I miss the sticky floors.

The soft, squeaky chairs.

The cold and quiet welcome of an empty screen.

The hush that quickly radiates when a film begins.

The upmarket cinemas with their fancy menus and soft velvet furnishings. 

The supersized screens in all their mighty 4K glory and

the ‘complimentary’ seat upgrade I often give myself.

H

I miss the momentary hush before a loud and memorable musical number begins.

The floor-vibrating purr of an expensive car engine during a chase.

The sugar-filled Pick ‘N’ Mix that would make my dentist recoil in horror.

The cocooned, cool, dark bubble of the cinema screen and

the isolation away from the noise and stresses of the world.

h

I miss the silhouetted strangers who accompany me during my viewing experience.

The slow filtering stroll from seat to exit and the blinding light that greets me there.                        

The camaraderie of cinema- the sense of community that binds us, even if for a short moment.

The forceful immersion; no skipping, no pausing nor rewinding. And certainly

no chance to catch our breath from laughter or tears, for the show must go on

h

I miss the intensified experience, the magnified picture, the amplified sound.

I miss being part of something so much bigger than myself.

I miss it all; the highs, the lows. Simply put,

I miss the magic of cinema.