The movie reel

I once saw an old movie reel in a trash can. The projector wasn’t there, just the reel which you’d wrap the film around. Its grey tone suggested a yearning to be taken, so I took it. I thought it would look interesting nailed to a wall in my room so I did.

That night, a bright light pierced my sleep, waking me up. I rose from my mattress and as my eyes adjusted to the room, I saw that the light was coming from the movie reel. This wouldn’t have been odd except for the fact that there was nothing to project light from the reel because it had no bulb and no electricity.

I looked on the wall where the light was directed and saw a very fuzzy version Casablanca being played. Horror ran over me in sheets of sweat, but I liked the movie Casablanca and I liked movies in black and white, so I sat down on my floor and watched it. It was puzzling, because at some points in the movie an actor would start speaking in another language. I didn’t remember anyone speaking different languages in the movie on previous viewings, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

When the movie was over, I pried the reel off the wall and threw it in my closet. I couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. The image of that terrifying piece of metal on my wall emitting light buried deep into my mind. I slept alright the next night, though.

The reel didn’t play another film for about 2 months. When it did, it was again in the middle of the night. I was jolted from my sleep to a whirring sound coming from my closet. I went in and saw that Roman Holiday was playing on my wall. Again, the horror came and my heart started pounding. But, I sat down to watch it anyway, because I thought Audrey Hepburn was pretty.

When it was over I took a Polaroid of the movie reel, scanned the picture onto my computer, then set it up to be sold on eBay. My description for the reel read as follows:

“Old movie reel. NOT a projector; just the reel, around which the film would be wrapped. Plays black and white films coming from an unknown origin on the reel. Films play once every two months in the middle of the night.

Good condition, some scratches. No electricity needed to use. No film needed to use. It will play films on its own. At random points during a film, actors may speak in a foreign language (foreign to English). This does not in any way lessen the quality of the film.

Very nice item! Looks great on a wall. Makes for wonderful conversation. There is no reserve on this item. Good luck!”

The first e-mail I received regarding the reel auction came the next morning and read as follows:

“I am very interested in your movie reel. I haven’t seen a reel that can play itself in many years. Does your reel play any pornography?”

My reply to the potential bidder read as follows:

“Yes. Yes it does. My movie reel plays pornographic films on its own. It is a very nice movie reel.”

The man bought it for fifty-one dollars and thirty-five cents. His name was Scott.