CappuCinema

On each 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month at 3 pm, Mannheim movie theatre Cineplex offers something called CappuCinema: for 4€ you can go and watch a recent film that is just out of the movie theatres (but has not yet been released on DVD), add 2€ for a hot beverage and a piece of cake. Senior citizens get a 1€ discount. Frustrated by the latest lab work and with a ton of extra hours for the last couple of weeks I spontaneously decided to take the afternoon off for tea and a movie in Mannheim.

A friendly elderly couple joins me queuing at the ticket office, they later turn out to be my seat neighbors. After saying “One ticket for ‘Im Winter ein Jahr’ [A year ago in winter] with the hot beverage, please” I hear a not so young lady from the queue mumble to her companion in a broad Mannheim dialect: “Look at that, Uschi, the young man will be joining us for the senior citizens’ special.” For one second I hesitate, much more confused by the “young man” (uhm, maybe the last haircut was a tiny bit too generous) than by the “senior citizens’ special”. Nonetheless, I collect the extra tall latte macchiato and a piece of nut cake at the bar, look for my seat, assure the elderly man sitting on it and his wife next to him they should just stay right where they are while I take the seat two seats next to my original seat, put my jacket on the seat between us and fully concentrate on my early afternoon nutrition.

After finishing the cake my friendly seat neighbor asks me, also in broad Mannheim dialect: “Excuse me, may I ask you a question? How much did you pay?” – “6 euros.” A surprised murmur goes through the couple next to me and parts of the row behind us. As an explanation I lift my paper coffee cup. “With coffee and cake. Otherwise it would have been only 4€.” – „Ah. I already thought, gee, that’s expensive! We just paid 6€ in total, my husband and I, didn’t we? Senior citizens’ discount.” More murmuring from the back row, this time with a more supportive note. I let my gaze wander through the theatre – and am startled with surprise: Around me are maybe 80 persons, most of them women (this may partly be blamed on the selected movie), and all of them at least twice my age. Now, THIS is something you really don’t see every day, not even as a regular movie guest. Most of them are enjoying their coffees and chatting. Just like at home on the couch. One last discussion before sitting down. “Well, I really don’t understand at all why people have to bring their jackets to the movie theatre and put them right on MY seat, especially now that the weather is much warmer! You don't need jackets any more!” Lights are off. One ad, the movie starts. Last conversations in broad dialect and at full volume. „Wait a minute, wasn’t this Caroline Link [the director] the lady who wrote that bestselling book?” – “Naw, she’s the one picking up the Oscar five years ago. Nowhere in Africa.” – “Ah, yes, now I remember. And what was the name again of that lady with the bestselling book?” Oh, no, no, no, we’re NOT having a conversation, some of us actually came here to watch a movie… But during the film it’s surprisingly silent in the theatre. No fumbling in handbags, no comments, no ringing cell phones. Every once in a while suppressed sobbing. And although the pretty sad film touches me deeply, I am (like always) the only person in the whole theatre to somehow miss the point when to start crying. The credits are on screen, lights are up again, everyone slowly starts moving. “Alright then, take care. Say hi to the rest of the gang. And see you next time!”
Ah, now I understand. Back in the good old days, the traditional elderly Mannheim lady and, if lacking a good excuse, her husband went over to their neighbors’ for tea and biscuits on Sundays at 3 pm to exchange the latest gossip. Nowadays they meet on Wednesdays at the same time at CappuCinema.