Six Clues and a Bucket of Popcorn

The true magic of the cinema is that it allows one to escape the grim reality of the here and now, transporting us to entirely different worlds. Today, the wonderful Lumiere in Romford magically trundled me straight back to the murky depths of my misspent youth. The occasion? A fabulous, twelve-hour 1980s Mystery Movie Marathon. The delicious catch, of course, was that the line-up remained a total secret until the projector fired up, leaving us with only a list of cryptic clues to navigate.

I cracked the puzzle with terrifying speed, though Clue 3; promising a "west coast kick", had me temporarily fooled. I confidently wagered on Vacation, only to be outsmarted by its continental cousin, European Vacation. Still, the mental arithmetic revealed a spectacular itinerary of pure nostalgia: Mannequin, Cocoon, Police Academy, The Man with Two Brains, and Tootsie. Absolutely magnificent.

Survival of the Fittest

A twelve-hour sit-in requires tactical precision. Between the features, the house lights flickered up, releasing hordes of dazed film buffs into the foyer like a flock of startled, deeply confused pigeons blinking at the sun.

Naturally, snacks became major emotional milestones. Survival depended entirely on a steady intake of hot dogs and a few cold beers from the bar, which I retrieved with military efficiency. The inanimate popcorn machine glared at me judgmentally, yet I persevered.

It was a glorious triumph. The greatest victory? Realising that nobody was going to fine me for failing to rewind. A spectacular way to end three weeks off work. 

Truly.