going thru this collection of drive-in theater links i remember seeing the projectionist at the sac 6 standing on the landing chawing the fat with a friend last friday night. the project booth for all 6 screens is the 2nd storey of the concession stand. i've been fascinated with it since i was a young dog. but i've never seen the inside of it.

once at a long defunct drive-in called the mather auto movies [mather was also the name of the nearby air force base before it was decommissioned about 10 years ago] the door of the projection booth was open. it was at ground level and connected to the snack bar. when i peered inside i saw an old man reading a novel sitting in a ratty green recliner set beside the projector.

that would be the perfect job for me. a few years ago i envisioned a long poem using a projectionist as the central motif. but gave it up after a short abortive attempt because that motif alone could not carry the weight of the text without, um, something.

still, i'd love to see the projection booth of the sac 6 before it is torn down. i've been tempted to walk straight up the steps and open the door. but common sense and shyness has kept me grounded to my vehicle parked before the screen. who knows, maybe i'll ask the manager, tell him or her that i grew up at this drive-in, will miss it terribly when it goes, and that i'm geek enough to appreciate the projector and the film cans stacked up in jagged rows.