STRANGE MOVIES

The rain rattled on the dirty windows of Bernie's Cafe. Lew drew a picture in the spilt tea on the table. "What are we doing Sunday then?"

"Go up Box Hill I suppose" Gurn said as he tried to drink his tea without steaming up his glasses.

"Not enough bikes. It's been a bad month."

"Oh yeh, corse it has" Scoffer looked up from the carving he was doing on one of the table tops, "I suppose you will be telling me next even your bike is off the road."

"We'll go to the pictures" Moonie managed to say between the kisses he was exchanging with his girlfriend Jacky.

"Not up the back row we ain't" GR surveyed the figure in front of him that was engrossed in writing DUCATI backwards in the condensation on the window. "There's not enough birds and I ain't doubling up with Cecil."

Moonie managed to pull himself away from Jacky, "No, no, none of that stuff when we go to the pictures. Haven't you been to the pictures with the lads?"

"Can't say that I've had the pleasure."

"It's the experience of a life time. You could write an epic about, and no one would ever believe you."

"What's on anyway?"

"It don't matter so long as it's a horror film. Though we had better keep clear of the Granada for a while."

*

The lads queued up outside the Mayfair Cinema. The few bikes in running order were parked near the exit.

"You ain't the trouble makers that were chucked out of here a couple of weeks back?" The manager blocked the way to the ticket office, sweat already beading on his bald head.

"Nah, nah, we all look the same with our crash helmets off."

The manager let the lads pass but looked nervous and wrung his hands.

"Were you?" GR asked Moonie.

"No. We left just before the police arrived." Moonie led the way to the sweet kiosk where the others soon joined them "Don't forget to get yer salted peanuts GR."

"I prefer the plain ones with raisins myself" GR answered innocently.

"Yeh." Moonie gave a chuckle "But these go further."

A skinny usherette took their tickets and showed them to their seats. The lads ignored her and tromped on down the aisle and across in front of the screen, the noise from their motorcycle boots drowning the music.

"ROCKER, ROCKER" voices shouted from the darkness.

"WEE OH, WEE OH" replied the lads.

"Up here Rockers."

The lads and their girls headed for the voices. Little Ray indicated to GR two rows of seats from where the dim lights reflected on leather, metal badges and studs.

"It always does to know where the other lads are."

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