The Baby Changing Station

There is a young man at work. He takes a break from threading the IMAX film projector that has been consuming the majority of his day. He takes the elevator downstairs into the lobby of the newly constructed theater, goes to the restroom and sits at a stall, slowly turning his walkie talkie volume down. Shining through the massive windows that are plastered throughout the building is the sun, bringing evidence of a perfect spring day. It is one of the first truly beautiful weather afternoons of the year, so there is hardly anyone in attendance at this big, 16-screen multiplex.

He is alone in the stall, amidst complete silence, leaving him with nothing but thoughts…and his thoughts lately have been anything but healthy for him. He glances over at a baby changing station that is mounted on the wall two feet to his right, desperately hoping that his mind can focus on something anti-detrimental. This is impossible. There, in his mind at that very moment, is himself as he could’ve currently been had he not made the horrible mistakes he made. He is smiling and laughing, changing his young daughter’s diaper at the baby changing station in this restroom of the multiplex. She looks so much like her mother, he thinks. He finishes up and meets his wife as they enter the theater together, embracing each other and smiling. Everyone around them can sense the genuine love they share together as a family. They will go on to live a long life together, sharing endless moments of pure joy.

He opens his eyes. There is silence again as the sharp pains of reality kick back in. He turns his walkie volume back to loud. “Andy, we need you up in the IMAX booth.” He flushes the toilet even though he didn’t use it and walks back upstairs, to work.

Tags: Anime, Asian, Family, Hope, IMAX, Italian, Jessica Alba, love, Mistakes, movies, Multiplex, Regrets, Scarlett Johansson, Short Story, Thoughts.