Carol (Chapter 1)

Carol was a Hell's Angel. She belonged to a chapter in Norfolk.
She had loads of friends and she was really happy. Her boyfriend Robert and
her, had the same bleached, white hair. They'd meet in the evenings in
Portobello road and roar off on Robert's bike to pubs and parties. They drank a
lot of punch, mixed with Magic Mushrooms, getting high and enjoying the
atmosphere.

Robert was a great fan of Van Halen. He was listening to a
track one night on his Walkman while waiting for Carol outside the Percy pub in
Ladbroke Grove, as a young woman of about 19 walked by. She asked him if she
could listen to the tape. As they chatted, Carol walked by and kept walking,
observing the situation. Robert saw her. She was secretly hoping that he would break
off his conversation with the girl and call her to him. But he didn't. Carol
kept on walking and didn't stop.

Carol and Robert bumped into each other in The Percy over
the weekend. Carol, very sharply, asked Robert about the young
lady she saw him with a few nights ago. Robert explained that Kate was
merely an acquaintance of his. Carol bought herself a pint and sat on her on
her own for a while, looking rather sombre. Robert came over to join her.
Within minutes, they were laughing away together. It was late at night as they
roared off, both leather-cladded, to a party in Eastbourne.

They could hear Iron Maiden playing, as they entered the party.
They said their greetings to the chapter members. "I spy a huge jug of
punch on that corner table!", Carol exclaimed. They enjoyed the night
immensely and ended up kipping on two armchairs upstairs, until morning.

Carol woke up first. She told Robert that she was glad that it
was nearing Notting Hill Carnival. Kate entered the room. Carol asked her how
she knew about the party. Kate replied that a friend had told her about it. She
was holding a cup of punch. Carol asked if she would go downstairs and bring
her and Robert a couple of cups of punch, as she was 'gasping' for a drink.
Kate was only too pleased to do so. When she returned with the punch, they sat
opposite each other. Kate felt ill-at-ease, so tried to break the ice, saying
"Carnival is only two weeks away". To Kate's relief, Carol smiled and
said "Yeah, it should be alright this year". She further explained
that she was arrested last year for smoking a joint. She told the police that
she was smoking to combat her depression and so only received a
caution. Kate replied "You were lucky there. They can come down hard on
drugs". At this point Robert stood up, reached for his helmet and said
"Right ladies, we've got to head back to London now. D'you want a lift,
Kate"? Kate gladly accepted.

As they walked to Robert's bike, a chapter of Hell's Angels on
bikes started groping Kate. Carol intervened, protecting Kate. The
chapter rode off heckling.

To be continued...