Date night and pirates

I planned a date for Jeff and me tonight, and two of our friends were kind enough to stay with Biscuit while we went out.

There's a theater in town that plays old movies. And this isn't just a movie theater. It's a theater-theater where they have plays and musicians and all sorts of performances. So there are statues and velvet curtains and chandeliers and lounges instead of bathrooms. It's a really pretty place.

Anyway, they were showing "Casablanca," and that's Jeff's favorite movie. So I asked our friends to babysit without telling Jeff about it.

And then came breaking news.

And it was the next step in a story that Jeff has been covering since the beginning.

Of course I couldn't just plan something and have it work out. That's not possible!

So I left our office downtown and drove out to pick up Biscuit from day care. As we were getting out of the car at home, Biscuit picked up a pair of old sunglasses and put them on.

"Mom, I think there's something wrong with these," he said and turned his head toward me.

"I should say so," I told him. "One of the lenses is missing."

"That's okay, Mom," he said. "I'll just be a pirate, and this can be my eye patch. Aaarrrgggg!"

I ordered pizza for Biscuit and the sitters, then I called Jeff to check in. There was no way he'd have time to come home then get back downtown in time for the movie. So I changed my clothes and headed back downtown by myself.

Driving myself to a movie was not quite what I had in mind for date night.

But I got into the theater in plenty of time, bought my popcorn and joined Jeff on the front row of the balcony. The announcer told about the other movies they'll be showing soon ("To Kill a Mockingbird," "Gone with the Wind" and "Guns of Navarone"), then he said, "and also ... no kissing in the balcony!"

Some date night!

The movie was great, and seeing it on the big screen was really nice. It's funny how all those classic lines sound cheesy when people quote them, but when you see them in context in the movie, they're perfect.

Biscuit had a great time with his sitters. They brought him a rescue helicopter (that of course makes all kinds of obnoxious noises!), and when I told Biscuit they were leaving, he got all worried and said in a low voice, "But I don't want to give my helicopter back."

"They gave that to you as a gift," I told him. And then he was fine.

The evening wasn't quite what I planned, but Jeff and I had a couple of hours together in a dark theater, sitting with our elbows touching (and occasionally holding hands, but don't tell!) and watching a great movie. So you won't hear me complaining.