I was also 9 years old when ESB came out. I remember my teacher talking to the class about something, and she somehow got onto the subject of Star Wars. She asked who in the class had seen either of the Star Wars films. EVERYONE EXCEPT ME raised their hand (how ironic is THAT?!). I was moritfied. I remember one boy in my cluster (we had our desks arranged in groups) looked at me in shock and said "you haven't seen Star Wars?!" I remember the Star Wars films were THE biggest thing among kids my age back then (this was in Las Vegas, Nevada, BTW, where I was born and raised).

I saw Star Wars and ESB 2 years later during their 1982 re-releases.