Gaby Book 27 Smell of the Crowd by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2022 Madeline Bell Life has some certainties, birth and death of course, but the rest is a mix of Minestrone and Spaghetti, some of which we have no direct influence over. We can however decide whether we want Parmesan or other seasoning, we can give Gnochi a try, doesn't mean we'll like it but at least we'll know. Gaby has reached just such a point in her life, she knows she likes Pizza, she's not averse to Spaghetti or Lasagne but is Gnochi for her? The Gnochi in this case is doing the singing with BlauHase on a more serious level, as a 'hobby' its fine but could this be a change of career? Well you don't find out without trying so that's just what our heroine is about to find out in this, the 27th book of the Gaby saga.

 
Misty made the journey down from the sixth floor in a state of nervousness that outstripped her recent stage debut. The face that looked back at her from the mirrored walls of one of Schindlers finest vertical floor exchangers was unfamiliar, it was gonna take some getting used to for herself let alone what anyone else thought. She almost jabbed the level one button, to chicken out from her big reveal but a ding announced her arrival on the ground floor where Anna Louise and the rest of the BlauHase ‘family’ were waiting.

The doors opened, she could see them sat and stood around the easy chairs by reception, they were all there, she recognised Little Jo’s wife Hilde and presumably the blonde draped around Animal was his girlfriend, Sam.

"Excuse me miss.”
"Oh sorry,” she stepped out of the lift, making way for the clean cut business type who’d been waiting when the doors had opened.

She heard the lift doors slide shut, the faint whir of its ascent quickly fading.

"Misty?”

Damn, she’d been spotted, no escape now. She put on a smile and headed across the foyer.

"Hi Anna, guys, I’m not late am I?”
"No, we were just chatting,” Anna Louise advised, "I think you met Hilde the other week.”
"Er yeah, at the pre tour, hi Hilde.”

Hilde looked a bit confused, her own ‘hi’ had a cautious note to it.

"The blonde draped around Animal is…”
"Samantha, Sam to my friends, nice to meet you at long last,” the blonde offered a hand which Mist shook in greeting.
"You ladies done?” Stefan queried, "I can hear a Großer bier calling me.”

The nine of them left the hotel and headed into the town, Mist soon joining in with the conversation. Of course, the whole thing was absurd, okay so Sam didn’t know her from Adam and Hilde had most likely forgotten what she looked like anyhow but the others? She did catch a few sideways looks from the guys but the elephant in the room, vis her much changed appearance wasn’t mentioned.

As they waited to cross the dual carriageway Sam struck up the conversation.

"Love your piercings.”
"Er thanks, still getting used to them.”
"Anna said you only got them this week.”

So she had come up in conversation earlier in the day.

"Yesterday actually,” she admitted, "I’ve wanted them for ages but I’ve always chickened out, it just seemed the right time.”
"Oh I know what you mean, I was the same before I got my first tattoo and now look at me.”

Of course you couldn’t miss that Sam had tattoos, just a quick glance revealed several on each arm, there was something on her thigh just visible under her short skirt but the flaming heart sat directly above her cleavage was the eye catcher.

"I um, like your heart.”
Sam pulled a face to look down at her chest, "Thanks, hurt like hell mind, Animal got it for me as a birthday gift. So you fancy getting any ink, oh, I’m assuming you don’t have any.”
"Maybe one day, finances are a bit tight at the minute.”
"Been there, so you at college?”

The lights changed and they followed the others across the road.

"I’m not very academic, just filling time before deciding what to do longer term.”
"Wish I’d done that, I spent two years on a nursing course that I hated.”
"What do you do now?”
"Don’t laugh, bank teller.”
"Get away! Really, they don’t mind your tattoos?”
"As long as I keep them covered but they do draw the line at face piercings and what my supervisor calls ‘unnatural hair’.”
"Looks like I’m out then,” Mist opined.
"Yeah, I don’t think you fit Deutsche Bank’s corporate image, least not for their customer face staff – there is a guy in computer support with you know those stretched piercings in his lobes.”
"Might pass on that.”
"Yeah me too, he came in once without the plugs in, he just had these weird shrivelled bits hanging down, gross.”

There weren’t a lot of people about in the town centre, a few older couples out for a stroll, some kids with skateboards, the usual for a Sunday afternoon in a German town. Mist’s confidence grew with each step, oh there were some strange looks no doubt about it but being in a group meant a sort of protection was in place around her. They found a bar just off the main drag, not far from the restaurant and were soon drinking and chatting merrily, Sam alone in sticking to soft drinks.

Meanwhile across the town.

By the time the pair of us got back to our pantechnicon of a camper, Dad was out of the shower and had the coffee machine on full drip – well I’ve not convinced Dad that we need a mini Gaggia yet okay? The next thirty minutes were a whirlwind of bodies dressing, preening and drinking – Daz and Dad could add waiting to that list. It wasn’t that me or Mand needed to shower, we did that earlier this afternoon at Bischofsheim, but it takes us laydeez longer to get ready, at least if we want to look at least halfway smart.

"They gonna be much longer?” I heard Daz asking.
"If there’s one thing I’ve learnt with a house full of women Darren, is don’t try to rush them and never mention how long they’ve been,” Dad supplied.
"Then as if by magic we appear!” I announced, returning to the living area.
"And before you ask, I’m right behind her,” Mand added, "Gab, you seen my bag?”
"Think, Daz is sitting on it.”
"Da-az,” Mand complained as the bag hiding fiend fished behind himself in search of the missing item.
"Er, this it?” he queried dragging straps and bag from behind the cushion he’d been leaning against.
"Hmph! nothing better be broken.”
"Daft place to leave it.”
"Be nice people,” Dad interjected in a vague attempt at de-escalation, "Are we all ready?”
 
Its not far from the Wohnmobil Stellplatz to our destination, no more than a kilometre but getting into the centre meant a less than straight route following a not very obvious route. Fulda Dom dominated the skyline as we made our way through an area which seemed to have more than its fair share of religious buildings, the Domchor, the Bischöfliches Priesterseminar, Theology Centre and that's just for starters. Other signs pointed to Caritas centres, both Palace and Schloss gardens besides several parks and Stadtschloss, a huge pale yellow palace affair that reminded me a bit of that place where the reception was in Munich – you remember, that fancy wedding?

Someone, okay it was me, wanted, no needed to use the toilets on Domplatz, besides which my feet weren’t enjoying the walk and I wanted to put my trainers back on, I had them in my backpack – just until we get to this Maharaja place.

"Okay?” Dad asked when I returned to the late afternoon subshine.
"Yeah,” I agreed, "So which way now?”
"According to the town plan, if we cut through the Schlosspark there's a road takes us almost straight to where we want to be.”
"How far is it?” Mand asked from her perch on the wall, no doubt thinking about her own footwear choice.
"Few hundred metres?” Dad suggested.
"Whatever.”
"Come on then, sooner we get there the sooner you get sat down again.”

When I think ‘few’ I usually expect three, four tops, I’m sure we’d walked more like half a K when we reached the main shopping street and Daz spied our destination. The park was nothing spectacular, a formal bit of lawns and flower beds before a more ‘natural’ landscape of native trees and a sort of ornamental pond cum boating lake took over. We picked up a sign for the Stadtmitte and sure enough, Lindenstrasse brought us directly to H&M on the wide pedestrianised expanse of Bahnhofstrasse.

It didn’t take long to walk the last hundred metres, we were a little late but only a couple of minutes.
 

"Erdbeer!” Big Jo called out across the restaurant.

There were a few other patrons, less than a dozen, spread over several tables, the BlauHase party were seated at a long table on the far side. Gab mentally ticked everyone off, Stefan, Marcus and Anna, Big Jo, Little Jo with his wife, the blonde with Animal must be Sam, so where’s Misty? More than that, who’s the girl with orange hair? That is painfully bright, hope she’s got a license, maybe she’s another friend come with Sam and Hilde?

"Hi guys, sorry we’re late.”
"We’ve only just sat down,” Stefan told us, "Good day?”
"Had better,” I allowed.
"We took the win,” Dad told the table as he found a seat next to Stefan.
"You three sitting or what?” Little Jo queried.
"Gis a chance, where’s Mist?”
I felt a tug on my elbow, "Um, Gab?” Mand nodded towards the unknown girl sat next to Anna.
"Hi Gab.”

I knew there was conversation still going on around me but it was sort of like time had slowed right down. It was Nena, Mists voice but my brain was having difficulty connecting it to the optical input. Mist has fairly long dark brown hair, this person, the one using my friends voice has much shorter, well tangerine hair with shortish bangs and makeup straight out of Gothland.

The synapses finally started to connect, the smell in our hotel room was bleach, the box in the bin, the girls hair on it was similar to the visage across the table. It still didn’t look right but the three studs around her mouth, the pouty lips painted a red verging on black, helped consolidate the image.

"Your mother is gonna go nuclear!”
"You like, thought I’d try a different colour.”

Now was not the time to talk about this, the arrival of a small flock of waiters armed with menus and intent on taking drinks orders sealed that. Frau Fischer and no doubt her Mann will have kittens when they are reunited with their daughter next week. I know she’s been ‘finding’ herself this last week, but I think she’s found someone else altogether, is this really my timid friends alter ego?
 

The Maharaja, apart from being host to my tangerine haired friend, is a typical Indian restaurant of the European persuasion. That is to say, they do the basics but the menu is much smaller than similar establishments back in Blighty, oh you get the standard sauces, Korma, Madras, Vindaloo, Masala but you’ll be lucky to find a Dhansak and your chances of a Balti or Tikka are fairly slim. The same goes for the rest of the menu and as for anything a bit more regional, well don’t hold your breath.

On the other hand, most Germans are unaware they are missing anything and the tables are turned when it comes to Greek and Turkish restaurants. I think Daz was a bit dismayed by the omissions, they didn’t even do a Keema Naan, but I suppose it does make choosing a bit simpler. In the end though, with thirteen of us to feed, we decided to just order a load of rice and an assortment of curries for the main course – well Mand just wanted Pilau and Sag Aloo.

It did mean everyone had the opportunity to try different stuff – and there was room on the table to fit everything. Several tureens of rice, plain and Pilau, a row of those warmer things with the tealights home to the dishes of actual curry. Personally I favoured the lamb Rogan Josh but I had a spoon of the beef Madras and chicken Korma and the Masala was turkey – not something you get back across the Channel.

There was beer on the table but after one small glass I switched to the ice water, I noticed Dad did the same – well I guess he’ll be driving back to the Ahrtal tomorrow so he will need a clear head. My bandmates were a bit less restrained, I don’t know what they did earlier but I know they had a couple of drinks before coming to the restaurant – not that I’m counting. By the time everyone had their fill and coffee was ordered, it was after eight, I caught Sam checking her watch once or twice, no doubt thinking of the long drive back to Bonn she and Anna still had to do tonight.
 

"Well I guess I’ll see you next week?” I suggested to Dad as we gathered on the pavement, the town almost silent apart from the faint sounds of trains moving through the Bahnhof a couple of hundred metres away.
"Unless you don’t want us,”
"Course I do, not so sure Mist is looking forward to her reunion though.”
"Indeed, that’s one conversation I don’t want to be anywhere near.”
"Me either. What do you think Mum’d say if it was me?”
"Well I think she’d be disappointed but she’d get over it, you know we both love you and you’re old enough to make your own decisions about these things.”
"Like doing this singing lark?”
"Exactly.”
"Maybe I can get her to tone down the colour a bit before the weekend,” I suggested.
"I think they’re waiting for you and I can’t see Darren and Amanda.”
"Think I can see them up near that crossing.”
"Take care kiddo, I know today was a bit disappointing but these things happen.”
"I guess, I’ll try to get a couple of rides in during the week, bye Dad.”
"Bye Gaby,” we exchanged an awkward hug – well he’s a lot taller than me even if I have got heels on.
"Give Mum my love.”
"I will, now scoot."
 

"So we’ll see you on Saturday, it’ll probably be late afternoon,” Sam suggested as goodbyes were said outside of the hotel. "I’ll bring you that number for my tattoo guy Mist.”
"Thanks Sam,” the two hugged before the two departees got in Sam’s Opel Adam to set off into the night.
"Ring me when you get home,” Marcus called after them.

"What time we leaving in the morning,” Mist enquired as we moved towards the entrance.
"Should only be about an hour to Hanau” Little Jo volunteered.
"Leave about ten?” Stefan suggested, "We can get some lunch before we meet Rob.”
"Anyone want a night cap,” Animal asked seeing the bar was open.
"I need my beauty sleep,” I told them.
"Yeah, I should go up too,” Mist agreed.
"See you in the morning then,” Stefan suggested.
"Yeah, nite everyone.”

The two of us rode the elevator in silence, both aware of the coming conversation, neither wanting to be the one to start it.
 

Room six one eight didn’t look any different to when I left it, what four hours ago? It didn’t smell of hair chemicals though and there was a cold draft flapping the curtain from the window I’d opened.

"Bum,” Mist sighed.
"I thought we’d been robbed when I came in earlier,” I told the orange one as I headed to close the window.
"I forgot about this lot.”
"Why’s it all strewn about anyway,” I asked aimlessly picking up the TV remote – well I might just catch the second half of Tatort.
"I was looking for an earring, I heard it drop but I couldn’t see where.”
"Whatever.”
"You don’t approve do you, my piercings, the hair, the clothes?”
"Its not for me to approve or not Mist, true, I was surprised by the piercings, its not my thing, you mentioned dying your hair but I just thought you’d do it black or auburn or something, I wasn’t expecting bright orange.”
"Mandarine.”
"Whatever you call it, you threw me a right curve ball.”
"You hate it.”
"I don’t hate it, it’ll just take some getting used to.”
"Tell me about it,” Mist sighed, sagging onto her bed, I don’t recognize me.”
"What was that about, Sam said something about a tattooist? You’re not getting tattooed too are you?”
"Maybe,” she hedged, "Did you see that one on her chest, awesome.”

Of course I’d seen it, its difficult not to given its position, every time you look at her your eyes are drawn to it.

"Your rents really will go mad if you turn up covered with tattoos.”
"Relax, its not gonna happen this week, if ever, I’m not sure I’m ready for that sort of commitment.”
"What about those new holes?”
"In theory I can take them out.”
"What do you mean, ‘in theory’.”
"To tell the truth, my bottom lip was really swollen this morning and I tried to take the bars out.”
"There’s a but coming.”
"Yeah, I forgot that he super glued the balls on so I didn’t take them out, buyers regret he called it.”
"So you can’t get them out, like ever?”
"Well not by myself.”
"Sugar.”
"To be honest, if I could’ve taken them out I probably wouldn’t’ve done my hair.”
"But you were committed so what the hey,” I proposed.
"Pretty much.”
"Why orange?”
"It looked good on the packet.”

I shook my head, it was as good a reason as any.

Maddy Bell © 28.02.2022