Black Neon

By Adil Qatine

I started working the nightclub scene

when I was 19 years old checking out

with a best of friends and saw each

other through it all

we laughed a lot cried sir and crammed a

lot of living into those 10 years

that was some of the best years of my

life and

some of the worst

thank you

thank you

come on

I think you should see someone

what are you talking about it's under

control

it's important you don't want us to end

up like Jack and Vicky

what have they got to do with it

can't go on this way

something's got to change

go away for a while

pick a holiday or something

we can't afford it money doesn't matter

you need a break

we need a break

Jack's coming home soon we can all go

away together we haven't done that for

years it'll be great come on

put it say

we'll talk about it when he gets here

okay

your wife said you suffer from insomnia

you finally do go to sleep

we have nightmares scared of screwing up

my home life

I want these streams to end

tell me about them

three years ago I was stabbed in the

chest during a street fighter

now I keep reliving it

there's also these weird images of the

guy who did it

do you know him I grew up with him

Elijah Kaminsky

he's known on the street as pharaoh

nightclub bounces do suffer

extremes of emotion

it's fear

hate

frustration boredom

even love

all in the course of one evening

that's enough to overload anyone's

system exactly I wanted our bad every

Saturday night I went to quit I couldn't

do it

what do you think the hook is

the hook

why you couldn't quit

something had a hold of you

your head was saying leave

the heart was saying no stay

what do you think it was

I suppose the deeper the Friendship we

developed was part of it

to me

Jack and I

we work the best part of six years

together Good Times bad times we saw it

all

you said you were afraid of losing your

home life

I watched this Jack's marriage crumbled

around him

I saw the pain he went through as this

job destroyed what he and figure had

it's not that Jackie used to be

I don't want Celeste tonight end up like

that

if you all the three days until a

festival and there's a whole week of

total lunacy so don't miss out the

dragon lands is definitely worth the

trip up speaking of trips up I'd like to

welcome all those tourists who have just

traveled 1700 lonely miles up from Perth

in an air-conditioned car good morning

and welcome to Broome it's going to be

another hot one here in the Northwest

currently 93 beautiful degrees heading

to that magical 100 and if you're out in

the sun don't forget the hat and the

block added slip slop slap guys for

God's sake wrap a towel around your head

if you have to and reminding all those

people like cable don't check day

and the bank's now open here's a blast

from the past

foreign

thank you

foreign

thank you

foreign

foreign

oh you know what it's like nothing

changes really that crap with Fair Road

arrest yet

who yeah right

all right so let's still be looking

forward to seeing you again I miss you

yeah she's good

I don't know how she puts up with me

though I don't know how anyone puts up

with you

coming into the club tonight say hello

to everyone that hot well

that's a great attitude worked there for

six years I earned my attitude

thank you

good to see you man how's things all

right who's this

guy pretty good pretty good are you

still going hey you come back to work

here or what no no I retired permanent

holidays May you are always on permanent

holidays coming for a drink yeah I'll be

there in a half an hour okay stop

blocking the doorway come on

yeah other rocks is it gonna work here

or what you've got to be Kitty come on

man that was great and I remember the

old days

yeah yeah three of us together remember

thank you

on a job

foreign

I'm gonna finish up this weekend

what are you talking about this place I

can't do it anymore

what do you mean you're gonna break up

the team is that what you're saying

is that what you're saying Tom

um

listen man I don't want to work with any

other around town mate you're

going to be okay it's not gonna be okay

I want to

what have I done something wrong to you

or what of course not I just wonder why

are you leaving for I just want out why

why tell me why come on

Max

how many times do I have to tell you

it's been three years it's ancient

history as long as you're connected with

Pharaoh then forget it

why are you still hanging out with these

goofs

all right

plenty

oh you spoke at last let's sit down I

lost his chair yeah you're the star

attraction tonight I'm sitting

come on take a seat

here's to you

yeah what have you been doing for the

last three years because I've been up

North for last year or so Gold Coast

before that yeah I heard you and Vicky

split up

man it's helped I've been through it

myself you still bouncing nah

nah just take

which

lately hasn't been much well you know

anytime you need a job you come to me

thanks Joe but uh

you know Tom's thinking of leaving

thought he'd go but

four or three years ago was that it's

supposedly got to be gunshot

suppose people gonna move on we all got

to move on

yeah

all right what do you think of the place

it took me fifty thousand dollars to

give it up what do you think you would

you're doing well you should make you a

lot of money

you should say that women are getting

they're all over me you yeah

well I'm glad to see you still got your

priorities yeah what else is there come

on speaking of that you finish up your

drink and let's get back in there you're

not gonna get laid sitting in here okay

all right

husband