Yeah, I did smash that bloody room and that mongrels face, but I never hurt her. She was fine when she left me, physically anyway. That was all her dad dirty mongrel. It wasn’t the first time. She’d told me before. He told everyone that I had hurt her. He knew no one would believe me and that Lee wouldn’t have dared speak up. They painted me to be some sort of animal, just because of who I fell for. I never saw her again after that. The family sold up and moved away, to get away from the rumours and scandal.

That was the start of the end for me. They took Gary away and put him in boys’ home and I was put inside. I soon found out I wasn’t as tough as I thought. It was full of hard bitches. I suppose you could call if an education of sorts. After a year in there I could look after myself anyone else.

1975

Gay Lib Party
August 9th 1975
Gay Liberation Centre
259 Brunswick St
Fitzroy
Donation $1

This is the killer. This is where I met D. It wasn’t my usual scene. I usually was with the other bikies, but a mate said to try it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Everyone just openly being together, dancing, drinking and being themselves. I was just used to hanging around with a bunch of blokes. That was like nothing I’d ever seen. And the women!

I noticed this incredible woman looking at me and went over to chat with her. She was very striking looking, short, bleached hair, and very petite. She asked for a cigarette. There is something about a woman smoking that is such a turn on for me It’s oart of the reason I started myself. Anyway, I bought her a drink, and we started chatting and then dancing. Can you imagine me dancing?

Then of course there was a bit if a tear up. Trouble seems to follow me around, my only constant companion. There was this one chick, she looked about 19 or 20 with frizzy black hair. She was with an older American woman. I thought she was her mum when I first saw her. She was at least 40. Anyway, this girl starts flirting with D, really trying it on, trying to rile me and of course I took the bait. I never bloody learn. When it turned heavy, her girlfriend came in and asked what was going on. That little bitch told her that I was hitting on her. I can hear her whiny voice now ‘Oh Jude I was so scared’ She was smirking as we started fighting, and she was still smirking when D and I got asked to leave.