It's1976, the streets of Chelsea were lively. The faint singing of the drunks roaming the streets like unleashed animals, the chatter of people who would come and go in crowds. The fights between young couples. The steamed windows from people shagging in their dads Morris Minor. The stench of tobacco coming from people living the streets, outside the pubs.
I always kept to myself, never wanting to attract unsolicited attention to myself. I hid in the shadows and barely spoke to anyone. Some would say I was an 'ambiguous' figure, others would call me a freak, but after moving to Chelsea at 19, I think I'd rather be a freak than another brick in the wall.
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I sat outside of the Nawsley Pub, on the pavement, smoking a cigarette as the warm summer breeze brushed my blonde hair which sat upon my shoulders, unevenly. Another man came out, too, smoking.
His hair was spiked, and dyed orange. A chunky jumper with safety pins dotted all over sat on his raw-boned frame.
"You not cold?" The man asked, his face showing no expression at all.
"No, not really, I'm warm." I replied, pulling at the threads of my dress as it draped over my legs.
The man moved close to me, adjusting himself against the wall. I looked up at him, slightly confused and but also in awe of how weird he looked...and disgusting.
I stood up as i stubbed my cigarette out.
"You from here?" He asked, this time making eye contact with me. As he spoke, his teeth were...rotten.
"I just moved here actually...first pub i came to was this one. You from here too?" I replied. I saw his face change to a confused look, I was wondering if I misspoke about anything.
"Do you know who i am, darling?" He asked, seeming curious as he leaned in closer, practically whispering.
"No...can't say I do, who are you?" I said, moving slightly back as his breath wasn't something I was up for inhaling.
"You heard of the sex pistols?" He said, cocking an eyebrow.
I felt my face turn red, as if I was blushing. I stood in shock. Not believing that I have just spoken to...Johnny Rotten.
"Now I recognise you!" I said, giggling to myself.
There was a silence which filled the air, i felt a cold breeze wash over me as if someone put an ice cube down my back. I shivered.
"How old are you, sweetheart? You look younger than me!" Johnny said laughing to himself.
"I'm nineteen" I mumbled as i lit up another cigarette.
Johnny seemed to take a minute to process this. I saw the cogs in his brain churn.
"Well, I'm 20, so it's not far off" Johnny chuckled.
"I'm not trying to hit on you or anything if that's what it seeming like" Johnny laughed. "I have my girlfriend, Nora, she's is the love of my life, let me tell you.." He rambled on, turning red.
I nodded and smiled to myself, he was talking to me like I was somebody. Not, nothing. I was somebody!
A few guys followed eachother out of the pub and came up next to Johnny.
"Who's this girl, Johnny? Sharing is caring" Laughed a guy with curly brunette hair.
"This girl, is Sage, pleasure to meet you" I reached out my hand as the guy shook it and kissed it.
"I'm Jonsey, Steve Jones" Steve said, smiling.
"And I'm paul, and this is Glen!" Paul said, pointing to himself and Glen.
"Well it's a delight to meet...all of the sex pistols" I smiled, as my cigarette soon became ashes.
