This is a continuation of the Mike Kaminsky story.
In the first two tales The Prodigal Son and The Wrong Right Turn, death seems to be taking too much interest in Mike’s life.
I was hoping that, with this story, Mike’s luck might change for the better.
I think it did - he met Mel. I hope that she helps to take his mind off some of his recent pain.
You know, I’ve got a really good feeling that she will.
When I first started writing about Mike Kaminsky (in The Prodigal Son), I was surprise at how much of a hold his story (and Bessie’s story too) had over me.
The next story in the series, The Wrong Right Turn, came as a complete shock to me. There’s no way that I’m going to tell you that there was a slight hint of a tear in my eye when I finished writing that one – so, that’s something I’m not going to say.
I think that I’ve written enough about him for this collection.
Maybe I’ll try to catch up with him in a few months time.
A Summer’s Tale
I met her on the road back from Les Sables. She’d been there for the fireworks party and mega celebrations that always followed the end of the Round the World yacht race.
She later told me that she wasn’t so interested in yachting, although she admitted that she found most yachtsmen, particularly the round the world ones, sexy as hell.
“The great thing about long distance racing,” she told me. “Is that the boats come in over a period of two or three days. Thus, the parties go on for at least two or three days. Cool parties, fit sailors, what more could a girl want?”
That’s not exactly the first thing she said to me. Not quite.
From the smoke coming out of the engine, she was obviously broken down. I would have stopped anyway, no matter what she was riding but her particular ride was a black BMW, like mine.
But, whereas Bessie is built for long distances and comfort, the poorly bike stood at the side of the road had been stripped down and set up for speed.
When I pulled up next to her, by the side of that dusty road, she informed me in no uncertain terms that she… “Didn’t fuck bikers, on a point of principle.”
That she “was quite capable of fixing her own bike.”
To find out what happened next you’ll need to buy a copy of Different Roads – available from Lulu.com from 1st August 2011.
