I recently went alone to see a movie that I subsequently wanted to see again at a theater with my wife, but the scale of the picture was such that I thought only an IMAX screen would do it justice. However, we found that the film's IMAX run would end before the weekend. That meant finding someone to watch Anthony mid-week on short notice, or taking the whole family and hoping we could somehow keep him quiet or be in a part of the theater where others would not easily hear him. Recent experiences with him at the theater have been generally disastrous.  

I didn't want to bother my mother, who is our main help when my wife and I go out on special occasions. We also knew we would be spending a substantial amount to take the whole family to an IMAX theater plus eat out to accommodate the show time, so we did not want to additionally spend for the special needs teacher that we sometimes ask. Thus, my wife gave Anthony a higher-than-normal dose of Risperdal to try to keep him quiet. We were also hoping that the three seats next to us at the end of the row would not be purchased. Others clearly had the same idea I did about the movie, though, as the theater was rather full with adults despite the mid-week showing.  

The situation appeared promising when we got there. Anthony was subdued, and the seats next to our allotment were vacant, so I had Anthony sit on the outside rather than between me and my wife. Just as the movie started, however, three people came in and sat down next to him--and they had food with them. My anxiety level shot up. Would Anthony reach over and try to grab an unsuspecting person's food? Since the movie had already started, I was loath to get up and have Anthony trade places with me. A few minutes passed with one eye on Anthony and the other on the movie. Finally I decided I couldn't take the chance that Anthony would go untempted for two more hours, so I had him get up but try to stay low. I did the same and switched seats with him.  

The rest of our time in the theater went uneventfully until the last twenty minutes of the movie, when the medication started to wear off. I spent that time trying to hold his arm and keep him quiet. He thankfully did not resist to the point that he caused a commotion. Nevertheless, this experience confirmed to me that movie outings with the entire family will of necessity continue to be kept to a minimum.