I just hoped it wasn't going to be like it was at school

In a small village it feels like you have to make an effort to socialise - but in a very odd kind of way. Back where I used to live you would pop out for a random coffee, or go to the cinema, restaurants or a myriad of other things you could just, well, do. There were organised events of course, but you could take them or leave them, there were plenty of other things to do, and of course if you didn't feel like attending an event, you could be sure that something else would come along sooner or later.

Yet in the small village I now live in - missing an event seems like a big deal, even if there is something every week or so. It's strange, but the end result is I end up doing a lot more than I did when options abounded - maybe it's the realisation that choices are limited, or maybe it's just something about having fewer people around that makes me want to do a little more...

All of this is to say, I decided to go to the local film club - it runs once a month and shows a variety of films. It was in the village hall, and I honestly had no idea what to expect. Was there a projector and a big screen, or would they wheel in a small TV on a trolley while people huddled around? Honestly I could see it going either way.

I turned up a few minutes early, chairs were already laid out, and it was the same group of people you'd always see - not that it could really be anything else - in such a small village it's not like there were throngs of people hiding and waiting to meet you. Even if you hadn't met them yet, they'd know all about you.

I sat down, I waited for something to start.

Curtains opened, that was a good sign. It was a typical stage of a village hall, something that would not have been out of place for a school assembly. Then the moment of truth, a TV on a trolley, or a pull down projector screen...

I held my breath.

I breathed out - a screen was pulled down from the ceiling - a perfectly acceptable size to watch a film on.

A brief introduction, and the organiser disappeared to start the film. The sound system kicked in, surprisingly louder than it needed to be, then again, the crowd was getting on in age a little. The lights went out.

"Shit," exclaimed the host, "I didn't realise there were trailers."

If only I'd had popcorn.