Cinemas Palme d'Or (17)

I parked in the perfect spot in the parking lot, one I'd discovered on my first foray to this shopping center when I went to exchange my Christmas underwear in June. There are three big trees at the edge of the lot, and there is full shade there for hours, a rare luxury in this desert world. I'd felt weird that first time walking through the mall and realized it had been the first time I'd been in a mall in over two years. The last time had been in Cabo San Lucas where I'd end up buying cigarettes when I was trying to quit and got to splurge crazily to undulging in fresh Häagen-Dazs at their store. The mall there was oddly more luxurious than this one in Palm Desert. On this second visit I was late for my movie, so I ran through the mall, dodging shoppers, looking for the theater. I actually had to ask twice for directions. It turns out you can't get to the movie theater from inside the mall. Who would have thought? I ate popcorn and watched Michael Douglas do what he does so well. The movie was sad and weighty, I thought, but it had just enough optimism at the end to avoid bleak. I marveled again over the shade when I returned to my car. It made all the difference in the world.