Mess Press, Issue #3, 1992
It started out like any other day. It seemed like everyone was talking about the same thing. "Are you going", what, was hot on the street. Going meant that the RUSSIAN RIVER RIDE was coming up soon. Its the messengers right to passage, a sacred event. I thought about the ride realizing that this would be the 7th time that I had done dubious pleasure to go out riding with the cream of the crop.
The day went on until I saw the most horrifying wreck. This Limo crashed into Flasher my bro. The pig limo slammed him into a truck that was in front . He was smashed like two hands clapping. I called in on my radio for an ambulance then went to his aid, he was really messed up. His bike and his legs were one, caught in some horrible twine. I held his head still and tried to say the things that he would hear. The only thing that he said to me over and. over,"Shit it looks like I not going to make the ride".
They put him in the ambulance with his bike still tingled in his legs. Time went by. The doctors said that he might not be able to ride again let alone walk.
Well the ride went on as planed but this time there was some dark cloud that hung over us. Flasher wasn't with us. We talked about him on the way up. His real name is Troy, he got his nick name because he is truly FAST, and also he had this funny habit of taking of his clothes when he got drunk at parties. That is why we call him Flasher,
Up at the Russian river we were given the last warning "stay out of the Gorge" our favorite camping spot. The ride that didn't seem to have the enthusiasm like the past rides. It must be because our hearts were with flasher. How can such a good man be taken down.
Well rumour has it that the owner of the limo is the owner of the bank of sujimto and a bike enthusiast to boot. He felt responsible and took care of Flasher. They sent him off to Sweden where they have some hot shot doctors. After that we never heard from him again.
The year went by, same old shit. Not hearing anything from Flasher his name became like a legend. Like Spaz people talked about him even if they never knew him. Well a year went by too fast. Time for the next RUSSIAN RIVER RIDE.
Most of us had forgotten about Flasher there were a lot of new bikes. We were out in front of HARVEYS . Harvey was out on vacation, but Sam opened up early there was a record, number of us. I counted 40. As we were ready to grope I noticed this thing coming up the ally. It was some kind of weird, little car or something. We all watched as it approached. Shit it was Flasher in some hand pedalled bike.
It was some aerodynamic bike with silver cover, a huge skull and cross bones. The thing was very high tech. All of us who knew him were standing with our mouths open. The thing that he drove was some kind of high tech arm powered thing shocks and, all of what you could never think of.
The Flasher gave me a $100 bill and said "Get every one what they want" So I got beer batteries and cigs. We left with the biggest yell. Our bro was back. The only thing that bugged me was that there was a wheel chair on the back of his contraption. He could not walk. He did the ride with amazing grace. His hand powered thing could even go up curbs. The ride was great.
As usual we met at Safeway, ready to go to Parkers . The Flasher had something else to say "FUCK PARKERS We all followed him out of Gurinville.
Most of ye merry people did not have time to get, beer, but Flasher was back. So we followed him. He lead, us to some redwood wall. He whistled and the door opened. Inside there were cabins and too many people . I found out that the people that were there were to serve us - that fact is so foreign to us laborers of the street.
I could not believe it Flasher spent a whole year thinking about the Ride. He did us yop right. Every thing from hot tubs to servants. BEER galore. Shit it just goes to show ya the fact that a brother is a BROTHER.
Two days of total fun! We all left. I cried, never saw him again.
| main | articles | laws | zines | report | 10-9 day |
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at messvilleto@yahoo.com