💬 Someone eating popcorn behind me and I couldn't hear the film

Saturday night at Prasads, last row, a good thriller. The man behind me had a bucket of popcorn the size of a drum. He didn't eat it. He attacked it. Crunch, crunch, a pause, then 5 more crunches. Every 10 seconds. The film had a quiet scene where 2 people whisper in a car. I heard the whole conversation as crunching. I turned around once. He smiled and offered me the bucket. I said no thank you, like a polite coward. It's only that sound. Someone can play loud music and I'm fine. A baby cries on a flight, I'm fine. Chewing ice and crunching chips make my neck go stiff. My teeth hurt a little. I can't explain it. My brother eats chips at home with his mouth open and I leave the room. He thinks I'm dramatic. My mother says I should ask people to stop. I said, what, in a cinema? She said, yes, politely. The worst place is a train. Last year on the Hyderabad to Vijayawada run, a family of 5 shared 1 packet of chips. I counted. 40 minutes of crunching and the packet was never empty. How is that even possible? I moved to another coach, then came back because the seat there was worse. I tried to read my book. I read the same page 6 times and still can't tell you what was on it. I tried earplugs once on a train. The crunching of the man opposite came through anyway. Now I buy my own popcorn and eat it loudly on purpose. If I'm making noise I can't hear his. It works about half the time. Last night I finished mine in 15 minutes and had nothing left to hide behind. Next time I'm booking the front row, where nobody dares to eat. I'll let you know how it goes.

Politely declining the bucket and then suffering for 2 hours is the most relatable part. Mine is the sound of someone chewing ice. My uncle does it after every meal and I leave the room. Next time maybe ask the staff to move you a row. Cinemas usually say yes if the hall is not full, and it costs nothing to ask.

Mine is knuckle cracking. A colleague does it every 20 minutes and I wear earphones with nothing playing. The front row plan might not save you. Last time I sat there, a man behind me ate chips for 2 hours. Popcorn in a cinema is bad, but chips on a train is worse. At least popcorn runs out. I'd also say no thank you to the bucket, then go home and complain to everyone.