Always Be Closing

I am fully aware that I am not reporting the technological breakthrough of the twenty-first century but I am still astounded that I’ve managed to work out how to convert DVDs so that I can watch them on my newish information pod’s small but perfectly formed screen. Glengarry Glen Ross was the feature I succeeded with and it was a real pleasure to relax, supine, late at night, headphones in, and admire that film’s peerless performances (Lemmon and Pacino are sublime) and gritty dialogue. I have since viewed Sideways, a perennial favourite, but have a few delights waiting on the pod’s meaty, beaty, big and bouncy hard-drive: the modern Irish acoustic musical Once, cult classic Godzilla, recent biopic Moliere, European monochrome brow-furrower Closely Observed Trains and, bizarrely, the 1966 World Cup Final and England’s 60 Greatest Goals. The association football discs both came free with the News of the World but I picked them up in Oxfam for five-and-twenty new pence apiece.

Despite my misgivings about the play-off system, I have acquired a ticket guaranteeing entry to this Sunday’s rugby union contest. Gloucester host Leicester in the Premiership semi-final and, after two fabulous victories, I tip the mighty cherry and whites to vanquish. A lot depends on the fitness of talisman Michael ‘Mike’ Tindall who turned an ankle against Bath; if the centre is raring to go then the city club has every chance. I shall not be attending any final.