Trashy Movie Gig
This is my second submission to My Very Worst Job, so I’m not sure the superlative technically applies. Either way, it was a terrible job.
Just before the end of my junior year of high school, I decided to quit my mediocre job at a large retail store in search of greener pastures. I’m a huge film buff, so I was thrilled when I got a job at a nearby multiplex.
My first shift was on the night that Spiderman opened. For those of you that don’t know, Spiderman broke all kinds of records its opening weekend. I walked up to the entrance and was greeted by massive lines of fans that had been waiting for hours. I slipped into the back were a manager handed me a vest, a clip on bowtie, a schedule of when the movies got out, a broom, and a trash can with wheels on the bottom. I was told to pick up the trash in the theaters after all the patrons left and to do it quickly because they needed to get everybody in for the next screening. And that was all the training I got.
That first night was just awful. My co-workers would constantly go missing for hours at a time to smoke pot in the parking lot and leave me to clean massive theaters by myself. Each theater had an insanely long line in front of it that seemed to be ready to riot by the time we finished cleaning.
Somehow, I made it through. I was completely exhausted when I finished and, for some reason, didn’t quit after that night. In fact, I stayed on for nine more months. Each night I would be amazed at the disgusting things people would leave in a theater. Some of the worst things were cups full of chewing tobacco spit, used baby diapers, and cups full of urine (which, by the way, deteriorates the cups so the bottoms are prone to fall out when you pick them up). Once, when I was emptying the trash in a restroom, a single poop fell out of a rolled up paper towel and landed on the ground. Also, you would be surprised at how frequently people throw up at movie theaters.
I tried to take advantage of the free movies but employees were only allowed free passes on weekdays and only during the day. In retrospect, I have no idea why I stayed that long. I had made a few friends, but it was not worth the work. I guess it was pride or something. I eventually quit after I was denied a raise and then found out that they had started paying new hires more than me.
It comes with the job…
But that doesn’t mean it is awesome! Jeez, the disrespect that people show for one another is evident in the messes you had to clean up.
You didn’t find any used condoms? That surprises me! Or maybe people that do it in the theaters just bareback it.
One reason I rarely go to the movie theater is my disgust at the laziness of fellow patrons who would rather litter the floor than carry their trash 50 feet and put it in the trash can when they leave. One of my favorite cartoon characters once described the movie-going experience: “I’ve been captured by partially-chewed Goobers.” I wasn’t sure whether he was referring to the mess on the floor or the people sitting on either side of him.
Ew! I worked at a movie theater before, too. It was horrible. I am surprised you didn’t find condoms, either. I have to say my worst experience working at my movie theater was that one girl wanted to fight me- honestly said “let’s take this outside!” because my best friend from France came to visit me and I switched closing duties with another co-worker so I could get out sooner. Mind you, 2 assistant managers were standing right there and said nothing. In fact, one of the stupid assholes told me I “deserved it”. Yeah, I hadn’t seen my friend in 3 years and she was waiting for me in the lobby.
@ Surreal: I would have told that manager that they “deserved” to get kicked in the head, maybe it would knock the stupid out.
My wife used to work in a movie theater and I heard some pretty bad stories about the patrons. I guess some people think that just because the people who work in the theater are paid to clean up, it means they can leave any kind of mess behind since it’s “their job” to clean up after their nasty asses. To this day I make sure any trash I have at the end of the movie is deposited into the nearest trash can… by me (and my wife and son if they’re with me).
People who don’t carry their trash hate going to the theatre with me, I’ll make them take it even though they whine that people get paid to do that. STUNNS me that people really think that way. There’s a trash can for a freaking reason.
As far as throwing up…I ate like three packages of Redvines during Harry Potter 1 when I was 13-ish, and I had to run to the bathroom during the forbidden forest scene and throw up so I don’t find it that hard to believe. XD
@TMS, I know right? I was 19 at the time and I couldn’t believe what was happening. I just walked away from the girl and told them that I was going to file a harassment report. The guy apologized saying he was “out of line”. I told him they all were and put in my 2 weeks notice. Not sure what happened with the girl who wanted to fight me though. And not to mention it was horribly ackward and not a good impression/experience for my French friend.
Good story.
And you know what? It’s never occurred to me to bring my trash out with me at a movie theater! I think this story has reformed me.
I’m a person who wouldn’t dream of littering elsewhere, too. Why pirse is chronically full of soda straw wrappers and coffee-ringed napkins, to prove it. When I eat in cafeteria style restaurants I always remove my tray and any other refuse from the table, and I think those who don’t are thoughtless boobs.
I guess I always thought it was considered perfectly acceptable to leave an empty popcorn or soda container under one’s seat. If there are trash cans in theaters, though, perhaps they’re displayed a bit too discreetly(?). But like I said, I’ll look for them now because this story has reformed me.
But I’m still gonna leave my cups of urine, and dirty diapers, under the seat. This is still a free country after all.
Why pirse = “My purse”. Jesus, strange typo.
I found that the people who left their trash were usually the first ones to loudly complain about having to wait while the staff cleaned the theater.
I never understood why it was so hard to take your trash and throw it out in one of the 3 giant trash cans you passed on your way out. Or hell, even toss it in the giant trash can we have to drag in with us because so many people leave their trash behind. I was only getting paid minimum wage; you can bet your ass that’s not even to clean up most of the shit we find in a theater (if only it was popcorn and soda!).
I’m glad you’ve reformed, Lisa.
It never occurred to me that some people actually feel entitled to leave their trash behind; I figured everyone was just lazy.
My only non-school job was at a movie theater, and I did find condoms. We also found 12 empty bottles of wine, several huge empty bags of McDonalds, and a birthday cake. I don’t really know how they snuck those things in, but I’d bet money it’s because the brown-nosing girl who always got to work box never paid attention. Luckily, no urine in a cup, but God only knows what that sticky stuff on the floor is. Or how long it’s been there. >__< Eww!
i have to hand it to you, that is one gross job…people really are disgusting. I always throw out my trash when I leave the theatre.
That’s why I also rarely go to theatres anymore…sticky floors, and not to mention the germs during cold season, people coughing right behind you! Fuck that, I’ll rent a DVD!
Blucher:
No wonder you make the horses whinny. Lighten up.
What is it about theaters that is so horrible? Is it:
the $20 movie ticket?
the half hour of blaring commercials beforehand?
kids talking loudly to each other?
kids loudly talking on their cellphones?
Sonic-boom speakers to cover up all this noise?
Not seeing the screen because of all the lights coming from I-phones/Blackberries/etc?
The complete crap coming out of Hollywood these days?
Im confused you act like you should have been given more training… to pick up trash? Did someone have to manually show you how to stock shelves in your previous job?
Its not rocket surgery you know.
@ JChief – I’ve been trying to work a horse whinny comment into a reply to Frau Blucher for months.
Instead I just seem to be singing “If you’re blue and you don’t know where to go to why don’t you go where fashion sits…..”