Page 23 of Summer at Croftwood Cinema
Perhaps she should, but pointing out to Ed that she’d thought they’d embarked on a relationship implied that he hadn’t noticed, which wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have at all.
11
ON MONDAY MORNING, Oliver had arranged for Beth, who was back for the Easter holidays, to hold the fort at the coffee house for half an hour while he had his weekly site meeting with Matt and the builders and Patsy met the chap from the Croftwood Gazette. Beth was about to leave again to go back to university so it was just as well that Patsy had finally organised for Linda’s nephew Jack to come in for a trial.
Although the cinema was closer to her flat than the coffee house was, Patsy went into town to meet Oliver so that they could walk there together. It was nice to have chance to catch up without being interrupted by customers.
‘Good job on getting the paper involved, Pats.’
‘Rosemary had a contact from something they’d helped her out with for the library.’
‘It’ll be brilliant publicity for us and hopefully they might want to follow the project until we open.’
‘Hey, one thing at a time, it’s all about the chairs today.’
When they arrived at the cinema, Matt was waiting outside with a fistful of hardhats from which Oliver and Patsy diligently took one each and placed on their heads. Patsy wished she had remembered about the hats because she would have done her hair differently. The hat squashed the nicely backcombed bouffant she’d created that morning to inject some glamour into her half ponytail.
As they were about to go inside, Patsy noticed a portly middle-aged man walking towards them next to a younger chap with a massive bag slung across his shoulder.
‘Do you think that’s them?’ she asked Oliver.
‘Looks like it. Are you happy to sort them out by yourself while I meet with Matt?’
‘Yes, of course. Go on, we’ll catch up later.’
For some reason, Patsy felt nervous being left as spokesman for the cinema but at the end of the day, it was about the chairs. It wasn’t going to be difficult.
‘Morning, Patsy is it?’
‘Hi, yes.’ She took the hand he was holding out to her.
‘I’m Gareth and this is Pete our photographer.’
‘Great, come on in. Oh, can you put one of these on, please? Health and safety,’ she said apologetically gesturing to the pile of hard hats by the door.
She led the way into the stalls where most of the chairs were lying on their backs, having been unbolted from the floor. While Gareth chatted to her about what the plans were, Pete wandered around, periodically crouching and peering at the chairs from different angles. It was distracting and oddly fascinating.
‘Don’t mind him,’ said Gareth. ‘He’s sussing out the best shots.’
‘Oh, no, that’s fine.’ Patsy drew her attention back to Gareth and realised she’d missed the last thing he’d asked her which was presumably why he’d explained about the photographer. ‘Sorry, what did you ask me?’
‘Are you only selling them online or can people pop in and have a look?’
‘Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. I suppose not, because it’s a bit of a building site but it’s a good idea. Maybe say that they can do that by prior arrangement. I’ve got our email address I can give you.’
‘Okay, well I think I’ve got plenty to go on. We’ll focus on the regeneration angle, folks love that. Saving an old building, that kind of thing. And we’ll push the nostalgic angle with the chairs. Hopefully you’ll get rid of some of them. Got quite a few to flog, haven’t you?’
‘Yes, over four hundred.’ Patsy’s stomach lurched slightly at the enormity of the task ahead which was literally laid out in front of her.
‘Okay, let’s get Pete in to take some shots. Where do you want her, mate?’
‘Oh, no. I don’t need to be in it.’
Gareth laughed. ‘We can’t print a picture of an empty chair, love! If you don’t want to be in it, is there anyone else who could do it?’
Patsy was torn. She could see that Oliver and Matt were standing on the circle balcony deep in conversation. She’d feel like an idiot if she interrupted them for Oliver to have his photo taken. She’d told him she could handle it and that’s what she’d have to do.
‘It’s okay,’ she sighed. ‘Where do you want me?’
