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Smell of the Crowd by Maddy Bell
Copyright© 2022 Madeline Bell
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Gyros
By the time the girls returned from their walk, the rest of BlauHase had returned and had taken up residence in the small hotel bar although it was coffee rather than bier being consumed. Stefan, Animal and the two Jo's were having a lively conversation about – well Gab thought it was music but it could just as easily have been cars or something else, Marcus and Anna Louise, his girlfriend, were engaged in, well stuff that couples do.
“Heya girls, been for a walk?” Little Jo greeted having spotted their return.
“Went to find some lunch,” Gab confirmed, “you guys see your friends?”
“Yeah, you shoulda come Erd,” Stefan opined.
“Well you know, bikes to ride and all that.”
“You two want coffee?” Animal offered.
“Or something stronger,” Misty proposed.
“Ne-ist,” Gab spluttered, “coffee's fine.”
“Spoilsport,” the other young woman pouted.
They spent a couple of hours talking shop, that is the guys doing most of the talking, the women occasionally getting asked an opinion, Gaby might be the singer but it wasn't a democracy, Stefan was King, the others his loyal retainers. As a result, the three females ended up with their own discussion, Anna Louise was quite garrulous, besides being ten years older, had been around the group for some time and offered some insights that the newbies weren't privy to. Of course, it wasn't all one way, the younger duo regaling the older woman with tales from the Ahrtal in return.
“We eating tonight?” Big Jo queried.
“Worried you'll fade away?” Marcus quipped.
They might be grown men but the reply was more kindergarten than adult.
“The girl on the desk said the Greek place just down the road is pretty good,” Little Jo mentioned.
“Girls?” Stefan queried.
“Works for me,” I offered.
“Sure,” Anna Louise agreed.
Stefan checked his watch, “say half an hour?”
No wonder he's single!
“Forty five?” Anna Louise counter offered, “i'm sure the girls need to change, I know I do.”
Of course, that resulted in a bit of eye rolling but the guys refrained from commenting beyond Big Jo suggesting they'd have time for a bier then.
“You not getting changed?” I asked back in our room a few minutes later.
“Wasn't going to, what's wrong with this?”
I know she's my friend and I know she's 'trying out' the Misty stuff but even so, well even I have standards, Jenny Bond didn't bring up no slob. I mean the shorts and T shirt she was wearing might sort of be okay most of the time but going out to eat in a restaurant? Don't get me wrong, i've not brought anything too fancy but I do have a 'going out' dress and a couple of smarter tops.
“Do you not think those shorts are a bit, er tight?”
“I told you, I'm trying out not being so middle class.”
I held my hands up in submission, “okay, whatever.”
“What are you wearing then, some designer frock from Eloise Couture?”
“Hardly, thought i'd wear that black silk vest with my jeans.”
“You'll have to wear heels for the full rock chick look.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, “you need the bathroom?”
“Be my guest.”
There wasn't time for a shower, well not if I was gonna be ready in time so after stripping off the dress and tights it was a quick pit wash before tackling the hair and redoing my face. I don't usually wear much more than lippy and massy – any more and you end up doing Panda impressions on the bike, however that doesn't mean I can't do the full works. Not that I intended going too overboard but fifteen minutes later i'd managed to avoid the Coco look and even my hair would just about pass a Mum inspection, pulled back into a layered pony affair.
I was however a little surprised, if not a bit relieved, to find that Misty had toned her outfit down a bit although her makeup was a bit heavier. Yep, the shorts and T shirt were gone replaced by a slinky slip dress although she had retained the fishnets and hair arrangement.
“Thought you weren't changing?”
“I wasn't going to but the shorts were chafing a bit.”
“Looks pretty good Mist, I guess we'd best go down.”
“You might want to get dressed first?”
“Dressed?” oops, I was still only in bra and knickers.
The guys had in fact all changed too, even if it was just exchanging their scruffy T shirts for at least clean ones, Marcus, no doubt influenced by Anna Louise, actually had a proper shirt on. AL herself had gone a similar route to me, a shiny blouse over black trousers and heels, smart but not too dressy.
The Akropolis was sited about a hundred and fifty metres along from the Adler Turm, in a modernish block, well maybe about twenty years old by the style. If the name wasn't clue enough the dekor was a heavy hint, the vaguely maritime theme accented by armless repro statues, pictures of the Parthenon and rounded out by canned Bouzouki music in the background.
Sunday evenings are often quiet in the restaurant trade, especially away from the big cities and tourist zones but we weren't the only patrons in this evening. By the look of it one table was celebrating a birthday or something, half a dozen younger adults clearly already into the alcohol, the other table, at a guess, having a family night out. The eight of us were easily accomodated, the waiters pushing a couple of tables together in the middle of the restaurant.
“What're you girls drinking?” Marcus asked once we were installed.
So far on the Tour, meals have been of the fast food variety grabbed between venues, there's been a few sandwiches and drinks before / after the gigs but today is the first time we've had a chance to eat sort of normally. I've been sticking to soft drinks so far – well you know what I'm like with alcohol, the others have been less conservative. Tonight tho', well we don't have a gig until tomorrow night, well one won't hurt.
“White wine?”
“i'll join you, get a carafe Marc,” Anna Louise instructed.
“Misty?”
“Rum and coke please.”
Of course, he didn't need to ask the rest of our party, even I know that Animal has Weissbier, the others whatever is on tap.
The drinks arrived along with menus, the wine carafe was huge, the contents demi sec, I'm no connoisseur but it was quite nice. I've never been to the Peloponese, I can probably count the number of times i've eaten in a Greek restaurant on one hand, so picking through the menu was a bit of an adventure. Moussaka and of course Kebabs I do know but Souvlaki? Sprasoriso? Gyros?
Turns out it was only me and Misty who haven't been to that corner of the Med and unlike many British tourists, Germans are quite happy to eat the local cuisine. I was quite happy to go along with the mixed platter starter and fortunately the menu did have a brief description in German beside each item. I quite fancied the Fasolada or bean soup but in the end Bogana, thats basically lamb with potato & tomato's got my vote.
Around the table various Gyros, Souvlaki, Kalasouna and other stuff with far too many v's, i's and z's in their names were added to the order, the grinning waiter scribbling away merrily for nearly ten minutes. With food ordered bier was quaffed, wine sipped and conversation descended to tall tales of gigs past. Clearly Misty and I, well Anna Louise too for that matter had little to contribute which did nothing to abate the story telling.
They didn't even stop when the starter arrived, Taramosalata, was spread, Tzatziki spooned, Anchovies dipped and peppers unstuffed. I passed on the Calamari and fried Zuchini, I'm just not that keen on either of them, but otherwise I sampled everything on offer. And here, unlike when the band is playing there was no pecking order as such although Big Jo seemed to be leading storyteller.
“So what's the crack tomorrow?” I enquired between an Olive and a tale of Weisswürst in a Dortmund nightclub.
“Tomorrow we become famous!” Little Jo espoused.
“In the bath water,” Marcus chuckled.
“Tomorrow Erdbeer we go to HR3 to promote our Tour, maybe he is right and we become famous outside of the Rheintal.”
Well that sounds good, “so its an interview?”
“Interview yes but also we play.”
“Play?”
“Uh huh,” Stefan confirmed, “Mr Manager man has excelled himself, we get two tracks and a chat with Britta Bursche.”
“Cool!” Misty stated.
To be honest, i've no idea who Britta Bursche is, I don't really listen to the radio, well Dad sometimes has it on in the car or camper which could be anything and at the Kabin, when I'm there, its the local Ahrtal station. I've heard of HR3, who hasn't, it sits sort of where Radio 2 does in the UK, a mix of popular music, chat and a bit of light entertainment thrown in.
“So um,” I started as the wait staff cleared the first lot of debris from the table, “what're we doing, singing?”
“Robert suggested we do Die Rhenish Mädchen,” Marcus put in.
“Its had a good reception at the gigs so far,” Stefan agreed as the main course started to arrive.
Further discourse changed to the contents of our plates, my lamb was pretty good, looking around the table everyone elses looked equally as nice. Talking through the starters is one thing but through the main, well personally I prefer to eat it at least warm, I had almost cleared my plate and was taking another sip from my magic glass – well it never seems to empty, before the original conversation was rebooted.
“What do you think about doing Thunder as the cover Erd?” Stefan posed.
If you recall, Thunder in the Mountains is the Toyah Wilcox oldie that we open the set with.
“It works in the concert but isn't it a bit obscure for mainstream radio?”
“Told you,” Animal stated.
“We having dessert?” Misty enquired.
Nice one Mist, i've been eyeing up that cheesecake in the chiller cabinet since we came in.
“I'm game,” I grinned.
“Guess we won't be eating this well again until at least next weekend,” Little Jo told us.
“Dessert it is then,” Stefan agreed, “so Erd, what do you suggest?”
“Well I was thinking the cheesecake.”
“i think Stefan was meaning which song,” Misty snickered.
I could feel myself colouring up, “oh, right, sorry.”
“It shouldn't be anything too long so Bo Rhap's out,” Marcus offered.
I thought for a moment, running the options through my head, “well it should be something that people will recognise, something that still showcases the bands abilities.”
“I think Eidelweiss is a bit far.” Stefan mentioned.
“I wasn't thinking Eidelweiss but you've given me an idea.”
“Ot oh,” Misty hammed.
I swatted at her be-bunned noggin, “cheeky moo.”
“So what's this idea then?”Stefan prompted.
“Well what if.....”
The cheesecake was at least as good as it looked which was very good indeed and after hashing out our radio appearance and a sort of timetable, even my magic glass was finally empty. I'm not quite as bad with el vino colapso as I used to be but I have no idea how much wine passed my lips. I do know that Misty had four rum and cokes – I saw that on the bill, but there again there were twenty biers too so its not like she was drinking alone!
We made our way back to Die Adler Turm, it wasn't exactly late but only Animal and Little Jo headed to the bar for a night cap, we might not be travelling in the morning but we have got our micro concert in the afternoon down in Frankfurt, it would probably be as well to be reasonably fresh for that.
“Pity you'll miss the shops tomorrow,” Nena, Misty, whatever stated as I lay on my bed, head swimming a little from clearly far too much wine.
“Uhm.”
“Someones got a sore head.”
“Someone was supposed to be looking out for me,” I pointed out.
“I was, am, I only had a couple of drinks.”
“Four.”
“You counting?”
“'s on the bill.”
“Good meal though right?”
“Up to that shot before we left.”
“The Grappa?”
“Whatever it was was vile.”
Misty chuckled, “surprised you could even taste it after all that wine.”
“Wish I couldn't.”
The dim features of the room swam around some more, I didn't feel ill exactly but on the other hand now I was horizontal I was pretty sure i'd be ill if I tried any other position. My room mate had gone quiet, there was a gentle sawing from the other bed with an occasional 'snark'. The spinning in my head got worse when I closed my eyes but slumber followed in short order.
It was light from the south facing window that woke me, far too early, my mouth like a desert, head gently throbbing despite the six hours or so of sleep. Misty seemed to be missing but then the shower started – maybe it wasn't the light that had woken me. Shower, now thats a good idea but even better would be coffee, kettle, kettle, where are you?
By the time Miss Earlybird emerged from the bathroom the kettle was boiled and my bladder was ready to burst.
“Do some coffee while I shower.”
“What did your servant die of?”
I wasn't in a mood for arguing, there were more pressing things on my mind.
“How can you sing at this time of the morning,” Mist groaned fifteen minutes later.
“After you woke me up.”
“Couldn't sleep.”
“I think that segue works quite well, what do you reckon?”
“I'm hardly the one to ask, here, coffee modom.”
The shower had done a fairly good job of cobweb removal, the cup of cofffee, despite being instant, pretty much completed the job. I sat on my bed savouring the hot beverage, the sounds of a new work week drifting in from the street outside, I closed my eyes.
“Gab's, we going for breakfast?”
“Huh?”
“Breakfast, you coming down?”
I must've dozed off, my companion was now dressed, a reprise of yesterday, shorts, fishnets but a different top, well tops plural, it looked like a vest under a cropped T.
“Er yeah, be right there.”
“See you down there.”
“'kay,” I agreed to her departing back.
For speed I just dragged my jeans on with last nights vest top, shoved my feet into my trainers, wrenched my still damp hair into a pony and set off for the food. Urgh, well okay, maybe I'll go a bit light on the actual food. The two Jo's were missing but everyone else was already in attendance, Anna Louise even had her face on, maybe she didn't drink as much of that wine last night.
“Hey Erd, Misty says you were practising in the shower,” Marcus said with a grin.
“It's where I do all my best stuff, well there and on the bike,” I shot back.
“We'll have to get a shower installed on the stage,” Stefan smirked.
I stuck my tongue out at him, well what's a girl to do? I collected the makings of my Fruhstück from the counter and joined the others, Ne-isty already had a fresh coffee waiting for me.
“Bit of a change of plan,” Stefan advised.
“Hmm?”
“I spoke to Rob before I came downstairs, we'll be going into Frankfurt a bit earlier, he wants to hear what we're gonna do with Britta this afternoon.”
Well there goes my quiet morning.
I let out a sigh, “sure but I need to sort out my nails before tonight.”
“I'll do them later Gab,” Misty told me, “we'll have time before the gig.”
When did life get so complicated? I could be heading into a lecture with Lisbet about now after driving down to Koblenz with Max and the Weiss brothers, a bit of time in the library then back to Dernau. Instead its radio shows, dashing along autrobahns and late night gigs, after tonight it won't even be the same bed each night.
Maddy Bell © 08.01.2022
