Oli, A Very New Moon

CHAPTER 6

  Oops

  It was Saturday night and the usual posse were preparing to hit the streets of London for a night of music, dance and general hedonism. Ed looked out of the window of his third floor Fulham flat at the two full moons. No one knew what it was or how it had arrived, but they didn’t need much of an excuse for a party and everyone was going to celebrate in style. The clubs of London had been quick to publicise the Twin Moon Party, or First Ever Double Full Moon Party, so it was fairly obvious that every clubber in London would be out.

  Ed, like everyone else in the world except for Oli and the President, was speculating as to its origins, but he totally approved. He wished that his best mate could be there to enjoy it with him, but he’d obviously gone off on one of his famous walkabouts. He’d been expecting him back a few days previously but was wholly nonplussed when he didn’t show. Wherever he was, Ed was sure that he would be enjoying the sight.

  The plan for the evening was to meet at Covent Garden at 10.30, go for a drink and decide which of the clubs to frequent until the early hours of Sunday morning. The usual crew comprised Ed, the eighteen-year-old surfing guitarist who had been classically trained to play the cello but had decided at the age of twelve, much to the disappointment of his father, that dance music was considerably more fun. Ed and Oli were like chalk and cheese. Ed was always immaculately dressed and would spend more time in the bathroom, preparing for a night out than any of the girls. He was always concerned with other people’s opinion of him, whereas Oli never gave this a passing thought. But for all their differences, they complimented one another perfectly. Oli couldn’t imagine sharing a flat with anyone else.

  Julie, the eighteen-year-old wild daughter of a wealthy car salesman and singer in the band, had been introduced to a privileged way of life. She had spent her school years at the Sacred Heart Catholic School for Girls, where she discovered a deep hatred for nuns, and an even deeper love of all things hedonistic. Surprisingly, with all her partying and mischief-making, she ended her school days as head girl, acquiring three A’s in A Level maths, music and physics. Her father was desperate for her to go to Oxford where she had been accepted to study Maths, but she felt that she needed a year out to decide her true course in life. So far, the year had been spent partying, lying in bed until midday and singing in the band.

  Jason, or Jay, was the oldest member of the band. He was twenty years old and described himself as an accountant-cum-bass player, who at weekends, transformed into his alter ego. He was undoubtedly the most responsible amongst them, purely by dint of the fact that he actually had a job.

  Sara, the seventeen-year-old fashion consultant-cum-keyboard player, was ordinarily extremely quiet until she walked onto the dance floor of a club, when she became Sara, the Dance Queen of London Town. There were usually five of them, but one was missing and that was Oli, the space-travelling, asteroid-stopping, surfing drummer.

  Ed left the flat and headed for Fulham Broadway tube station. He was one of the few people in London who actually enjoyed using the tube. Instead of sitting silently, desperately avoiding eye contact with the person opposite, he would actually strike up a conversation with them. He’d met so many people that way. He’d also been ignored, abused and even threatened, but he felt it was worth the failures to enjoy the successes. In fact, he’d met Jay on the tube, returning from a club at 7 o’clock one Sunday morning two years before. The others had all met up at the Reading Festival the same year and had decided to form the band. They’d never been clubbing without each other since. Oli, everyone had agreed, had just arrived somehow. Nobody, not even Oli, could remember when or where.

  The train was fairly empty for a Saturday night. Sitting next to Ed was an old lady with her little Terrier dog on her lap.

  “I didn’t think you were allowed to bring dogs on the tube,” enquired Ed politely.

  “Well, you’re not really,” she replied, “but screw them, I say. I’ve paid the exorbitant fee for a ticket and I’ll take my little Pugsy wherever I like.”

  Ed shook her hand.

  “And where might you be going tonight dear?” she asked.

  “Clubbing with my friends,” Ed replied, a huge grin on his face.

  “That’ll be nice dear. I hope you don’t go taking any of that nasty B though.”

  “No, I can assure you, I’ll not touch a drop of B.” Ed smiled.

  What a sweet little old lady. He wanted to take her to meet the others, but she got off at Knightsbridge, where she said she had a small flat. Nice, and loaded, he thought.

  The band rendezvoused outside the Rock Garden at 10.30. They usually met outside that club but had never entered. Every time they gathered there they could hear dreadful music coming from within, so had decided never to venture inside. They went for a drink and chose the venue for the night. They were preparing to leave when Julie’s mobile rang.

  “Hello,” she said. Everyone else threw her an expectant look. There was a slight pause.

  “Hey everyone, its Oli! He’s in town and he wants to come clubbing tonight!”

  A unison cheer of approval erupted and she told him that they would be in The Source, a fairly new club in which the band had played on two occasions. Oli told her that he would be a while yet, as they had to find somewhere to park, so they agreed to meet him inside.