In comparison to most youths these days I was very much a late bloomer.
Most youngsters were hitting the clubs, pubs and bars, drinking and staying out late at a much earlier age than I did. It was that typical rebellious thing that most of them possessed that I never had (or ever will have I guess).
I’d left school earlier than most of my classmates, so I always felt ostracized by them. They continued to do the schoolmate bonding thing, whereas I got an early mark into the world of employment and rarely saw and of my school friends. There were notable exceptions….Matt & Charmaine……they’re eternally bonded to me!
So anyway, there I was – circa 1981 – ‘bout 17 years old, and never had ventured into “nightclub territory”. My hobbies were GI Joe and making Super 8 home movies with my brother. Nightclubs seemed kinda “advanced” for me.
I did though (around about that era), have a couple of “puppy love” girlfriends (one after the other of course), so I got caught up with my brother and his best friend in a few double date (and triple date) excursions. I think back and kind of assume my brother liked being my mentor (Obi-Wan Kenobi if you will), and started to show me the ropes. We’d go to a beer garden here or we’d double date at a movie theatre there and so on. He even introduced me to my first alcoholic drink……..Southern Comfort (which I still find to be a very smooth drop).
But the real “coming-of-age” was to go to a nightclub……DISCO in fact in those days.
“The Bank” was “the” disco of choice…though there was not much to choose from back then…so this is where he took me.
I remember us both paying the cover charge ($5), and watched as big bro approached the huge double doors to the nightclub entrance. He opened them both at the same time (it was all very dramatic…kind of reminiscent of Riff Raff opening the doors to the ballroom in Rocky Horror to reveal the Transylvanians singing and dancing to the “Time Warp”)…and I was immediately dazzled by the lights, colours, music and people. Good gosh….it was straight out of Saturday Night Fever! The song that was playing was “Hands Up” by Ottawan. (Yes people, The Bank used to play good music, before they started all that ghetto rubbish!) My brother then proceeded to do the Tony Manero thing by walking through the crowd, with astounding ease, I followed full of awe.
Actually, after that, the evening was kind of a blur. I don’t recall drinking anything. I think I was just getting used to navigating my way round a crowded smoky room (Yup, they smoked indoors those days), and struggling to hear conversations being said in such a loud environment.
The dance-floor was vintage disco…..a multi-coloured illuminated chequered floor (a la Saturday Night Fever), while hanging from the ceiling in the corners were female mannequins (I really can’t recall what purpose they served). Occasionally there was a puff of smoke, or bubbles (or was it both? I can’t remember).
I remember a female midget dancing…..and that my brother knew her…weird!
The last thing I remember about that first night was seeing a girl I knew from school (who I hadn’t seen in years) and she was ecstatic to see me. That made me feel good. I was on my way out when I met her, but told her I hoped to see her next week. She said okay….and off I went. Little did I know then, that particular friend was going to be a big part of a whole lot of adventures in the coming few years.
I had finally arrived………….
