The Best 19th Birthday Cruise To Sydney – Mad Chaos: January 18, 1998

Tonight was my birthday and what should have been the biggest disaster of my aging career turned out to be the best birthday I’ve had.

Completely from the point, after I finished with my Diary entry last on Saturday, I called Lyssa.  She was ready to see a movie.  Later when I was traveling to the City I realized she had watched Scream 2, which I was planning to watch with her on Monday. 

Lyssa was in a hurry and had to leave with Mallory and Nikita.  Her mum was giving her a lift.  Penelope was in the City with Bielka and a couple of others.  She had her phone turned off because she didn’t want Ali to know. 

All night Ali was wondering where Penelope was but couldn’t get a hold of her.  Feeling bad, I didn’t tell Ali what I knew and how much of it I knew.

Down Memory Lane With Jewell

After saying goodnight to Lyssa, I then proceeded to call Jewell since I was planning for quite some time.  As soon as I called Jewell we talked nonstop, catching up on events that we haven’t heard yet. 

Jewell and I talked for over an hour or two.  The conversation was great, as we haven’t talked since New Year’s Eve.  I found I could talk less constrictively because Lyssa knew that I was calling. 

Jewell told me that she was calling my house tomorrow to wish me a happy birthday.  I didn’t think she would remember but she made it pretty clear that she knew about my history.

Jewell and I also recapped the year past.  We both realized that at the end of this month it would have been a year since the first time we had met. 

She told me how when I sent her letters she would show her mum, but her mum wouldn’t realize the true meaning of the letter, only Jewell would know that.  All the intricate details would mean nothing to Jewell’s mum.  That would explain why her mum always knows it’s me calling after all this time.  Jewell’s mum thinks that I’m a very good person.

Prepare For My 19^th Birthday

Hanging up the phone near 8:30pm, I started to get ready for my birthday.  Lucas and Ralf came over my house for a very hopeful good time out with the birthday boy.  Ali or Imad weren’t to be at my house for an hour or more, so I had to stall Lucas. 

Turning on my computer I put on a game so they could join in later.  Looking at games lasted for about 20 minutes.  When I turned that off, Ralf and Lucas started looking at my photo albums.  After that we started talking and having a discussion.  Then it got to the point where I put on some clothes and we jumped into Lucas’s car.

Lucas called up Silvester and realized that Silvester had someone hooked up for him back at his flat in Liverpool.  Lucas drove to Pizza Hut without me saying anything.  So I called Ali and told him to meet us at Pizza Hut.  Imad was also going to my house but that screwed that up. 

Lucas and Ralf weren’t really keen on coming with me to the City.  I could tell but that didn’t really bother me.  Simon also wanted to come down when we visited Pizza Hut and Lucas drove to Ralf’s house to pick up some clothes.

Opting to stay at Pizza Hut, Ali rocked up in the next minute.  He parked in the parking lot and we sat in his car.  Imad came down a minute later and parked next to us.  Then we received a call from Shawn wanting to come out with us tonight.  Lucas didn’t really want to take him and Imad or Ali couldn’t take him because of the problems with their cars, so once again, like the old days, I was the guilty one. 

Keith ended up picking Shawn up.  Then they came down to Pizza Hut wanting to come with us.  Lucas came back.  Then we were ready to travel to the City for my birthday.

Birthday Cruise To Sydney

Imad and Ali drove ahead of Lucas, as Keith was trying to be a hero.  After Ali blew him away on the strip to Woodbine McDonald’s, Keith knew to fuck off.  Keith would fly past Imad because his car isn’t that quick but would never try to fly past Ali’s Celica, the sad mother fucker.  Ali and I didn’t even want Keith to join us but he put his fat ass in our way.

Ali had an engine problem with his Celica that he was trying to fix all day today.  The muffler piping from the extractors was cracked halfway around.  Ali told me that if it came off it would make a lot of noise and we would have a hard time getting back home. 

Caning on the highway to Liverpool, Ali reached 170 K/h.  That is where we heard our first huge backfire.  The sound was so large that we could see the fireball coming from under the bonnet of Ali’s car. 

The sound was so loud I jumped out of my seat, not used to noises that big coming from Ali’s Celica.

What pissed me off tonight was that Lucas and Keith were staying well behind us in traffic and right next to each other, while Ali and Imad were doing the same in front.  I had a feeling that they were plotting to get rid of us the moment we left Campbelltown.

Shawn Shows His True Colors

Pulling into Liverpool, we drove to Macdonald’s.  Lucas parked his car at Silvester’s flats.  Realizing that most of them were dogs was when we were at Liverpool McDonald’s waiting for Silvester.  Walking over to Shawn to shake his hand and say hello, he kept walking as if I wasn’t there.  Thinking he was trying to be his usual sarcastic self, he was counting money and left me standing there with my hand out waiting for a reception. 

“What,” he said to me, looking at my hand. 

Then I realized what a dick head he was when he stuck his finger up at me and walked into McDonald’s.  From Shawn I wouldn’t have expected that but all of them had dog in them tonight.

Try To Wake Silvester Up

As everyone jumped onto a fence on-looking Silvester’s first floor room, we noticed that he was dead asleep on the couch.  Lucas was banging on his door to wake him up, but he was dead asleep.  We got so much of a reception that all the neighbors were stepping onto their veranda. 

Lucas finally jumped from a balcony onto his veranda, walked into his apartment and woke him up from his slumber.  It was so funny to see Silvester wake up with a leopard skin top on with bike pants.  Silvester woke up and didn’t know where he was or if he was being robbed.  Everyone on the fence was laughing, as he couldn’t even recognize Lucas.  Alas, Lucas didn’t get to see the girl.  Silvester was lying. 

Then after a couple of minutes we left for the City again.

Turning off on the Hume Highway Ali and Imad hurried off on their way towards Sydney while Keith and Lucas kept well behind, on purpose is what I think.  Calling Lucas, he told us he was a couple of minutes behind us.  So that kept me at ease for a while. 

Ali’s Celica Explodes Towards Sydney

Caning past South Strathfield towards Ashfield there was a real bumpy road.  After a huge explosion from the extractors, the muffler came loose and we were forced to stop the car in a side street.

Ali and I couldn’t believe our luck.  I remember that Lyssa told me Penelope had a nightmare the night before.  Penelope dreamt that Ali was driving his car his usual crazy self going to the City for my birthday.  Ali was alone in the car and all of a sudden Ali crashed his car.  Penelope remembers that the front end was pushed in all the way and Ali was sitting on the footpath by himself crying his eyes out.  Penelope woke up upset and crying herself after that nightmare because it was so real to her. 

Penelope didn’t tell Ali about her dream directly but would tell him to be careful.  The same happened with Lyssa and I, but I got curious when Lyssa would tell me to be careful.  I got the truth out of Lyssa.  As I told Ali that early in the night before we left, he freaked out because he was smoking some pot before he left and was somewhat stoned.

Separating True Friends From Dogs

With the car pulled over Imad was way in front of us.  We tried to signal him but he didn’t stop.  Ringing Lucas, he showed some sympathy and told me they would try to turn back to help us, but they were heaps far away and were halfway to the City.  The truth of the fact was starting to be obvious that they didn’t want to help us and wanted to keep going to the City, carry out the plans that I made up for my birthday and do the things I was supposed to do.  If it wasn’t for me calling everyone, they wouldn’t have been going to the City in the first place. 

I brought all of us together for my birthday.

Lucas and Keith told us they were on their way, as Ali and I started a 20-minute walk towards Ashfield on the main highway (the Hume Highway). 

Just before reaching Ashfield, we received a call from Imad who had already parked in King’s Cross.  Imad informed us that the Cross was going off but then Ali informed him of our situation, gave him directions and he was on his way.  It only took Imad a simple direction for him to be on his way.  It took Lucas and Keith 20 minutes of explaining just where we were for them to realize and find where we were.  The next call we received was from Lucas.  They were just ringing to tell us they were at our car.

Strolling back to the car, we found that everybody was hidden… ha ha ha funny. 

Ali and I sat out of view and called the whole bunch dogs.  Being a friend of everyone, I realized that I didn’t want to be hanging around anyone apart from Ali and Imad.  You will see why they are my true friends.

Picking Ali Over The Boys

It was good that Lucas, Ralf, Simon, Keith and Shawn stopped off but they weren’t being any help or offering assistance.  All they were being were selfish and wanted to leave for the City. 

Sitting with the cars for ten minutes they started getting restless and basically were looking for any excuse to leave.  Not thinking that Lucas at least would go, I held onto my pride.  Ralf and Simon sang me a stupid birthday song and gave me some birthday punches.  I gave out a laugh but it wasn’t real. 

What I didn’t think would happen eventuated.  As Ralf and Simon shook my hand goodbye, they left me and Ali, alone in the middle of Strathfield with no tools and no source to get home.

“Do you want to come with us to the city,” they asked me. 

I proudly replied, “I wouldn’t dog Ali for anything.”

Sad was the moment that they started up their cars and left towards the City.  Neither Ali nor I looked in their direction, nor did we receive a wave goodbye, a beep or hear someone’s voice.  Angry I was and sad that friends I thought that were had disentangled their friendship in one fell swoop. 

The Theory On Friends & Acquaintances

Ali and I looked at each other when they left, shook our heads and thought of only one thing in our minds… dogs.  If that was me, no matter how important the friend, I would stay there with them until I thought they were safe and alright.  All I received was a faint impression of thankfulness and then it was gone.

Imad noticed them a minute down the road.  As Ali and I sat there talking about how big a dog they were, Imad turned up.  Lucas and Keith who led him to us left once again for the City.  Once again, it was a party that should have been mine but was taken from me.

Ali, Imad and I sat there with grim faces trying to fix the exhaust that was hitting the ground.  While Ali wished me happy birthday and gave me soft punches to show appreciation, I sat down and had a thought. 

The thought in my mind turned to sorrow as I realized that my friends weren’t my friends in the first place, they were just extras that I have to discard now. 

All my friends that I need right now, my true friends are Imad, Ali, Penelope and of course, Lyssa. 

To think of everyone else as a close friend I can’t find anyone, except for Jett and Johnnie who are long-time friends.  I’m still not sure of their respect.

Repair Muffler On The Celica

Imad tied some speaker wire to the muffler to hold it up.  Then Ali started his car after releasing the jack.  As soon as Ali turned his engine on and we heard the loud noise from his engine was the time when our good night had started.  Just beginning to appreciate my birthday, we started driving back to Campbelltown.

The time was around 12:30am and Ali and I were afraid of the carbon dioxide fumes that were engulfing the car we were driving.  Imad informed us that if we breathed enough in that we would pass out within ten minutes and not even notice.  Ali and I were starting to realize that Penelope’s realism dream was starting to come true and be a bad jinx to our night.  With noise coming straight out of the extractors, Ali’s car could be heard a couple of kilometers away.  Imad was going deaf as he was driving next to us. 

Scaring Drivers On Our Cruise Home

The first big laugh we received was driving past some cars and dropping back a gear, then looking at the faces of the drivers getting scared of our car.  It always happened.

Seeing a guy on a racing bike up ahead, Ali kept it in fifth gear.  Just before we neared him Ali dropped back a gear or two.  The bike rider nearly fell off his bike, as he fully turned to face our direction.  Ali and I laughed hard as we passed him.  He must have thought we were a semitrailer right on his ass and he was about to be run over. 

After that encounter we passed a soft-top car with some groovy City lads from prep school.  Dropping back a couple of gears right next to their car, we laughed hard once again at the harsh expressions on their face and the after effects where they froze to their seats.  Imad was behind us and he noticed the guys were laughing at Ali’s car, so he flew past them to shut them up. 

Another couple of cars we passed.  Then we had to stop at a service station because the carbon dioxide fumes were starting to make us woozy and dizzy.

Recovering From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

At the service station I noticed the girl behind the counter was being a full snoopy bitch.  Firstly looking at Imad’s car fully staring, she jotted down his number plate and then jotted down Ali’s number plate.  We then headed into her shop to buy food.   Ali and I laughed at her eye makeup as it made her look like a bloated tramp witch.  After we had something to eat we started our cars up ready to leave.

Pulling back onto the highway we caned out of the service station and made everyone look.  Cruising past some shops with people out the front, we noticed they heard us over the hill almost a kilometer or two away and watched us in awe the whole way, some with smiles on their faces, some with hate thoughts. 

Cruising along the highway some more we flew past some more people on the highway.  Then looking over to my left I realized that Yorgos was talking to Imad in the car next to him.  It was a fluke that we met up with him.  As Ali caned past him we noticed a big truck behind us.  Taking a more logical look, we realized they were police in a panel van. 

Ali Is Pulled Over By Cops

Ali had his gear in fifth gear.  Without a loud muffler we were still making plenty of noise.  They eventually pulled us over as Yorgos tried to cut them off from getting into our lane.

As we were pulled over Ali and I couldn’t stop laughing about the fact that we were pulled over by police and we were high on carbon dioxide.  We tried to restrain ourselves as the police came to our doors.  

“Don’t you think you were driving like a dick head back there,” the lady officer said to Ali.

He replied, “No I don’t think I was driving like a dick head back there.” 

The officers asked both of us for some identification and then walked back to the station wagon.  Sitting in their car for ten minutes Ali and I cracked up when the officer told us she could hear us from Elizabeth Street, which they followed us from and that was a kilometer or two back.

The officers came back, made Ali take a breathalyzer test and stood there for a minute looking at the reading.  I was ready to see the woman start to hit the little computer as she didn’t really believe the reading she was getting. 

The police officer wanted Ali to be drunk. 

What spun me out was that they didn’t even check the Celica.  They didn’t realize the very loud noise was the muffler on the floor.  They even noticed it was my birthday and wished me a happy birthday before they walked away.  Walking away without a fine, Ali and I sat there laughing our brains out that the officers were stupid enough not to find any problems.

Ali Finds An Excuse To Thwart Police Officers

I told Ali to wait for the Police Officers to leave first.  There we sat for what seemed to be 15 minutes.  A couple of minutes into waiting I called ‘000’ and asked for the police.  Then I gave a description that Casula Mall was being robbed by a couple of men so that the officers would hurry, rush to the scene of the crime and leave us. 

Ali thought that it would be an ingenious idea if he used Penelope’s contact lenses for an excuse. 

As I was calling the police, they rolled next to us after waiting forever.  When the officers pulled up to us I quickly hung up the phone in the middle of the call.  Asking why we weren’t leaving, Ali had the contacts in hand and replied with one hand smudging his eye up and down.

“I dropped one of my contacts and I can’t seem to find it.” 

With that the officer gave us a funny look and said, “Okay then,” thinking we were weird. 

Then the police officers left on their way. 

Waiting a couple of minutes, Ali started the car and left in a high gear.  A Kilometer up the road Imad was waiting with Yorgos.  We parked the car and laughed loud as we told them the encounter we just went through.  After the story we said goodbye to Yorgos, as he wished me a happy birthday. 

Then we headed for home but not without the occasion scaring of pedestrians and drivers.

Reaching Campbelltown after Imad, we looked for everyone at Woodbine Macers but cruised past as no one was there. 

Being 2:30am in the morning, Ali and I thought to travel to Keith’s house and cane past real loud to wake everyone in his street up as payback.  Instead, Imad gave us a call and wanted to meet at Campbelltown McDonald’s.  Having someone in the car with Imad, we both done some hellies at the Meat Mart.  After smoking it up, Imad drove home and said goodbye.

Keith Becomes The New Leader

Ali and I stayed out.  Imad told us that Keith and Lucas were back from the City and were in Campbelltown to steal a Pulsar SSS like Keith’s car.  What I think is funny is that all the dickheads who follow Keith’s lead still haven’t learnt their valuable lesson. 

To be dogged by a dog is to dog another and be a friend of an enemy and make an enemy of a friend.  

Remembering the days that everyone used to hate Rory and despised Phoenix and Tabitha.  These days they crave for their pussy like it’s the last in the world.  They follow like puppies to the lead of Rory and his embracing convoy of dickheads.  Honestly I can’t see the point in keeping contact with any of them.

Blowing Keith Away In Our Celica

Seeing Keith and Lucas cruising up the Moore Oxley bypass, Ali and I turned towards them in our very loud Celica. 

As usual, Keith and Lucas were hogging the highway right next to each other.  So frustrated I was I told Ali to take the bicycle lane that was full of chunks and close to deterioration so we could deafen Keith and his faithful mates.  Ali flew past the dickheads doing near 180 Km/h in the bicycle lane.  I’m not sure what they were thinking but I’d like to hope that the tight ass Keith was scared that we would take that judgment, and that his ears bled because of the noise our car was producing to them.

Off they were to steal a car.  Let me just say that without me (truthfully) they could not steal shit.  It was me who was a part of the original heist of a Pulsar SSS which Keith was being a dick head for.  Shawn and I stole it along with Jett’s help.  I don’t think anyone there had the guts to steal a car apart from Shawn. 

What would have happened was that Shawn would have been eager, Keith would have been demanding.  He would have hidden under his age factor that he can’t steal a car, and everyone would be too afraid to speak out because they wouldn’t like to get involved.  Lucas would eventually want to go home, and Simon would get scared and just sit back and say nothing.  So none of them can do shit and here they are almost a year after “My Theft” that they try and equal it, but don’t have enough balls, enough guts and no determination.

After flying past the dickheads we turned onto St. Johns Road and put the car in neutral for stealth mode. 

Sprained Ankle While Stealing Newspapers

Driving towards Campbelltown again, I decided to steal some papers from East Campbelltown Newsagent.  Ali stopped at the top of the hill.  I walked down and helped myself to a stack that was already open.  Jogging to the car I tripped over the gutter, bent my ankle out of proportion and sprained it.

Jumping into the car I was in pain but was laughing, as Ali stopped further down so I could lay on the ground.  Getting a bit of rest, we started to head home with newspapers in our hand and me with a sprained ankle. 

Ali put his car in stealth mode to my house.  Then I asked him to cane it on St. Johns Road.  The car was so loud I started to laugh as I could hear it so loud traveling to his house.

Making it home safe and in one piece, a part of Penelope’s dream came true, but we are both still alive, which is good.  Even though nothing eventuated tonight I would have to say it will be a birthday I will always remember and a birthday where I’ll have so many stories to tell. 

Planning Picnic At Cataract Dam

Today I am supposed to wake up at 11:30am because Lyssa has a picnic ready for me in the morning.  Lyssa and her mum went shopping for some picnic food last night before I called her.  It’s all ready to be eaten around 2pm tomorrow.  Ali wants to come to our picnic.  Seeming that his car won’t be working, we will probably drive in Penelope’s car to Cataract Dam where we will have lunch and a picnic. 

The time is now 4:51am.  I’ve spent around 2 hours writing in my Diary but I thought if I didn’t write it now I would forget the best detail for my best birthday so far.  Now I’m getting tired and I have to sleep for Lyssa, the one I love.