The Road Behind

and other stories by Jonathan Griffiths

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Jonathan Griffiths

Meet the Parkers

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Peter Parker is not a Peeping Tom; he just likes to glance over the neighbour’s fences as he walks past.  Although sometimes he does glance for a little too long.

Michelle Parker lives a totally fulfilled life as a stay at home suburban mother.  Mostly.

They’re happily married.  Mostly.  And they get on well with their neighbours.  Mostly.

Christopher Parker starts as a helpless baby and grows into a very capable four year old.  Capable of getting himself into trouble.

And Gemma Parker is their faithful pet: Christopher’s protector, Peter’s conscience and Michelle’s soul mate.

The Parkers explore temptation, jealousy, love, loss and rivalry, never straying more than walking distance from their home in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Chick Porn

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Vintage_nude_bust_photograph_of_a_young_denuded_ladyIf you’ve read all 150 shades of grey and you’re hanging out for a little more, grab a copy of The Bits that Didn’t Fit and get into Promises and Promiscuity for a dose of hard-core Jane Austin.

Auckland’s Punk Scene: Fact or Fiction

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The story Going Down is a highly fictionalised account of the rise and fall of rival punk bands “Loud Scum” and “Rooted” (Proud Scum and the Terrorways).
This story was first published under the name of Vans, and starts at the disco and punk clubs, Boogie Nights and Anarchy. These are based on the real life clubs Babe’s Disco and Zwines.
The story tells of racial tension and violence – the accounts are highly fictionalised but the racial tension and violence were definately real.
In the story, “Loud Scum” travel to Hamilton for a gig at Jupiters. Absoluely true – Proud Scum’s only gig outside Auckland – before they headed to Sydney. They get very wasted on ether – true – and play terribly to an indifferent crowd – true and true – then drive back to Auckland to get to the big party – true.
Most of the rest of the story is fiction – except:
* The Terrorways had played at Jupiters a few weeks earlier
* Many fans travelled down to support the Terrorways – but none came to support Proud Scum
* Both bands were paid less than the agreed rate by Jupiters
* Proud Scum did miss out on the party – almost everyone had left by the time they arrived at 3am
* The Terrorways did do a gig in Wellington.  Does that make them the more successful band? Surely not.

As I reworked this story, over a number of years, one of the themes that developed further was the rivalry between the two bands – and there’s certainly some truth there.
Looking back, thirty plus years on, it’s hard to say who was the most successful band. But I will say this, Proud Scum has a listing in Wikipedia. The Terrorways don’t.
JJ – May 2012

Sex

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“At the lights at Boundary Street, she moved to the front seat so I could massage her spine. I started at her neck. By Mona Vale Road, I’d reached the small of her back and was feeling a stirring in my loins. ‘That’s not too hard is it?’ I asked. She shook her head.
By Telegraph Road, I’d reached her coccyx and was headed for territory beyond the jurisdiction of the Chiropractic Society. My fingers slid between her buttocks as we turned off the Highway. She unzipped my fly and opened her mouth.
‘I always wondered why this road was called Bobbin Head,’ I said. She replied but I didn’t catch the words. I dropped her off, thinking maybe I’d gone too far – but it was only by a few metres.”
Excerpt from Going Places – THE BITS THAT DIDN’T FIT

Drugs

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On the way there, Alistair, the bass player, insisted we stop at a chemist. He came back with a 500ml brown glass bottle. He’d studied chemistry at university, so he knew all the best drugs. As soon as we got to the motel, he unscrewed the cap and a sickly smell filled the room.
‘It’s a funny drug, ether,’ he said, as we passed the bottle around and inhaled, almost to the point of blackout. ‘It has the effect of separating the hemispheres of the brain in such a way that you receive messages on one side, then about a second later get the same message on the other side.’
The news was on TV. I had the distinct feeling I’d seen this show before.”
Excerpt from Going Down – THE BITS THAT DIDN’T FIT