Cinematic memories

A walk in the rain can be most distracting for your thoughts, concentrating more on dodging puddles, or people's unnecessarily large umbrellas, or just wondering if your feet could actually get any wetter. This is a little how my thoughts have been dampened today, though I hope it won't impact too much on the content of my ramblings.

As I walked this morning I noticed a group of young men and women ahead of me, about seven of them, all wearing flourescent jackets, carrying large plastic sacks and those pincer type picker uppers. You know, the sort that old people always seem to have hidden away somewhere just in case they suddenly find themselves with a shelf too high to reach. Anyway, they were picking up the litter from the road side. As I passed them, you see I walk very quickly and as they are obviously employed by the council, they move slowly. That reminds me of a Max Boyce joke, when the council worker turned and stomped on a poor defenseless snail, until it was just a pile of shell and mush. A passer by took the man by the arm and said "Why on earth did you do that? What had he ever done to you?" To which the council worker replied, "He's been following me around all day!" Sorry about the Welsh accent, it wasn't very good was it?

Where was I? Oh yes, as I passed them I found myself wondering, was this a job they wanted to do? Aspired to doing? Or were they being good, hard working people, doing this job to have some dignity rather than just signing on the dole? Either way, I admired them, not a nice job but a very worthwhile one.

So, I started thinking about the jobs I have had in my past, I've had a few and most have been enjoyable. All of them had their highlights, things that you wouldn't usually class as a perk but were a treat to me all the same. I wondered, could I pick one out as a favourite? My first proper job, not including the Saturday jobs I had while still at school, was one I really loved. Having had a few minor issues in the man department at home, I was dispatched to live with my newly married eldest brother and sister-in-law. Whatever had they done to deserve that??? How terrible for them that after just two months of marriage, this sixteen year old girl is lumped on them in their lovely new home. Don't worry Jill, I won't tell the condom story....

Now then I found myself living in a lovely little village on the outskirts of Lincoln, I think it's where that famous chunky farmers pickle was discovered. As both my new landlords worked shifts it was quickly decided I needed a job. I was only set to stay with them until October as I had secured a place for myself in the RAF that November. As my brother was and still is a real cinema junkie, he was on very good terms with the manager and assistant manager of the ABC in Lincoln. Hence I ended up as an usherette for the Summer, not just selling ice creams and popcorn you understand. Oh no, I had the honour of even being allowed to take money for the tickets on one occasion!

What a wonderful Summer I had, Mr Black was the manager, he was a very thin Scottish man, who if I'm honest gave me the creeps a bit. He had those eyes, I can't describe them better than that but if you've ever known someone that gives you the creeps, you'll understand. The assistant manager on the other hand was an absolute joy, Mr Caslake. If he hadn't have been gay I would have lusted after him madly.  Sadly I can't remember the names of all the other women that worked there, I'm sure Drew will be able to, but I can remember their faces. I think the very large lady that didn't like giving up the cashier job  mainly because it was the only job where you sat, was called Val. She told me a story about how she'd had an accident in her car as a purple dog had jumped into the road in front of her. My brother later informed me that the purple dog had actually jumped straight out of a bottle of booze.

Then there was the only other young girl, I was the youngest at 16 but she was 19, she was so exciting and introduced me to the Green Dragon pub and drugs. Don't worry readers, I declined the company of those funny smelling little cigarettes but would sit quietly with her and drink my lager and black.

I think that there were 2 highlights for me that Summer, the first was meeting a nice young policeman from Nottingham, Dean, who would come and pay to watch a film (they were films then not movies) but spend much of the time chatting with me. I wonder what happened to him...  The second was when the film Splash was released, starring Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah. Oh what joy when I turned up for work and I was told that the Lincoln Echo were coming to do a promotional piece for the film and I was going to be in it. Wow, would I get to meet Tom? Darryl at the very least, no, I was dressed up as a mermaid while Mr Black dressed up in a wetsuit and held me in his arms. That wetsuit was far too tight and extremely disturbing.

Sadly, the Summer came to an end and I was sent home a reformed character, ha, that's what they thought. I'm glad I had the man trouble I did, I'm glad my ever patient brother and his wife took me in and I'm glad I worked in the ABC cinema. I still can't say if it was my favourite job but I can say it was the best job for a naive 16 year old to break her teeth on, surrounded by lovely, funny and very interesting people. Oh and of course getting to see all the films for nothing!!!