Dounglomchan: Let's all go to the movies ... yes, all

I’m not sure whether Cassandra and I reached a new high, or a new low, by sneaking our dog into the movies last weekend.

I’ll let you judge. But before you reach a verdict, allow me to plead my case.

Cooper is 8 months old, and leaving him alone for long periods of time is hard. Because when we get home, he demands that we play fetch for hours on end.

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And last Saturday, we wanted to go to Lubbock and see the movie “Birdman,” starring Michael Keaton.

We’d have to leave Cooper by himself for at least six hours. And the last thing we wanted to contend with was to play with our puppy after being gone all day.

The cheapest alternative was to bring him along, but we wanted to be considerate of the other movie goers. So we devised a plan.

I’d drive us to Lubbock while Cassandra played with Cooper in the passenger seat. Once there, we’d walk him around a park, further draining his battery.

We figured he’d be sound asleep when we arrived outside the theater. And he was.

The final hurdle was smuggling him past the ticket attendant. What would happen if he found out Cooper wasn’t of age to see an R-rated movie?

Cassandra put Cooper in his travel bag and slung him over her shoulder. I walked in front of her to shield him from view, and we snuck past the unsuspecting ticket attendant with ease.

The inside of the theater was almost empty. Two ladies sat in the front row, so we went to the top, thinking we were home free. We were wrong.

Other patrons started filling in the seats around us. And before the previews even started, we were surrounded on all sides.

There was no way we could keep Cooper’s position hidden, I thought. He was tired but all the commotion had given him a burst of energy.

Movie goers are upset if you leave your cell-phone ringer on. How would they react to a yapping Yorkie?

But something miraculous happened. He never made a sound. The lights dimmed, the previews started, and he was asleep on Cassandra’s lap within minutes. It was like being at home.

Two hours later the movie ended, and Cooper woke up sleepy eyed and discombobulated. Mission accomplished.

We left the theater and opened his bag, letting him take care of his business on the bushes in the parking lot.

It was then that one of the ladies who sat in front of us exclaimed, “Did you just take your dog to the movies?”

I sheepishly told her we had.

“He was quieter than most babies,” she kindly remarked. “Isn’t that the coolest dog ever?”

I agreed and I felt that parental pride I can only imagine you feel whenever your child makes you proud.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case.

Kitsana Dounglomchan, a 12-year Air Force veteran, writes about his life and times for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:

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