AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Och yes, we are babies,’ the girl sounds coy. ‘We just passed our CBT – this is our first long trip.’ That way of talking as if they’re joined at the hip – fucking couples can get on your nerves.
‘Only took us three days from Aberdeen,’ the guy says. ‘What are you riding?’
‘Oh, a Harley 1200 Sportster?’ Jez brags. She takes a gulp of her beer and licks her lips.
‘Nice. Are you the rider?’
Jez nods, totally bursting smugness.
‘So, what’s CBT?’ I ask.
‘Compulsory Basic Training,’ the guy says. ‘You have to do it before you can ride any bike. Then you move to the full test for big bikes like the Harley.’
‘That’s the theory.’ Jez grins.
‘No,’ the girl bends forward, all seriousness. ‘It’s the practical, the theory is separate.’
Jez nods knowingly into her beer.
The barman comes over with the meals. Massive piece of battered fish and piles of chunky golden chips. I set to with the salt and vinegar and a good dollop of ketchup. The fish is about fifty times tastier than usual, awesome with the crispy chips. I wash it down with a long gulp of beer and take a few more mouthfuls before the question on my mind surfaces.
‘So, you’ve done your CBT and full test then, Jez?’
‘I did my CBT years ago.’
‘And your full test?’
She raises her eyebrows, all mock innocence.
‘You haven’t got your full licence, is it?’ Wouldn’t you just know it?
She loads her fork with food. ‘Not as such, but I got some frigging good training,’ she says, dead-pan casual.
‘But, it’s illegal!’ The girl’s eyes widen.
‘Jez?’ I pitch in.
Jez piles the food into her mouth and makes a deal of chewing and swallowing before she speaks. ‘It’s whether I’m safe that counts, right?’
‘As in having proper training, passing a fucking test for road-worthiness?’
‘I was taught to ride this bike by the best motorcyclist I know. The rest is just paperwork.’ She takes another mouthful, calm as fuck.
‘Jesus, as if you’d take me on the back. What if we crash?’
‘We’re not going to crash.’
I look over at the baby bikes couple. ‘Tell her, will you?’ I sputter, barely able to speak.
The guy just pulls his lips in and shakes his head. The girl yanks her hair back and leans her face into Jez.
‘Supposing you injure someone, you’re not insured!’
‘So, I spend the rest of my life paying the compensation. My funeral.’
‘Your funeral?’ I shout. ‘Mine, more like.’ I see a sudden image of Mum getting a call from the Highland police.
I look at my food, the smell reminding me I’m still hungry, but now I’m too wound up to eat, which makes me even angrier.
