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Back in my college days, we became weekend ravers. This meant renting a car every third weekend or so, and four or five of us driving up to three hours to attend a “rave”. Looking back on those weekends, when we took ecstasy pills, little baggies and lines of speed, and smoked joints as if they were our last, I could feel guilt or regret. The truth is I had some of the best nights of my life, nights I will never forget.
Shelleys in Stoke was a club that everyone talked about; you had to go there at least once. So, one sunny weekend we headed to Stoke in a convoy of two cars. When we pulled into the car park, we did the usual of bombing down some appetizer drugs so we could be high from start to the finish – at six am.
Looking over to Anna and Adrian’s car a few yards away, where they too were popping pills, we saw two young lads approach their car, all smiles, and right before our eyes we watched as our two friends were dragged from their car and arrested by two cops dressed as ravers.
We were devastated, obviously, but also knew we’d be coming up pretty quickly, and the best place to be was in the club. Once inside we did what was expected of us: took more drugs and danced like fiends, having a wild time. Myself and my friend Bob danced within sight of the entrance, on the lookout for Anna and Adrian.
After a couple of hours we were suddenly rushed by four large security men, dragged up a small stairway and into an office. We were ‘placed’ in front of the promoter’s desk, with the security men guarding us. Both the scene and the people could have been lifted directly from a movie.
“So, lads,” began the promoter, a tough looking Irish man, “we’ve been watching you boys on the monitors, and want to know what the fuck you are up to.” We were really quite high, chewing gum furiously, and the sudden change in scenery, as well as the loss of the music, had us both confused and scared. We did, however, manage to explain, in overloud voices, what had happened to our friends. The Irish man smiled, and asked us if we’d mind if his boys searched us just to make sure we weren’t selling drugs.
Once we were found to be clean, the mood became incredibly friendly and we were escorted back into the club after smiles and handshakes, and good wishes for our arrested friends.
Back to our dancing, we were relieved when Anna and Adrian arrived. They’d managed to take most of their drugs in the car, but were arrested on suspicion of possession. The police search missed two ecstasy tablets in Anna’s bra, so she hoofed them down in her cell and danced in silence for the three hours until they were released with a warning.
Shelleys was worth all the hype, and once Anna and Adrian got there we still had five hours ahead of us. Five hours of ecstasy, dancing, smiling, and chewing gum.
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