BTTF x 37

Posted June 4, 2018

During the summer of 1985, I watched Back to the Future 37 times. At the box office.

It was completely unplanned at the time, but I like to think I helped keep it #1 at the box office for 11 weeks straight.

It started off as a distraction. Something fun to do with my little sister during our summer break. I was 12, she was 8. This was one summer our both our grandmothers and my mom happened to be working, so it was pretty much just us every day until our dad got home.

We'd been saving our allowances for quite some time, so we had a pretty good bankroll going and, to a kid, it seemed endless. Or at least a problem for another day.

One day, after trying to find something fun to do, we walked to the local theater (less than a mile or so away) bought our tickets, drinks, and snacks and enjoyed the show. We both loved this movie and couldn't wait to see it again!

A few days later we did see it again...

One thing led to another and we were going a few times a week, sometimes several days in a row.

I knew it wasn't the best idea and no one else knew - I swore my little sister to secrecy. We'd earned this money from chores and physical fitness but I knew my dad wouldn't be happy about it.

We continued doing this for weeks, or probably months, off and on until one day we got confronted. Dad checked our stashes and was shocked that there was so little left. I can't remember if we came clean or came up with something else to be honest.

Either way, I'm sure I was grounded for this and protested loudly, but I don't regret it at all. My sister and I had a great summer, bonding over a great movie, and still enjoy meeting when we can for some time away and some movies nachos.