OLD IS JUST A THREE LETTER WORD

I have many little sayings that get me through the day. Like the title above or my other all-time favourite: Round is a shape, too. :)))

I don't feel old. I don't feel like a Senior Citizen. I don't think I am a typical Bubbie (whatever that is). And the truth is I love being my age!

Forty was better than thirty. Fifty was better than forty. And let me tell you, sixty is better than fifty. I am on a roll my friends. And I am hoping that seventy, shudder, is going to be even better than sixty when it comes.

Why all this business with age? Nu, I thought you would never ask. So, as you know from my last blog I went to see Shalom Hanoch last week. HUHA. I think we were the oldest people in the audience. There were a few who looked like from our generation, but who was counting?

Then, Saturday my friend Evie and I went to the Mall to grab our copies of Harry Potter! Yes, I am a fan. Yes, I have read all the books. Yes, I have seen all the movies.

So, as soon as Shabbat was out, we ran over to the Mall, across the street from my place, and huffing and puffing (not really but it sounds so good) we got to Steinmatzky's Book Store and stood in line for our copies.

And then we went out for dinner. Of course we did!

Well, yesterday, I saw that the latest Harry Potter film was playing in the same Mall across the street from me. I called Evie and she was free and we ran to the Mall. Not sure if we could make it on time, I got tickets for the nine o'clock showing and we went out for dinner. Of course we did!

I remember the good old days, when you had to take a bus downtown to see a film in Jerusalem. There was one odd theater at a place called Semadar, which is still showing movies btw, but other than that you were downtown standing in line and checking the billboards for other films to see.

Today there are no movie houses in the center of Jerusalem. You have to go to the Malls. Little movie theaters attatched to a big room that sells pop corn and candy. Like the arms of an octopus, they reach out to grab the moviegoers who can choose between one of the eight different films showing at the same time.

I liked the one big move place with a balcony, which in my day was the only place you could smoke in the movies. (Oy I just remembered that!). And going to a movie was a big deal.

Well, Evie and I found our seats for the nine o'clock, English version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and settled down to wait for the movie to begin.

In front of us was a group of American kids. You can tell. One guy was really excited as this was his first Israeli movie experience.

I remembered my own. Picture this: Tel Aviv. Summer--hot as hell. The year was 1970. I don't remember what we went to see. All I remember was that in the middle of the movie, suddenly the lights went on and someone started screaming.

'A bomb!' I thought, and automatically stood up.

It wasn't a bomb. It was the ice cream vendor trying to sell his wares during the half time break.

You've come a long way, girlie. Sigh.

Well, where was I? Oh yes. All the kids were busy flirting and eating huge boxes of pop corn. And giggling. I remember giggling. It is actually a very nice memory.

Then the lights went out. And silence. For two hours no one said a word. It was magical. I wish I could fly on a broom. Sigh.

My friend pointed out that we were the oldest people in the room. I smiled. Maybe in age, but inside we were still lucky enough to have the soul of a little kid who loves magic and loves the wonder of wishing on a star.

Don't we all wish we could write a story like Harry Potter? I don't know about you...but I do.

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.