Before the Glitter: 1971

Four Girls, One Bar

June 28, 1971

"You want to do what?" I asked, taking a drag on my cigarette as I spoke with a friend on the phone. "You want to go see a band at that dark and smelly bar? And it's a band called The Pistols? Are you serious?" I ashed my cigarette, not taking her at all seriously. I wasn't accustomed to going to dark bars with questionable substances on the floors and cheap beer being sold by the pint. "Where did you even hear about this band? Oh god, there's another band on after them?" I inquired, flipping over to my stomach on my sectional sofa in my flat. I laughed because as with any band, she had heard about it naturally, through a friend of a friend or something like that.  "Fine. What time? Okay. Oh, I am excited! Can't you hear my enthusiasm?" I said rolling my eyes. Because, Deena! I have a gallery opening on Sunday and I have to return to try on my outfit today. I alterations done and I have to make certain it suits me. I don't have time to be overly enthused about some band you want me to go see with you and James. And they probably won't even be any good!" I said. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy listening to bands. I quite fancied it actually. But I hated being roped into things that became an excuse for my friend Deena to be with her boyfriend James. "Very well. I'll see you at 7:00. I have to go for now. Because. Just...because." I sighed into the phone. "Because I'm going to see Sebastian." I said a bit sheepishly into the phone. It seemed that my plans for the day were made for me.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Mary Austin said as she smiled at the man whom she had agreed to meet on this Friday afternoon. This 'date' (if you preferred to call it that) was originally set up for Saturday but Freddie, being the impatient soul he was, insisted on Friday.

"Oh! What do you think of this!" Freddie said most excitedly as he disappeared from view. He didn't even have a rebuttal for Mary's comment. She chuckled.

"My god! I think it would certainly cover the floor of my entire flat." She said, staring at the enormous oriental rug that Freddie had successfully been swallowed into.

"Someday, I want at least 3 of these things just like this one....only bigger!" he said, sneaking out of the other side with a cheeky, toothy smile that Mary had become infatuated with in a matter of fifteen minutes. She couldn't help but laugh again at his passion for fine antiques. Freddie gasped and had quickly darted across the store to a gaudy ornamental statue. "Look at this! Would you just look at this!" he exclaimed.

"Hello Freddie! Good to see you. We just received that piece." The store owner greeted him.  Mary realized now, that he was a regular here.

"Hi Clive! I love this! It's marvelous...and sadly only three times too big for my flat." Freddie sighed and ran his fingers over the smooth marble. "My god! Clive, this is Mary! Mary Austin. She works at the Kensington Market!" Freddie said, pulling Mary over to him by the arm.

"Hhh, hi! Hi there. Yes, I'm...I'm Mary. It's nice to meet you. This place is like the most elaborate jumble of clutter I've ever seen for sale in one place." She told Clive who couldn't help but agree with her. It was true, Clive's Long Street Antiques was a jumbled mess of estate sale finds and consignments that popped up from off the street. It smelled musty and the water-damaged wood floors creaked under foot. It was difficult to even sort through the wares and nothing had a price tag. But, Freddie adored touching on, holding and cooing over treasures that someone else had so unlovingly discarded in a past life. Had it been up to him, he would go completely bankrupt at Clive's. And then, there was Freddie's favorite part about antiquing on Long Street. Mary let out a surprised yelp at the feeling of something brushing up against her leg.