by Francis Friel, The Projectionist

When the screen goes dark and we walk out of the moviehouse, when the director is done rewiring us, when the projector is done manipulating us, when our eyes focus and we stretch out our legs and take those first few steps, we are thinking of waking up. The credits roll, maybe you look around, look at your movie buddy, look for the exit. But your mind is not on the movie. Just as when you wake from a vivid dream, one that was so real, not even a dream but an *experience*, you were actually there, actually did and said those things, your first thought isn't "oh, that was just a dream"- your first thought, in the back of your mind, in your blood, as your body regains your normal conscious function, is: I'm awake.