Ride On by Stephen J. Martin Read Free Book Online Page A

listen man, apparently I’m all she talks about, right? She thinks I’m fuckin brilliant or whatever. And now Liam is after copping that something’s going on with her. He’s starting to go off the rails at school, his Da says, and he keeps fuckin running away and all, y’know? And the Da sounds like he’s only barely holding it together himself. C’mon. We’ll drop in, Jimmy. Half an hour, right?’
    Jimmy just nodded.
    â€˜Okay. Yeah, no problem.’
    The three of them stood there for a minute.
    â€˜Cup of tea Aesop?’ said Sparky, eventually.
    â€˜Thanks man.’

Chapter Four
    Norman looked at himself in the mirror. He was just out of the shower, standing in his jocks and cursing at the spot of blood on his neck. His Mam kept buying him cheap disposable razors and they were making shite of his face. He smiled at that. He couldn’t even use a crappy blade now without cutting himself and yet he could still remember being crouched over a small stream in the mountains of Afghanistan, shaving with a Bowie knife so that the locals wouldn’t notice the big red head on him if he had to unwrap the thick scarf that covered his face. Freezing cold water and a nine-inch blade. The lads would only laugh at him if he told them about it. They were always taking the piss about when he was a soldier. He didn’t mind that much. And anyway, there was nothing cool about shaving with a knife. No more than there being anything cool about having to carry your gick around in plastic bags when you were on a mission so that animals wouldn’t sniff it out and give your position away. They tended to leave stuff like that out of the Rambo movies.
    He was all excited tonight. The lads had finished their album, and they were celebrating with the gig in Vicar Street. They’d blown everyone away the last time they played there and this time was going to be even better. The press would be in, the new songs would be on show, the venue was sold out. After this one they’d be taking a couple of weeks off and then the CD would be in the shops and the whole thing would start up again. Dónal was already finalising the details of the tour. Yeah, it was going great for the lads. But that’s not why Norman was excited. The reason he was clipping his toenails and scanning frantically through the shirts in his wardrobe was that he had another date with Trish.
    Earlier that day, he’d talked to Jimmy and Aesop on the phone. He wanted everything to go perfectly tonight.
    *
    â€˜Jimmy?’
    â€˜Norman. What’s the story?’
    â€˜Listen Jimmy, I’m on a date tonight.’
    â€˜Yeah? Brilliant. Who is she?’
    â€˜A nurse from out in Baldoyle, at work.’
    â€˜Great stuff.’
    â€˜Yeah. I’m picking her up at eight. What time are you on?’
    â€˜We’ll be on around nine-thirty I’d say. Leet are supporting us. Remember that band I said I was doing a bit of work with? They’ll be on at eight.’
    â€˜We’ll probably grab a quick bite, but we’ll be there for when you come on. Listen, can I buy a ticket for Trish?’
    â€˜Jesus Norman, didn’t I say to you …’
    â€˜Ah no, Jimmy. That’s not fair. I don’t want to impose. You said I could just show up and I appreciate that, but I only met this one recently and then she wasn’t sure if she was free tonight so I didn’t want to …’
    â€˜Ah Christ, Norman. You’re already on the guest list. Guests can bring guests. Bring whoever you like, really. Get her to bring her mates, sure, if you want. There’s a few dozen spare spots. Half of the press won’t turn up anyway, the pricks. It’s no problem. Just tell the guy on the door your name and you’re in, done deal.’
    â€˜Ah Jimmy, I feel like a terrible …’
    â€˜Norman, for fuck sake it’s nothing. We’ve been over all this before!