Read Online Ride On by Stephen J. Martin - Free Book Online

mightn’t even be the same guy they have now.’
    Norman said nothing.
    They headed around to Thomas Street and saw the queue tail around the corner.
    â€˜Hope it’s moving,’ said Trish. ‘It’s a bit cold to be standing around.’
    Norman took a deep breath and her hand in his, closing his eyes for a second and praying that Jimmy had remembered to say something to the doorman.
    â€˜Come on,’ he said. ‘We’ll be grand.’
    They walked up the top of the queue, Norman trying to be nonchalant but convinced that he had a head on him like a tomato.
    â€˜Yes sir?’
    Posh accent. Not like they used to be, bouncers.
    â€˜Norman Kelly,’ said Norman, swallowing. ‘I think … eh …’
    â€˜Ah yes, Mr. Kelly. Please, would you like to follow me?’
    â€˜Eh … okay … thanks.’
    The guy led them into the venue and through a couple of doors until they found themselves in what Norman took to be some kind of member’s lounge. Well-dressed people were mingling, the tinkle of ice and hum of poser bullshit hanging in the air. He could feel Trish staring at him, but he didn’t want to say anything until he knew what was going on.
    â€˜The VIP room, Mr. Kelly. Please help yourself to refreshments. Will I tell the band that you’ve arrived?’
    â€˜Ah … eh … no. No. Leave them be. I’ll talk to them later, sure.’
    â€˜Very good, sir.’ He shook Norman’s hand. ‘On behalf of the management here at Vicar Street, I hope you have a great evening.’ Then he turned to Trish and gave a small bow. ‘Miss.’
    And then he was gone.
    Norman finally looked down at Trish, with a small embarrassed smile. She was looking at him like someone had just groped her arse.
    â€˜What the fuck was that?’ she said, her Kerry accent on full now and her eyes huge. ‘“Will I tell the band you’ve arrived?” Who are you? Jesus, is the gardening just a part-time thing with you or what’s the story? Should I be ringing the girls?’
    â€˜Sorry,’ said Norman. ‘I forgot to tell you. I’m just mates with the band.’
    â€˜Jesus, yer man looked like he’d been waiting all night for you to show up.’
    â€˜Well … eh … I’ve known the lads for a good while, like …’
    â€˜Look at this place! Oh, is that … look, Norman, there’s our taxi man from last week.’
    He was standing with a girl at the bar, waving over and giving Norman the thumbs up.
    â€˜Yeah. Jimmy said it was okay if I brought a few people and then I remembered that I’d made that fella a promise, so I called him earlier. Told him to mention my name at the door.’
    â€˜Lucky him. He probably wasn’t expecting the VIP treatment.’
    â€˜Yeah. Well Jesus, neither was I, to be honest.’
    The taxi man was making his way over. Norman had never seen a grin that big before.
    â€˜The mot thinks I’m bleedin’ ice cream,’ said the guy, shaking Norman’s hand. ‘You could sprinkle nuts on me. If you’re ever stuck for a taxi, Norman, you give me a bell, right? Day or night. No problem.’
    â€˜Thanks.’
    â€˜Howarya again,’ he said to Trish.
    â€˜Hi.’
    He nodded back to Norman.
    â€˜Has this fella got the clamps on you yet?’
    â€˜Maybe I’m the one with the clamps,’ said Trish, smiling.
    â€˜Jaysis, I don’t think you need them. But he’s a good bloke. Fair play to him for giving me a bell today. A lot of blokes wouldn’t bother their arse. You could do a lot worse for yourself.’
    â€˜I think you might be right.’
    She looked up at Norman and grinned. Norman just fidgeted and looked away.
    *
    Norman and Trish stayed in Aesop’s that night. If Aesop came home at all later they didn’t hear him. Norman turned the key and they went straight up the stairs to