An audience or crowd gathers to watch the show, and the entertainment can vary from music, a demonstration of Martial Art, or an exhibition of products new and old. Venues vary from 10 to 100,000 or more people, and the box-office is a report to know the size of the crowd. We watch other humans perform their art as we the audience take part in feeding off the emotion like breathing air to survive. The show can be a schoolyard fight to describing cooking utensils. In the past we read about Gladiators fighting to the death, Olympians running and wrestling, watching the hangman end the life of the guilty. There are places for sightseeing, most can rattle them off, and some have visited them. People travel thousands of miles, fly to exotic areas, ride trains, ships, camp, hike, follow tour guides who take groups around to admire the architecture and workmanship of way back when.
The cinema was a place I went to watch and get lost in a story. Smell of popcorn and hot butter, a peek through the door to see if the film had started, looking for a seat. In the upper level of the theater, crowded, the stage dark with beams of light aimed at the props, and some mellow music playing in the background before the show. Between acts having a snack and a drink, smiling and talking with the other audience members. An outdoor concert at a fair, the band warming up, music going out into the air, floating off to ears waiting for the sound to please the crowd. A long ride on a school bus with classmates to see a baseball game, a doubleheader, hoping a ball might be hit in my direction.
Horse races, moving from the paddock to bleachers, photographers lined up along the fence to grab a shot of the winning horse. Torn losing tickets strewn all over the ground, winners are few and far. A rodeo with cowboys, roping, bull-riding, a fire at night, and the moon full. A tennis match, golf, bowling, the audience is taking part in the game. The roar of engines circling the oval track, spinning out, crashing, crossing the finish line. Graduation excitement, pictures with classmates, family, and friends. The audience together celebrating an event that may never happen again, a special time for all involved.
The last show, the last event of time for someone, and we’re there knowing it could be us. Flowers placed on display, soft music playing in the background, an album of pictures showing events gone. There’s always a picture, a moment of time caught, frozen, the dream ends the dream begins, the dream continues. Cheer for the winner, cheer for all the players, all games end sooner or later.
jsiwicki AUTHOR 