and my coworker, Jim.
It was customary for the ushers, to hold onto an empty popcorn box, to dip extra popcorn out of the leftover popcorn bin (usually a lot). We would set the box up on the half wall between the lobby and the back seats and would dip into the box as we watched the movie.
On Saturday nights, Ralph the cop would dip in with us.
One particular Saturday night, Jim, the other usher, dipped into the popcorn box and accidentally knocked a shower of popcorn over the back row. People jumped up angrily, including some large, angry specimens of humanity. Jim apologized, and all seemed forgiven.
A few minutes later, I went for the box and, being a bit clumsy sent another popcorn shower over the heads of already disgruntled patrons.
Like Jim, I apologized profusely, and, with a few growls, and tugs on their sleeves from wives and dates, they sat back down.
After a while, Ralph the Cop, reached for the box and sent it AND the fresh load of popcorn it contained into the back rows.
I didn't wait to see how Ralph was going to handle his faux pas. I ran for the lobby and hid behind one of the ornate pillars. On the other side of the lobby, Jim had chosen the same tactic.
And there, between us, behind another pillar, hiding out in full uniform, badge, gun, cuffs nightstick, and all, was one of Pensacola's finest, Ralph the Cop.
Donovan Baldwin
