The Starlight Drive In holds so many memories for everyone who ever was there. The Starlight was the second of three drive ins in Alliance. The first was about where the Sunset motel is now. The second was behind the former Pizza Hut on Flack Ave. And of course our current one is out by the rodeo grounds.
From the time when we were little, when dad was “in” (railroad), we would put on our feetie pajamas grab a pillow and blanket, and be waiting in the car for the folks to take us to the drive in. If we had been good, a trip to the snack shack would be on the agenda, which meant not only the best popcorn in the world, but sometimes we even got an orange drink, in a little plastic orange that was the most awesome thing a kid could get to have! Then the movie started, all was well until a love seen or something we shouldn’t see caused a hand to come over the front seat, land square on my head, and okay, time to go to sleep, then I really wanted to see what was going on.
When we got a little older came the opportunity to get to walk in to the drive in. I will never forget the first time we got to do that. My brother and I went with Deb, Bobi and Jim Tyndall. We hauled our blankets under arm. Treat money in our pockets and excitement big time, just to get to go without parents. We set on the benches clear in the front, and the movie was “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” Wow what an experience, then to get to walk back to Tyndalls afterward, it was late, dark and cold. And it was a huge thrill!
Next would come the teen years, I was the first one to drive, so we would pile in and head for the movies. Bunch of giggling girls, who I doubt watched much of the movie. And having so much fun. Then it was dating and going to the drive in. Sitting next to your date, little nervous, sharing the popcorn, and really hoping he was watching the movie intently!
Then the time comes, that you get to take your own child to the drive in, still in his feetie jammies, and ready to roll, only to find out little fellas cant see very well in the back seat of a Volkswagen. Then you get to see just how many people can sit in the front seat. Great memories…every stage of your life you could gauge by your drive in experience. I can still smell the popcorn!