I strive to give my son the best of things so... I proudly offered Axle two tickets to a triple feature including "Creature from the Black Lagoon" in 3-D on the big screen in our beautifully renovated Jefferson Theatre. A theatre spelled with an "re" no less.

He said "cool."

"Do you think you'll be scared? I mean with the monster in 3-D and all?

"Nope."

"Well, I think the second feature will be too wierd for either of us. In'The Brain
that Wouldn't Die,' your dad says there is a lady that gets her head cut off and
her husband keeps it alive, and she's none too happy about it. Sounds too scary huh?"

"Nope."

"Just wait till you see the Jefferson Theatre with the famous Robert Morgan organ and watch it rise from the pit. "

"Will they have pizza there?"

"Yes. Get in the car."

Most kids would thumb their nose at a black and white movie but this was different. Big screens, rising organs, and a theatre spelled with an "re." Still, Axle was playing it cool and counting on pizza.

Here we are in a renovation of my childhood, a Hollywood palace,
popcorn dreams, monster themes,and my son here to share it with me.

"So waddaya think?"

"I like these cool 3-D glasses. That organ sounds cool. This place looks
cool mom."

"If the movie gets too scary you can hold my hand."

"That's OK mom. Jeez."

We don our paper, polarized lenses and a scratchy, blurry black and white and sort of yellow and green screen pops out a bony claw. A few nice fishes swim past our noses and then, with a close-up of Gill-Man, we jump back in our seats. Squeals are heard throughout the place.

Then silence.

"Hey mom, I think you'd better hold my hand in case you get scared."

"OK."

I try to give my kid the best.

I think I got the better end of this deal.