Always Lead to Her Heart

Doobie accompanied me to Burger King, I think he had enough of
Nicki's flatulence. Weazel, psycho that he was, kept walking about
lighting his zippo near Nicki. In the end Nicki freaked and said she
was getting to the arena early. And that was that.

"I can't fucking understand it," Doobie said as we queued up behind
fifteen other people dressed in Reading and band tshirts. "I mean she
never used to break wind, why now? It's pissing me off big time."

I said nothing for a while as I had seen an altercation in progress at
the counter. Some bloke jingling many pound coins was trying to get the
guy on the counter to change them for a tenner. "Gimme a fookin
tenner," said the guy with the change.

"I am serving this queue, go away." The guy serving the queue said
tiredly.

"Come on mate, gimme a tenner."

"No."

Then the bloke's mate appeared suffering from bald head and excessive
goatee syndrome. "Come on Mick, they aint going to serve you." Mick
placed several curses on the bloke serving the queue and the new girl
who had trouble with the till. I felt sorry, and was about to place a
particularly bad curse reserved only for my enemies and people who had
mucked me about badly on the bloke with the change when I thought
better of it. The two of them went away muttering darkly about seeing
people after work.

We got served and went round the back to sit down. There were two
guards on security. Apparently crustys had been caught washing in the
toilets without buying any food first. They checked that we did indeed
have proper food and let us pass.

We sat down and ate the food. I was pleased to find that the burger was
quite enjoyable, or maybe it was the bacon inside I dont know, but I
hated whoppers.

Doobie looked nervous about something. I waited for him to finish his
chips.

"What's up, mate?" I asked. Doobie examined the burger box, then he
looked around as if seeing if the way was clear.

"It's Nicki," he said. "I don't love her anymore. I have also seen this
fantastic goth girl in the Goth Camp and Weazel has also met some girl
too. He fell over her on the way to sell the Goths the cigarettes. She
has massive -"

"I am sure she has, Doobie," I said. "But are you sure? Love is not
that easy to switch on and off. It's like trying to stop the rain from
falling or the sun from shining."

"I am sure. We haven't done it for at least a month. And what with the
flatulence I want you to take her in."

"What?" I said, as if not hearing him correctly. "You are dropping
Nicki on me?"

"Yeah," said Doobie, "I am going for a dump, let me know your decision
when I get back."

I stared at the coffee that stood half full on the counter we were
sitting at. I wanted a smoke desperately, but the whole restaurant was
no smoking. I supposed I could get a tent and move the other tents
around to make room for it. That would be more subtle, and Doobie could
pay for the tent. But I doubted Nicki would see it that way. She would
go ballistic.

Doobie came back shaking water off of his hands, at least I hoped it
was water. "Well?" He asked.

"We'll have to get another tent, you can pay."

"Don't be fucking mental, I only have forty quid left and that's for
beer."

I sighed. "Come on then, you can help me carry it back."

"I aint got no money for tents. Nicki will have to share with Lisa and
Soph. They have a big enough tent."

I tried to pretend it would all go away, but I was sure that it
wouldn't.

Anyway when we got to the tent shop they had sold out. I was going to
pay of course, because I am stupid like that, but then I was in charge
of the group so I felt responsible.

We walked back to the festival site, and there was a huge queue to get
back in and then Doobie legged it off to the Goth camp. I think he
wanted to link up with the goth girl before she went into the arena
which was like the Bermuda Triangle.

I bought a Fanta Lemon from a one eyed hippy playing the Clash's
Greatest Hits on his CD player and went through the gate to the
arena.

It was quite busy at the top, I counted ten people trying to use their
phones not knowing that the person they were calling had left their
mobile switched off.

I finished the Fanta and wandered past the Carling Stage tent where I
could hear some thunderous Who-like chords starting. I joined the crowd
at the back and watched a new band go through their set for a bit. Then
I went over to the Evening Session tent where a psychedelic rock band
were being very trippy. I watched them for a bit before heading towards
the main stage, hoping I had missed the godawful shite that was on
first.

The crowd stretched as far as the middle big screen then broke up into
little islands of people spliffing, sleeping or just sitting on the
ground looking bored.

I pushed further into the crowd and then I saw her. Nicki was standing
very near the pit and looking a bit worried.

"Hello Nicki," I said. Now what the hell was I going to say 'by the way
your boyfriend has dumped you for a goth girl'. Nicki smiled shyly at
me, and then grinned.

"Hello you," she said. "Have you seen Doobie? I hoped he would make it
here then we could watch the bands together."

Shit.

"I think he went back to the tent," I lied. "I am sure he will be here
soon, does he know where to find you?"

"I don't know. I suppose so."

Shit. Shit.

"Are you going to stay here for a while?" I asked.

Niki brushed her long raven hair out of her eyes. "No, I don't think
so, I don't like this band."

I noticed how truly dreadful the band were. "Come on," I said, trying
to put a neutral expression on my face. "Let's go see what's happening
at the other stages."

"All right, then," Nicki said. "They have got to be better than this
lot of wankers."

We pushed our way out of the crowd and then walked back the way I had
come earlier. I hoped for Doobie's sake that he wasnt seen with the
goth girl.