5. We're Not Supposed to Talk to Patrons About Theater Tragedies
I was working at the theater at the time of the horrible and tragic Aurora shooting, and when I came into work the next day, I was greeted by one of my superiors who told me that the even higher higher-ups released a statement that no employee should discuss the events with any patron of the theater. We were allowed to talk to each other and our manager, but we couldn't throw in a "Gosh, that's awful!" when we handed people their popcorn. We weren't supposed to say anything that was alluding to what had happened in Colorado. Now, I don't know if every theater chain adopted that policy, but I worked for a Carmike chain, and we did. And nothing was more awkward then when patrons would walk up to us to buy their tickets and whisper something like, "Now, we're going to be safe if we go see Batman, right?" And, as an employee, it's my job to say something along the lines of, "Enjoy the show!" with a fake smile and nod. And I understand that sometimes you want to crack a joke (however inappropriate it may be) about the lunacy of some people, but we're not really allowed to talk about it, or we get canned. So, if you've been walking into the theater the past few months and have gotten stale remarks when you ask, "No one's gonna shoot us up, are they?" just know that, as people, we very much want to tell you that "What happened in Aurora was a tragic event and the fault of a singular, deranged person. We, at this theater, go to great lengths to provide a safe environment for our patrons, so as they can enjoy the entertainment." But as employees, we're robots who will ask if you want to upgrade your popcorn.