Apathetic Confessional.com

This story is a few years old but with all the recent “Conversation with the Prime Minister” specials airing in the last week or so, I thought I’d chime in with a story I have regarding our current Prime Minister, Mr. Stephen Harper.


We’ll have to go back to 2006, a magical time where Pirates of the Caribbean, The Da Vinci Code, Casino Royale and some other stuff came out.


I was working in a movie theatre in the floor department.  My job was to clean up the theatre’s between shows, rip tickets, answer questions amongst the crowd if they asked and try find time to slack off.  I found lots of time for the latter.


Anyways, one afternoon I was on shift ripping tickets for the afternoon and PM Harper came in.  Along with the Prime Minister came several guards from the RCMP and I believe his wife or some companion.  That was all good in dandy, he’s come in before many times before and he was even considered a “regular” by the staff.  One time before this, a friend of mine was working the concession stand and served him.  We’re both liberals/lefties so she wasn’t “ecstatic” and neither was I.  My experience? I simply took his ticket as was my duty at the time, “Theatre 3 for Your Film, Enjoy the Show!” His reply? Nothing. No Thank You, no “great job young man, you are doing great things and I hope you become an accomplished…whatever”.


I’ve met people who I could tell were having the worst day but would be very courteous with me.  He took his ticket, walked away and looked almost bored, cold even.  Man, you’re the prime minister and you want me to vote for you?  Yeah, I know there wasn’t an election at the time but c’mon, you just can’t “shut off” after the election is over. I had a few other occasions involving him and I can only describe them as icy at best.


Also, his guards would come in and they of course took “strategic” positions in the building.  One guard stood at the other side of me for the whole thing.  So it’s hard to slack off when there’s a guy with a weapon next you you.  Didn’t really talk, he wouldn’t cover the door podium so I could take a bathroom break.  C’mon, I pay your salary now rip those tickets for me!


Also, when he ordered popcorn from my friend as I mentioned above, he didn’t tip.  Not that most people usually tip the movie theatre staff.  I’ve been tipped a few times and I gladly accepted it but he didn’t.  During one such visit, I had some friends from high school who were also watching movies that same night and I escorted them in the theatre.  They were liberals too and in retrospect I should’ve charged a shit load to them for showing them where he was. “Step right up and meet your ideological enemy!”


But alas, there you have it.  If it ain’t election season and you see Stephen Harper out, don’t expect much in the way of him being cordial.  But alas, I’m just a writer of a little-read website and I don’t expect people to change their perceptions of the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper especially over something you can consider trivial like a simple thank you.  And typically most people treat the staff at a movie theatre like shit anyway.  Maybe he thought he was being a man of the people.


I suppose I’ll never know. Just kinda odd, he’s the Prime Minister and little to no acknowledgment of anyone else.


I’ll just say this, I sure didn’t vote for him after that exchange. Not that his party really needs my vote, I’m in Alberta.


Well, Happy New Year!