You Are On My Mind

That's It?

Linda O'Shea smiled as she chewed her popcorn, "What is this, again?"
"Popcorn."
"No, dummy! The movie!"
"Oh. Bullitt. Steve McQueen, best filmed car chase in the history of filmed car chases," Danny Reagan responded. He had seen the movie for the first time when he was fourteen, and immediately fell in love with it. His girlfriend, on the other hand, had never seen it; she had only ever heard of it. When the movie theater was playing it one summer night, Danny jumped at the chance to take his girl.
"Steve McQueen, Huh? Is he cute?"
"You think I'm a good judge of that?"
"This is true...... it's just a police movie, right?"
"Bullitt is not just a police movie!"
Linda laughed at the appalling tone he used, "okay! I'm sure it's a great movie! I can't wait to watch it."
************
".... fell asleep. How the hell do you sleep through something as amazing as Bullit?!"
"I'm sorry! I really am! I didn't get much sleep last night, but I'm really sorry, Danny! I really wanted to watch it with you, and now I feel awful, cause I made you mad, and all—"
Danny cut off Linda's rambling with a kiss, "it's okay, Linda. It's not like you committed some ghastly murder. You just slept through a great movie. But don't you worry, cause we have it."
"So you took me to a theater even though you own the movie?"
"I wanted to be with you, and not be distracted by nonstop conversation from Jamie."
Linda smiled, "Saturday, then? A Reagan family movie night? I bet your Mom makes great movie snacks. Oh! And I can come early and help her bake and stuff!"
Danny grinned at her enthusiasm, "it's a date."
***********
"I feel really bad, though," Linda sighed as she sprinkled the cupcakes with multicolored sprinkles. "Cause Danny— he's so cute. He was so excited for it, and I was, too. And what do I do? I sleep through the whole thing!"
Mary turned to the blonde, "Don't Tell Frank or Danny I told you this, but I think it's one of the most boring things I've ever seen."
"Exactly! And Steve McQueen isn't even cute!"
The matriarch chuckled, "I never saw the attraction to him, either."
************
During the movie, Linda was snuggled into Danny's side. His hand playing softly with her hair, the warmness of the blanket covering her, and a tummy full of goodies all served to make Linda's eyelids get heavy. Her breathing slowed down, and the movie slowly faded into mumbles, and finally drifted away.
*************
"Third time's the charm, right?" Linda asked the week before school started up again. She needed to stay awake- she had to stay awake. In three short days, her boyfriend was going to go into the Marines. She and he agreed they could see other people, all while maintaining their relationship. She was sad and heartbroken, and knew it was selfish to think about herself like that. To make him happy, she was going to force herself to stay awake.
"I don't care if you fall asleep again," Danny sounded a little tired and irritated. He looked stressed, but held his girlfriend tight. "All I wanted was to be with you."
Linda felt tears in her eyes, "thank you," she barely answered. "But I really wanna see 'the greatest filmed car chase in the history of filmed car chases'," she mocked her boyfriend's voice, making his family chuckle. "So someone wake me up if I'm asleep at that part?"
"We will."
**************
Linda.
"Do you have to go?"
"Yes, and you know that."
Linda. Baby.
Linda jerked awake, "wha'?"
"You wanted to see the car chase."
"What? Car... huh?"
Danny smiled, she was too cute. "The car chase. In Bullitt. Here it is."
"Oh." Linda sat up more, in order to be awake enough to pay attention. She watched three minutes and thirty one seconds of the Bullitt car chase the other car. "That's it?"
"Yeah! Isn't it great?"
"That's what I've been trying to see? What's Up, Doc? has a better chase seen than that!..... I think I'm going to help Mary with dinner. I've seen the rest of the movie." As she exited the room, she heard her boyfriend's voice.
"What's Up, Doc? ? She thinks that chase scene is better than this one!"
The blonde shook her head and walked up to Mary. "Need help?"
She turned to her, "oh, sweetie. You look tired. Why don't you go nap?"
"I just woke up to watch a four minute lame-ass chase scene with ugly actors. Please gimme something to do."
Mary chuckled, "peel the potatoes, please."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Four minute, lame-ass chase scene with ugly actors, huh?"