My teenage memories of Toler Cinema

by Steve Dunford

The announcement of investors buying the Toler Cinema building in Benton, set social media on fire Monday night.  This number is views on Facebook was over 18,000, the third highest ever on the nine year history of the website, and the most of any story that I have written over the last six months.

I have thought of several memories that I had in the building.  I remember seeing ET, Rocky III and IV, Top Gun, Rambo, and sneaking into see St. Elmo’s fire.  They didn’t card me to see a Rated R movie when I was 14.  I looked 25.

I have probably watched other movies there.  I also saw Hoosiers the first and third time there.  I watched it the second time in Marion.  I still watch it at least ten times a year.

I have always been a storyteller.  I think that is why I fell in love with Duck Dynasty, because of Uncle Si alone.  My stories are like his, 95% of what I think is the truth.

The farmers got some much needed rain overnight and today.  Other than a line of storms that will come through late this afternoon, the rain is over.  We have a beautiful five days ahead of us.  I am going to share a couple things that happened at Toler Cinema.

The first one was I was on a date there.  I was double dating with a friend of mine and his girlfriend.  We went out for pizza before we went to the 9:00 show.  We didn’t hit it off very well.

I thought the girl was cute, and she asked me three things that I like the most.  I said sports, fishing, and rummage sales.  She said she hated all three.  She could not believe that a teenage boy loved yard sales.  She thought buying clothes especially, was disgusting.

I took a lot of ribbing from my friends for hitting up rummage sales on Saturday morning.   I loved the negotiating part.  I could very easily been a junk dealer and made good money.  I just never had the storage space.  However my buddies would take me with them when they went to buy a car.

I already made up my mind this date was a one time deal.  She used the pickup line that high school girls have used for decades, let me see your class ring.

I let her see it.  She had it in her hand and dropped it.  The ring tumbled all the way to the fourth row, under a seat.

I got down on my hands and knees to pick it up.  There was an elderly couple that was a couple rows back.  The lady got into her purse and tried handing me a five-dollar bill and said, honey you don’t have to get popcorn off the floor, I will buy you some.

I quietly said I am getting my class ring that rolled down here.  The stone was Ok, the ring just had a nick on it.

I was a prankster back in the day.   Most of you know that have known me for several years witnessed my handy work on April Fools Day.  I did not participate this year because of fear someone would take my outright lies in good nature, as  news stories  and facts.

My first car was a ’77 Mercury Monarch.  My buddy Jeremy McFarland had a ’76 Ford Granada.  I could start his car with my keys.  He couldn’t start my car with his though.

We were cruising Benton, and I forget why, but we drove through the parking lot of the theater.  I said do you want to see something funny, meet me by the pool, in what used to be the Holiday Inn.

I pull up in his car.   We sat in the parking lot of the motel to watch him come out of the show.  He walked out happy as can be, holding hands with this date.  When he could not find his car he was in a panic.  We all got our laughs.

He started to go back in, I might have the law to deal with, or worse his parents and when they got done with me, my mom and dad would take over.

I pull in front of the theater and honk and wave at Jeremy and his date. I cant remember who he was with.  It was probably with his wife Kellie.  He told me I don’t get even, I get ahead.

I go to leave for school the next Monday.  I start my car, put it in gear, and I think I dropped the transmission.   My drive shaft was put on concrete blocks, with the back wheels barely off the ground.

The whole time through High School, we never told any of our circle of friends we had a date, or there would have been some kind of “chivalry.”  It was part out of meanness, and mainly out of jealousy.

I hope rambling on about my teenage days brought a smile, and a couple laughs to you today.

Feel free to share your memories about going to the show in Benton.  After nearly a decade gap, the next generation will have stories to tell.  Please support the new owners when they open it back up.