The Albany

The line of people out the door. The queue that snaked around the floor. The building's sleek art deco style. The carpets' faded plush red pile. The "Coming Soon" in convex frames. The "Showing Now" and big star names. The James Bond pose in poster shots. The tickets from the kiosk slots. The heavy doors that often creaked. The seats on springs that always squeaked. The fan shaped lights along the side. The screen that stretched up high and wide. The smoke that swirled inside the beam. The shapes and sounds of Pearl And Dean. The silhouettes and where to sit. "The Motor Showroom opposite." The adverts that had overrun. The trailers for the films to come. The feature that would come on first. The sudden pangs of extreme thirst. The usherette's cool ice cream stint. The fancy names like Midnight Mint. The curtains that would move on cue. The 'X', 'AA', the 'A' and 'U'. The expectations in the place. The action of the opening chase. The talking scenes that went nowhere. The plastic cup beneath my chair. The glance at watches in poor light. The stunts and guns and final fight. The seats that sprung as credits rolled. The exit doors and night time cold.