I was on assignment today to the Grand Theatre for a feature and found myself in the upstairs balcony seating. While shooting the area with the newly installed chairs a sudden twinge of nostalgia swept across. I had been here before long ago.
Born and raised in Tracy I have many fond memories of town. Climbing all over the train in Dr. Powers Park, 4th of July fireworks shows at Tracy Airport and homecoming parades down 11th Street among them. Of all my memories of home and growing up I have one faded image of the Grand Theatre in my mind. I had been to this very balcony.
It is funny how pictures can jog you memory and as I sat the computer I could almost remember where I sat. Way back in the early 1970’s my father took me to the movies at the grand. I remember my brother and next-door neighbor went with us as we went to see the Disney film “The Million Dollar Duck”.
Now I don’t remember anything really about the movie except the duck was on a conveyor belt with lots of flashing alarms. What I do remember was being terrified as my dad picked out a spot in the balcony seating. I think that was my first high altitude viewing experience and in the dark I had the bottomless pit sensation. I remember grasping the side of my seat for dear life as the light flickered and showed the wide expanse blow.
How times have changed. On today’s assignment I have the opportunity to lean out an open window to get a shot of the marquee with downtown stretching below in the distance. The theater may look the same but my view has certainly changed.
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