Ride On Read Online Free PDF Page B

like music? Would that be okay instead?’
    â€˜Is that all? Christ, I didn’t know what was wrong with you.’
    â€˜I just remembered. But what do you think? Would you be on for a bit of live music?’
    â€˜Of course I would. Who is it?’
    â€˜The Grove. You know them?’
    â€˜Of course, yeah. But are they not over in England or something? Didn’t I read that?’
    â€˜Not for a while yet. They’re playing in Vicar Street next week. Will you go with me?’
    â€˜Do you have a spare ticket?’
    â€˜I … eh … I know a fella can get me one.’
    The taxi man stopped whistling.
    â€˜Can he get me one?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Can he get me one? My mot is mad into that shower. That Irish song they do, y’know? She’s always singing along to it on the radio. She was trying to get tickets to that gig but they were all gone. You should’ve seen the pus on her. It used to be Robbie this and Robbie that, but now she never shuts up about yer man Aesop. Some shaper, that bloke.’
    â€˜Eh …’
    â€˜I’ll bring you and your bird home for no fare. Where are yiz going?’
    â€˜I … what? She’s not my …’
    â€˜Can you get two tickets?’
    â€˜I don’t know if I …’
    â€˜Look, sit in there in annyway. I’ll give you me phone number and if you can do anything you give me a call. If you can’t, then no sweat. Right? Now where am I going?’
    Norman didn’t know what to say, but Trish moved along the seat, laughing. He sighed and got in.
    â€˜That’s it, you do what your bird says,’ said the taxi man.
    â€˜She’s not my … bird,’ said Norman.
    The taxi man looked in his rearview mirror at Trish and then turned around to Norman again.
    â€˜Well you better get your fuckin’ skates on pal, before she’s someone else’s bird.’
    Trish looked up at Norman with a big grin and put one hand on his leg. Norman caught a wink in the mirror from his new ally and just closed his eyes, his face burning in the dark.

Chapter Three
    Aesop and Jimmy met up for breakfast two days later. They didn’t usually bother hooking up outside the studio so early in the day, but today was going to be, hopefully, a landmark day for The Grove. There was still some mixing and tidying up to do, but they were going in to cut the last song. The album was pretty much done.
    Jimmy sat opposite Aesop, half a fried tomato en route to his mouth.
    â€˜Who?’ said Aesop, frowning into the distance.
    â€˜Jesus Christ,’ said Jimmy, putting down his fork and shaking his head. He looked up. ‘Do I have to go through this every fucking time? Amanda! The girl you rode in Thailand, Aesop. English. Green eyes. Freckles. Friend of Susan, the girl I’ve been going mad over for the last six months, who came to visit me from London and got Peggy all excited because she brought a scarf from Harrods …’
    â€˜Amanda … Amanda …’ said Aesop, tapping the table in front of him. ‘Was she the one whose husband pissed off and took the car? A nice one too, wasn’t it? A GT-R or something. Jimmy, that’s got a steel turbine, ball bearing core, eighteen-inch …’
    â€˜She wasn’t married. They were engaged. But yeah, he took some dosh and did a runner. I don’t know anything about a GT-R.’
    â€˜I think she said it was blue. Did she not say it was blue?’
    â€˜Fuck the car Aesop. Do you remember her? It’s not even a year ago.’
    â€˜I do yeah. I think so. So what about her?’
    â€˜She’s gone … she … ah, it doesn’t matter.’
    â€˜No, tell me.’
    â€˜What’s the point if you don’t remember her?’
    â€˜You were going to tell me, so just tell me.’
    â€˜She’s gone off travelling. I was talking to Susan the other day and Amanda is gone off