No Subject

         Come,my children,and listen at my feet,as I tell of tales too true to be make-believe!!

            The year is 1975; It is nighttime,in an abandoned warehose somewhere in the city. Steppenwolf plays loudly from the turn-table...the smell of marijhuana hangs heavy in the air,people are milling around. Beer,wine,whiskey,and some concoction brewed from mushrooms is being passed around.

             Talk of motorcycles is rampant,so is the talk of "cleaning up" the neighborhood.Translated,this means that a rival gang has moved in,and needs to be set straight on the "rules". Rules that they NEED to know to survive in this town.

              Rule # 1; There is only room in this part of town for ONE motorcycle gang,and WE were here FIRST!  Rule # 2;there are only three RULES!   Rule # 3; See RULE # 1 !

             As the night goes on,and the booze and drugs flow heavier,it is decided that there is only ONE person to deliver this message to the "other" gang,and be able to come back alive; That victim would be ME! To turn down this "oppurtunity" would make me look weak;to embrace it could kill me......I have NO CHOICE,I must choose to perform this "duty". "You'll be fine" I am told; I do not share their optimisim.

           I walk the few blocks to the other "club's" hang-out---I don't need my bike stolen as well,or worse,busted up! I am greeted at the door by two of their "finest".Translation---biggest,and meanest. I ask to see their "prez". I am stripped of all clothing,and left with only my under wear...I am supposed to be "thankful" for being allowed to keep that! I am taken before their leader. This can only end badly for "the kid"..............

           I deliver the message,"you are NOT welcome in this part of town". He laughs,I tell him that I am VERY SERIOUS! He admires the "guts" that it took for me to come alone,and un-armed. I tell him this is his one,and ONLY chance to leave without incident,and he should heed my warning. The "prez" seems to no longer be amused with me,at least in the current context that he is "amused" with me." Time for some fun", he declares. This is where it goes badly for the kid.

         I am 15 at the time,but I have put myself in the boots of a much older man by coming here. His first order to his men???? "Don't kill him,I want him to go back to them". This isn't as merciful as it sounds,believe me. I actually pray for death as I am fighting---there is NO WAY to win;I can only hope that I make a good-enough showing so that they will go "easy" on me. They don't think like I do!

         It was 10:00 pm when I arrived at the other club's place.....it was 7:00 am when I was hauled out to the street,and dropped in the gutter. I had lived,now all I need to do was get back to my place. I was picked up by a non-biker friend a couple of blocks away...I am surprised that he even knew who I was.

                        To be continued...............