1st Movie in a Theater with Athena

5 June 2024

The sun shines down on the nation’s capital on a hot day in June. I’m pushing the stroller holding my wonderful daughter, Athena, down the busy Massachusetts Avenue towards a bus stop a block away from the American Institute of Architects Convention. Our bellies are full of french fries, burger, and hot dog after a lovely lunch with Amy before she returns to the convention. Athena and I are ready for an afternoon at the movie theater. We are ready! However, we must hydrate while waiting at the bus stop. I sip some water from my favorite green water bottle and Athena is sipping from her red Minnie Mouse bottle. 

The bus pulls around the corner and I wave my hand to make sure they see us because we’re not missing this movie. It’s the nation’s capital; I want to share this monumental theatrical experience with Athena in Washington D.C. How many kids get to experience their first movie in a theater in a nation’s capital?!  The movie picked is equally as great: “The Garfield Movie” featuring the famous voices of Christ Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong, Snoop Dogg, Janelle James, and Jeff Foxworthy. I cannot wait for this movie because it’s at the AMC in the Georgetown district of D.C. 

After a mundane bus ride (only Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock want a non-mundane bus ride) to the AMC, we are dropped off underneath the Metro tracks in front of an old stone building. This is best described in a photo, so please check it out below. 

Now, all this way, Athena is wondering where Dada is taking her. She shows a little excitement when we get off the bus and roll up in front of the theater. Her excitement grows as we enter through the glass doors into the lobby. This is the first movie theater for Athena. This is monumental for me, a dad, who loves being at the movie theater. I’m excited and I can tell Athena is excited because Dada is excited. 

We do the boring diaper changing procedures before we go to our selected theater. The only complaint I have of this theater is there isn’t a ramp down to the lower level of the theater; I have to carry the stroller down some steps. Now that I’m writing this, I wonder how people using wheelchairs get to the lower level because I didn’t see a readily available elevator. Anyways, we roll into the theater and we’re the only people there. Cool because I want to make sure Athena is comfortable. I pull the stroller up beside the recliner chair and offer to get Athena out, but she wants to stay in the stroller with her stuffed animal and water bottle. We both lay back and watch some movie trailers. Athena is captivated by the silver screen. I’m soaking it all in because this is a monumental moment for me. My daughter is watching a movie in a movie theater with me. Wow, I love this. The only thing making it better is if Amy joined us, but she’s at the convention. We will share another movie theatrical experience all together soon. 

In the second to the last movie trailer, a group of upper elementary-aged boys and their teachers show up to the theater. They are loud, but I don’t mind because this means it’s okay for Athena to talk aloud in the movie. She points out a dog in the movie trailer which is quite sweet. The movie starts and Athena is still enthralled with the silver screen. I do pay attention to the movie, but I constantly look over at Athena to remember what she looks like in her first theatrical experience. She follows along with sustained attention for about an hour (the movie run time is an hour and a half) which is quite impressive. 

At the hour mark an intense scene comes up with lots of action going on. I look over at Athena and see she’s crying with big tears. Immediately, I jump out of my seat and take her out of the stroller. I wipe away the tears and give her a big reassuring hug. I whisper, “I see this is getting too intense for you. I’m here, I’m here, I’m here.” I try to sit Athena in my lap to watch more of the movie, but she wants to walk around. Athena is done with the movie and wanders around the front rows of the theater. No one is sitting in them, so I let her wander around for a couple of minutes. After a while, Athena wanders towards the exit and I follow. I will only return if Athena wants to, but she wants to go. 

As we walk into the lobby, I see it is raining. I thank myself for remembering to put the rain cover underneath the stroller. Athena wants to go into the stroller because she’s tired and probably will fall asleep soon. Athena finds the rain cover quite interesting and funny. 

I discover I forgot to put a rain poncho into my backpack, so we sprint towards a nearby TJMaxx to find a poncho. After a little while of searching, we are back on the street and taking the forty minute walk back. The entire trip back over the old brick and stone walkways, I think about how special it is to share the first movie theater experience with Athena in the Georgetown district of Washington D.C.