Golden Village

Golden Village at Junction 8 sure has changed a lot.

I remember the days when it was expansive, and seemed to stretch over half of the top storey. There was a food court, yes, as well as a comic book shop, yes, as well as other various merchandising outlets. But when you saw the top storey you only thought, hey, this is the cinema level.

It's different, now. It's barely half the size it was once, and the long, characteristic snaking queues are replaced with a ticketing system that's a bit too efficient for my taste (where's the atmosphere if you remove the queues?). The cardboard cut-outs are missing, the window offering a glimpse of the world outside is sealed up, the carpet feels... different. Even the popcorn pops sound a little more mellow, pensive.

Am I the only one who notices and cares?

Phantom pain is the proper term, I believe. When I saw the whole new set-up it took me a while to re-orientate, and somehow I don't think I did. It scared me, for a while, that yet another part of my world is moving on, growing, evolving. Something that was once so sacred and indelible in my memory is now at threat of being overwritten by changing times. I guess something resonated inside, that's all.

As I turned my back and entered the cinemas, I thought I could once again feel the crowds behind me, surging towards the counters as do men towards Lucy. I thought I could once again hear children laughing as they savaged the cardboard Shreks and Nemos. I thought I was once again together with the Golden Village I knew and cherished so very, very much.

Ah... phantom pain.