Leather and Speed - Part Two
Title: Leather and Speed - Part Two
Author: Tittamiire
Fandom: SG1
Rating: PG13
Word Count: Total about 17,400
Categories: AU, First Time.
Summary: In this alternate universe SG1 are a sidecar racing team at the TT (Tourist Trophy) races on the Isle of Man. Janet, a Doctor there with St John, meets Sam for the first time when things don't quite go as planned.
Author note 1: I challenged myself to write Sam and Janet with sidecars on the Isle of Man for this ficathon. It was quite tricky and involved changing some nationalities to get it to work in universe. I hope it isn't too OOC for people.
Author note 2: It's rushed, which I apologise for. Life snuck up on me. I beg humbly for apologies and I will get it properly finished, betad and uploaded after the ficathon.
The next day dawned bright and clear. Janet got up early, left Matt sleeping in his tent, and went out to enjoy the island she loved so much. It was quiet, partly because it was still practice week and partly because it was only seven am and bikers, in general, loved their drink and thus also, their lie ins.
It was the perfect opportunity to enjoy the island. She did the race route of course, starting at the campsite and tearing off through Greeba and onwards. It wasn't a race track at the moment, she had to obey those pesky speed limits, but where it was unlimited she could really fly (the Isle of Man had stretches of rural road without a set maximum speed limit. There was a reason it was a honey pot for bikers). Someone on a larger sports bike over took her easily on the Sulby straight, but she didn't mind, she was riding for herself not to race. Besides, just because the speed limit was 'unlimited' didn't mean you couldn't get pulled for riding dangerously.
She stopped for a bacon butty in Ramsey, catching an early opening cafe and ate it sitting at the crossroads in the centre of the town and watching other early morning risers going about their business. The weather was clear and the mountain road was open so she took it, keeping within her skill level because she wasn't stupid, but going fast enough for a thrill.
She wound up at the Grandstand and the hub of the action and parked up. This was where races started and finished, where the pits, race control, merchandise tents and teams were. Behind the Grandstand the teams worked on their bikes, preparing them and behind the team area most of the racers camped in a field, bike racing was only glamorous for a very few.
Janet liked the team area in particular. The teams were approachable, from the father and son (and one or two father and daughter), or a rider and their best mate teams who managed to be rider, mechanic, manager, support and everything between the two of them to the massive corporate teams with the largest vans and the latest technology, who had the most to win and to lose.
It was quiet at this time of the morning, but then it had barely gone nine. Still, there were some teams working on their bikes. Janet wandered along the lines between the team areas, helmet swinging at her side and peering in wherever there was something going on to watch. She was peering into the Suzuki tent when there was a shout behind her.
She turned, and saw O'Neill walking towards her, wearing sunglasses and carrying a carrier bag. He waved at her with his free hand.
'Hey Doc,' he said. 'I'm sorry, I didn't get your name last night,' he went on as he got closer.
'It's Fraiser, or Janet if you like,' she said.
He stuck out his hand, 'I go by Jack.'
She shook it, 'Because it's your name?'
'Actually it's Johnathan, but I go by Jack,' he said, smiling as if he was holding something back. 'I was sent on a bacon butty run,' he explained, holding up the bag to illustrate.
'How's Carter?' Janet asked.
'Oh, fine, bruised. Stop by and see her, we're this way,' he said, indicating further down the path. Janet turned and walked with him.
'And how's the outfit looking?'
'A mess, but we have a good team.'
'Good. There aren't enough women racing. It'd be sad to see one of the few go out on the first practice.'
He gave her a look that she couldn't see through his sunglasses.
'Just here,' he said, indicating one of the team tents towards the back and reaching for the 'door' into the tent attached to the side of the truck. Janet ducked under it and into the interior with Jack right behind her.
'Hey Carter, found your Doctor from last night,' Jack said to Carter, who was sitting in a folding chair just inside the door and fiddling with something that was filthy.
'Daniel, this is Doctor Fraiser, or Janet. She picked Carter up last night after she decided to let go of the sidecar,' he said as he walked in and past Janet to a folding table in the corner of the tent.
'Then there's T and Jacob who're around somewhere, they're the ones who're trying to put our outfit back together,' he went on as he put down the bag on the small folding table. 'And this is Daniel he's our Manager, or press person or something like that. He does all sorts, though apparently not fetching the bacon butties.'
'It's not my job to fetch the bacon butties,' Daniel said in a resigned tone. 'It isn't anybody's job. That's why we're going to take it in turns.' He gave Janet a smile and drank deeply from a mug in his hand.
'And I'd like to see anyone hold onto a sidecar when the driver has managed to tip it up on it's side,' Carter said calmly and with only a hint of irritation.
Jack threw her a sandwich in a paper bag. She caught it and Janet didn't miss the slight whince from her when she did.
'Jack said the hospital gave you the all clear?' Janet said in a conversational tone.
'Yeah, just bruised. All being well we'll be out at practice tomorrow night,' Carter said, gesturing to the mass in the centre of the tent that Janet only noticed now was the side car without it's fairing, or wheels or most of the things that made it recognisable as a motorcycle. 'If T and Dad can work their magic.' She wiped her hands briefly and then pulled the paper off her butty and bit into it.
'Did I hear my name being taken in vain?' Jacob asked as he stepped down from the door into the van and beelined towards Jack, who saw him coming and tossed him a bacon butty to head him off.
He threw one to Daniel, who caught it, but continued to look distracted.
'This coffee tastes off,' Daniel complained.
'Where is T?' Jack asked, not responding to Daniel. 'His bacon butty is getting cold.'
'Getting a spare gasket,' Carter said, waving her hand vaguely. She chewed happily on the sandwich. Janet noticed a smudge of muck on her cheek too.
'Have a seat,' Daniel said to Janet out of the blue. 'I'd offer to make you some coffee, but I think I'd better recommend tea.'
'Tea would be great,' Janet said, looking around for something to sit on and deciding on the folding chair next to Carter. 'Milk, no sugar, please.'
'How kind of you to offer Daniel. You know how I like mine,' Jack said and got a scowl for it from Daniel, who did, despite the scowl, put down his coffee and climbed the three steps into the van where Janet could spot the edge of a small kitchen space.
'Sam? Jacob?' He asked as he walked.
They both chorussed their assents.
There was movement at the entrance to the tent and a large black man stepped in.
'Ahh, T, your butty,' Jack said, pointing to the last one in the bag on the table and speaking around a mouthful of his.
'Get what you needed?' Sam asked.
'Yes,' T intoned solemnly. He glanced at Janet as he walked into the tent and put a bag containing something relatively small onto the workbench the sidecar sat on.
'This is Doctor Fraiser,' Sam said, gesturing to her. 'She picked me up after Jack decided to throw me into the bales last night.'
'Hi,' she said.
T regarded her and nodded before retrieving his sandwich.
Daniel handed over her tea in a chipped mug that had once had a design on it that was now so faded that Janet couldn't make out what it had once been.
'I have a new gasket,' T informed them.
'Good. We've been having an oil problem, that's why I was pushing so hard last night,' Jack explained to Janet.
Janet nodded, sipping at her too hot tea.
'So. Your first TT isn't off to a great start, but are you enjoying it?' She asked, mostly to Sam.
'Oh yeah,' Sam said with a smile. 'I've been to watch before, but always wanted to race. It's good to be here. It'll be even better when we get to race. What about you? You live over here?'
'Nah. I live on the mainland, but I come over every TT when I can and the Manx too if possible.'
'And volunteer to scrape us idiots off the tarmac?' Jack said.
'And the walls and the bales and the hedges,' Janet said in a jokey tone.
Jack shook his head, 'They put you up anywhere good?'
'Nowhere. I camp at Chronk Dhoo Farm. They stump up for some expenses, but that's it. Anyone doing any of this for the money is doing it for the wrong reasons anyway.'
'Got that right,' Sam said wryly into her cup of tea.
'Yeah, I noticed you guys got some money off RAF careers. They're not one of the usual sponsors.'
'We know people,' Jack said somewhat cryptically.
Sam glanced at him, but then looked back at Janet, 'Well, I'm in the RAF and so was my Dad for a long time and Jack was in the USAF before he moved over here. Dad knew the right people and Jack and I scrubbed up good enough.'
'Handy, funding is always the problem for many teams.'
Sam nodded, 'We're one of the luckier private teams. It'd be better if we weren't haven't to repair it already.'
'Yeah yeah,' Jack said good naturedly.
'So Doc, you up here on business?'
'Nah, I just like watching the teams work, or eat bacon butties at this time of the morning. I like spending time admiring the bikes.'
'There are some beautiful machines,' Sam agreed, her eyes on the rig.
Janet nodded to her, sipping at her and thinking that the rig wasn't the only beautiful thing in the room.
Jack wound Daniel up, T and Jacob worked between bites of bacon butty and Janet tried not to stare over her tea at the pretty blonde next to her.
After a while she couldn't drag it out any longer, her mug had been empty for a while before she put it down on the folding table.
'And I'm going to head back,' said Janet. 'I need to get some lunch, stop by Shoprite, put some more fuel in the bike, make sure Matt is awake, make a packed tea and then it'll probably be time to head out to practice.'
'I need to help rebuild our outfit,' Sam said, pulling a face at the prospect.
Janet reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone. 'Um. I can give you my number if you'd like to do something sometime.' She tried to ask casually, but she was aware that the guys in the tent were paying attention to what she was saying, even if they weren't looking at her.
Sam smiled. 'I'd be up for something sometime,' she said, pulling her own phone from her pocket. 'Sometime this week? I'm busy, but I'm not sure how much continuous testosterone I can take.'
They swopped numbers and Janet grinned happily to herself all the way back to her bike. She didn't look at any of the teams she'd come to see, she ignored the hubbub about the Honda Padgets area that suggested something impressive was happening and she didn't notice one of the top riders wandering past her.
Matt shook his head when she got back to the camp site and asked what she'd been up to to be smiling like that. Janet feigned innocence, wanting to keep things to herself just for now.
XXXX
Monday's practice session was uneventful. Janet kept her eye out for the RAF sponsored rig and was pleased to see that it was out. They weren't going for it, but they were out and made good time. A few riders pulled out at their corner with technical problems, but there were no crashes or incidents. It was the way Janet liked it.
Tuesday Janet ummed and aahed, but then texted Sam in the morning.
'I know you'll be busy, but do you fancy getting lunch? I know a good chip shop in Douglas if you'd like to do that something sometime we mentioned.'
'Yes please, meet you at on the front about twelve?'
'Yup.'
Janet smiled to herself.
Janet felt a bit like a teenager. Sitting on the sea front, clutching her mobile and pretending she wasn't nervous definitely felt adolescent and wasn't how her dates normally went. Not that there were many dates, between work and parenting she didn't have much time, but she liked to take opportunities to enjoy herself when they came up and because they were rare she tended to go to nicer restaurants and she liked the theatre too.
All were a world away from chips on the sea front on a blustery June day.
She wasn't quite sure if this was a date. 'Something, sometime,' was fairly conclusive most of the time, but Sam didn't flash up particularly loudly on Janet's gaydar and maybe she was just desperate to escape from the extremely male environment that was bike racing. There were two female riders amongst the solos and two amongst the sidecars, a lot of riders brought their wives, girlfriends and daughters, and there might be one or two women amongst the promotion and mechanics teams, but that was it out of hundreds of people (probably somewhere between three hundred and four hundred, it was hard to be sure). Janet wouldn't blame Sam if she was just looking for company, but she hoped it was a date.
She scanned up and down the front from the fish shop, watching the chaos of the bikes negotiating the cars and trams along the road and wondering just how much the islands population increased by during TT fortnight, it was easily by fifty percent, if not more.
She spotted Sam coming towards her easily. She was tall and the longer blonde hair stood out in a crowd of largely male bikers.
'Hiya,' she said when Sam got to her. She was wearing jeans and a light jacket zipped up against the brisk sea breeze. She'd cleaned her face, but when she shook Janet's hand there was still grease embedded around her fingernail beds.
'Hey, busy day,' she commented, looking around.
Janet nodded, 'first day of the fairground rides and it's only going to get busier. Shall we?' She suggested, gesturing towards the chip shop.
'Sure,' Sam nodded, looking slightly nervous.
'Trust me, these guys do good chips,' Janet said, intentionally misreading Sam's expression while she was reassured that she hadn't read the date thing completely wrongly. 'Not the best chips on the island, but I think they're the best in Douglas.'
'High praise,' Sam said, stepping into the shop.
They bought a portion of open wrapped chips each and then walked along the pavement. The bikes were packed into the parking bays along the edge of the road, each bike neatly at an angle that meant it was all within the bay and that there was plenty of room for other bikes next to it and there were plenty of other bikes.
'Ever had the urge to push one of them over and see if the rest topple like dominoes?' Sam asked suddenly. 'They look like one good shove and we could have them all down,' she demonstrated shoving and then looked slightly embarassed.
Janet looked at the row of bikes, 'It does look like that. Though it'd be the most expensive game of dominoes ever.'
'And we'd be run out of town.'
'If we could run, reckon we'd be torn limb from limb.'
'How fast can you run? Police station is just down there, we could ask nicely to be locked in the cells.'
'Hmm, I wonder how many of the police are bikers too?'
Sam popped a chip into her mouth, finished it and then said, 'Okay, maybe I'm not going to play motorbike dominoes.'
'Probably a good idea,' Janet responded. 'It'd be the end of your racing career to. How are your bruises by the way?'
'Little sore,' she held up the arm she'd injured and flexed the fingers for a moment before shrugging. 'It's not stopping me racing.'
'Good,' Janet said. 'It's always good to see women out. There needs to be more women in racing.'
'I'll do what I can,' Sam said, jokingly seriously.
'Ooh, nice classic Duke,' Janet said, stopping at one of the bikes parked at the side of the road. 'Haven't seen one as well maintained as that in a long time.'
'I've always wanted a duke,' Sam said, stopping and admiring the bike with her. 'If I was racing solos I'd want to do it on a duke.'
Janet nodded, 'I love my Suzuki, but the dukes are something else.'
They kept wandering, stopping a particularly fine bikes along the way, complimenting the owners if they were there and generally talking about motorbikes.
They got to the end of the prom and Sam screwed up her chip paper and chucked it in a bin. Janet had already finished hers.
'So, this was fun, thank you,' Sam said.
'My pleasure, it was fun too,' Janet replied, feeling a little awkward.
'I need to get back, we've got work to do still and Jack'll have my hide, but I'd like to do something again sometime.'
'It was fun,' Janet said, she stuck out her hand and shook Sam's greasy hand.
'See ya,' Sam said, and turned to walk back up the prom.
Janet watched her for a minute and then frowned. She'd spent an hour with the woman and managed to talk solely about motorbikes, she hadn't actually managed to learn anything about her, other than her taste in engines. She shook her head slightly.
Part Three
Author: Tittamiire
Fandom: SG1
Rating: PG13
Word Count: Total about 17,400
Categories: AU, First Time.
Summary: In this alternate universe SG1 are a sidecar racing team at the TT (Tourist Trophy) races on the Isle of Man. Janet, a Doctor there with St John, meets Sam for the first time when things don't quite go as planned.
Author note 1: I challenged myself to write Sam and Janet with sidecars on the Isle of Man for this ficathon. It was quite tricky and involved changing some nationalities to get it to work in universe. I hope it isn't too OOC for people.
Author note 2: It's rushed, which I apologise for. Life snuck up on me. I beg humbly for apologies and I will get it properly finished, betad and uploaded after the ficathon.
The next day dawned bright and clear. Janet got up early, left Matt sleeping in his tent, and went out to enjoy the island she loved so much. It was quiet, partly because it was still practice week and partly because it was only seven am and bikers, in general, loved their drink and thus also, their lie ins.
It was the perfect opportunity to enjoy the island. She did the race route of course, starting at the campsite and tearing off through Greeba and onwards. It wasn't a race track at the moment, she had to obey those pesky speed limits, but where it was unlimited she could really fly (the Isle of Man had stretches of rural road without a set maximum speed limit. There was a reason it was a honey pot for bikers). Someone on a larger sports bike over took her easily on the Sulby straight, but she didn't mind, she was riding for herself not to race. Besides, just because the speed limit was 'unlimited' didn't mean you couldn't get pulled for riding dangerously.
She stopped for a bacon butty in Ramsey, catching an early opening cafe and ate it sitting at the crossroads in the centre of the town and watching other early morning risers going about their business. The weather was clear and the mountain road was open so she took it, keeping within her skill level because she wasn't stupid, but going fast enough for a thrill.
She wound up at the Grandstand and the hub of the action and parked up. This was where races started and finished, where the pits, race control, merchandise tents and teams were. Behind the Grandstand the teams worked on their bikes, preparing them and behind the team area most of the racers camped in a field, bike racing was only glamorous for a very few.
Janet liked the team area in particular. The teams were approachable, from the father and son (and one or two father and daughter), or a rider and their best mate teams who managed to be rider, mechanic, manager, support and everything between the two of them to the massive corporate teams with the largest vans and the latest technology, who had the most to win and to lose.
It was quiet at this time of the morning, but then it had barely gone nine. Still, there were some teams working on their bikes. Janet wandered along the lines between the team areas, helmet swinging at her side and peering in wherever there was something going on to watch. She was peering into the Suzuki tent when there was a shout behind her.
She turned, and saw O'Neill walking towards her, wearing sunglasses and carrying a carrier bag. He waved at her with his free hand.
'Hey Doc,' he said. 'I'm sorry, I didn't get your name last night,' he went on as he got closer.
'It's Fraiser, or Janet if you like,' she said.
He stuck out his hand, 'I go by Jack.'
She shook it, 'Because it's your name?'
'Actually it's Johnathan, but I go by Jack,' he said, smiling as if he was holding something back. 'I was sent on a bacon butty run,' he explained, holding up the bag to illustrate.
'How's Carter?' Janet asked.
'Oh, fine, bruised. Stop by and see her, we're this way,' he said, indicating further down the path. Janet turned and walked with him.
'And how's the outfit looking?'
'A mess, but we have a good team.'
'Good. There aren't enough women racing. It'd be sad to see one of the few go out on the first practice.'
He gave her a look that she couldn't see through his sunglasses.
'Just here,' he said, indicating one of the team tents towards the back and reaching for the 'door' into the tent attached to the side of the truck. Janet ducked under it and into the interior with Jack right behind her.
'Hey Carter, found your Doctor from last night,' Jack said to Carter, who was sitting in a folding chair just inside the door and fiddling with something that was filthy.
'Daniel, this is Doctor Fraiser, or Janet. She picked Carter up last night after she decided to let go of the sidecar,' he said as he walked in and past Janet to a folding table in the corner of the tent.
'Then there's T and Jacob who're around somewhere, they're the ones who're trying to put our outfit back together,' he went on as he put down the bag on the small folding table. 'And this is Daniel he's our Manager, or press person or something like that. He does all sorts, though apparently not fetching the bacon butties.'
'It's not my job to fetch the bacon butties,' Daniel said in a resigned tone. 'It isn't anybody's job. That's why we're going to take it in turns.' He gave Janet a smile and drank deeply from a mug in his hand.
'And I'd like to see anyone hold onto a sidecar when the driver has managed to tip it up on it's side,' Carter said calmly and with only a hint of irritation.
Jack threw her a sandwich in a paper bag. She caught it and Janet didn't miss the slight whince from her when she did.
'Jack said the hospital gave you the all clear?' Janet said in a conversational tone.
'Yeah, just bruised. All being well we'll be out at practice tomorrow night,' Carter said, gesturing to the mass in the centre of the tent that Janet only noticed now was the side car without it's fairing, or wheels or most of the things that made it recognisable as a motorcycle. 'If T and Dad can work their magic.' She wiped her hands briefly and then pulled the paper off her butty and bit into it.
'Did I hear my name being taken in vain?' Jacob asked as he stepped down from the door into the van and beelined towards Jack, who saw him coming and tossed him a bacon butty to head him off.
He threw one to Daniel, who caught it, but continued to look distracted.
'This coffee tastes off,' Daniel complained.
'Where is T?' Jack asked, not responding to Daniel. 'His bacon butty is getting cold.'
'Getting a spare gasket,' Carter said, waving her hand vaguely. She chewed happily on the sandwich. Janet noticed a smudge of muck on her cheek too.
'Have a seat,' Daniel said to Janet out of the blue. 'I'd offer to make you some coffee, but I think I'd better recommend tea.'
'Tea would be great,' Janet said, looking around for something to sit on and deciding on the folding chair next to Carter. 'Milk, no sugar, please.'
'How kind of you to offer Daniel. You know how I like mine,' Jack said and got a scowl for it from Daniel, who did, despite the scowl, put down his coffee and climbed the three steps into the van where Janet could spot the edge of a small kitchen space.
'Sam? Jacob?' He asked as he walked.
They both chorussed their assents.
There was movement at the entrance to the tent and a large black man stepped in.
'Ahh, T, your butty,' Jack said, pointing to the last one in the bag on the table and speaking around a mouthful of his.
'Get what you needed?' Sam asked.
'Yes,' T intoned solemnly. He glanced at Janet as he walked into the tent and put a bag containing something relatively small onto the workbench the sidecar sat on.
'This is Doctor Fraiser,' Sam said, gesturing to her. 'She picked me up after Jack decided to throw me into the bales last night.'
'Hi,' she said.
T regarded her and nodded before retrieving his sandwich.
Daniel handed over her tea in a chipped mug that had once had a design on it that was now so faded that Janet couldn't make out what it had once been.
'I have a new gasket,' T informed them.
'Good. We've been having an oil problem, that's why I was pushing so hard last night,' Jack explained to Janet.
Janet nodded, sipping at her too hot tea.
'So. Your first TT isn't off to a great start, but are you enjoying it?' She asked, mostly to Sam.
'Oh yeah,' Sam said with a smile. 'I've been to watch before, but always wanted to race. It's good to be here. It'll be even better when we get to race. What about you? You live over here?'
'Nah. I live on the mainland, but I come over every TT when I can and the Manx too if possible.'
'And volunteer to scrape us idiots off the tarmac?' Jack said.
'And the walls and the bales and the hedges,' Janet said in a jokey tone.
Jack shook his head, 'They put you up anywhere good?'
'Nowhere. I camp at Chronk Dhoo Farm. They stump up for some expenses, but that's it. Anyone doing any of this for the money is doing it for the wrong reasons anyway.'
'Got that right,' Sam said wryly into her cup of tea.
'Yeah, I noticed you guys got some money off RAF careers. They're not one of the usual sponsors.'
'We know people,' Jack said somewhat cryptically.
Sam glanced at him, but then looked back at Janet, 'Well, I'm in the RAF and so was my Dad for a long time and Jack was in the USAF before he moved over here. Dad knew the right people and Jack and I scrubbed up good enough.'
'Handy, funding is always the problem for many teams.'
Sam nodded, 'We're one of the luckier private teams. It'd be better if we weren't haven't to repair it already.'
'Yeah yeah,' Jack said good naturedly.
'So Doc, you up here on business?'
'Nah, I just like watching the teams work, or eat bacon butties at this time of the morning. I like spending time admiring the bikes.'
'There are some beautiful machines,' Sam agreed, her eyes on the rig.
Janet nodded to her, sipping at her and thinking that the rig wasn't the only beautiful thing in the room.
Jack wound Daniel up, T and Jacob worked between bites of bacon butty and Janet tried not to stare over her tea at the pretty blonde next to her.
After a while she couldn't drag it out any longer, her mug had been empty for a while before she put it down on the folding table.
'And I'm going to head back,' said Janet. 'I need to get some lunch, stop by Shoprite, put some more fuel in the bike, make sure Matt is awake, make a packed tea and then it'll probably be time to head out to practice.'
'I need to help rebuild our outfit,' Sam said, pulling a face at the prospect.
Janet reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone. 'Um. I can give you my number if you'd like to do something sometime.' She tried to ask casually, but she was aware that the guys in the tent were paying attention to what she was saying, even if they weren't looking at her.
Sam smiled. 'I'd be up for something sometime,' she said, pulling her own phone from her pocket. 'Sometime this week? I'm busy, but I'm not sure how much continuous testosterone I can take.'
They swopped numbers and Janet grinned happily to herself all the way back to her bike. She didn't look at any of the teams she'd come to see, she ignored the hubbub about the Honda Padgets area that suggested something impressive was happening and she didn't notice one of the top riders wandering past her.
Matt shook his head when she got back to the camp site and asked what she'd been up to to be smiling like that. Janet feigned innocence, wanting to keep things to herself just for now.
XXXX
Monday's practice session was uneventful. Janet kept her eye out for the RAF sponsored rig and was pleased to see that it was out. They weren't going for it, but they were out and made good time. A few riders pulled out at their corner with technical problems, but there were no crashes or incidents. It was the way Janet liked it.
Tuesday Janet ummed and aahed, but then texted Sam in the morning.
'I know you'll be busy, but do you fancy getting lunch? I know a good chip shop in Douglas if you'd like to do that something sometime we mentioned.'
'Yes please, meet you at on the front about twelve?'
'Yup.'
Janet smiled to herself.
Janet felt a bit like a teenager. Sitting on the sea front, clutching her mobile and pretending she wasn't nervous definitely felt adolescent and wasn't how her dates normally went. Not that there were many dates, between work and parenting she didn't have much time, but she liked to take opportunities to enjoy herself when they came up and because they were rare she tended to go to nicer restaurants and she liked the theatre too.
All were a world away from chips on the sea front on a blustery June day.
She wasn't quite sure if this was a date. 'Something, sometime,' was fairly conclusive most of the time, but Sam didn't flash up particularly loudly on Janet's gaydar and maybe she was just desperate to escape from the extremely male environment that was bike racing. There were two female riders amongst the solos and two amongst the sidecars, a lot of riders brought their wives, girlfriends and daughters, and there might be one or two women amongst the promotion and mechanics teams, but that was it out of hundreds of people (probably somewhere between three hundred and four hundred, it was hard to be sure). Janet wouldn't blame Sam if she was just looking for company, but she hoped it was a date.
She scanned up and down the front from the fish shop, watching the chaos of the bikes negotiating the cars and trams along the road and wondering just how much the islands population increased by during TT fortnight, it was easily by fifty percent, if not more.
She spotted Sam coming towards her easily. She was tall and the longer blonde hair stood out in a crowd of largely male bikers.
'Hiya,' she said when Sam got to her. She was wearing jeans and a light jacket zipped up against the brisk sea breeze. She'd cleaned her face, but when she shook Janet's hand there was still grease embedded around her fingernail beds.
'Hey, busy day,' she commented, looking around.
Janet nodded, 'first day of the fairground rides and it's only going to get busier. Shall we?' She suggested, gesturing towards the chip shop.
'Sure,' Sam nodded, looking slightly nervous.
'Trust me, these guys do good chips,' Janet said, intentionally misreading Sam's expression while she was reassured that she hadn't read the date thing completely wrongly. 'Not the best chips on the island, but I think they're the best in Douglas.'
'High praise,' Sam said, stepping into the shop.
They bought a portion of open wrapped chips each and then walked along the pavement. The bikes were packed into the parking bays along the edge of the road, each bike neatly at an angle that meant it was all within the bay and that there was plenty of room for other bikes next to it and there were plenty of other bikes.
'Ever had the urge to push one of them over and see if the rest topple like dominoes?' Sam asked suddenly. 'They look like one good shove and we could have them all down,' she demonstrated shoving and then looked slightly embarassed.
Janet looked at the row of bikes, 'It does look like that. Though it'd be the most expensive game of dominoes ever.'
'And we'd be run out of town.'
'If we could run, reckon we'd be torn limb from limb.'
'How fast can you run? Police station is just down there, we could ask nicely to be locked in the cells.'
'Hmm, I wonder how many of the police are bikers too?'
Sam popped a chip into her mouth, finished it and then said, 'Okay, maybe I'm not going to play motorbike dominoes.'
'Probably a good idea,' Janet responded. 'It'd be the end of your racing career to. How are your bruises by the way?'
'Little sore,' she held up the arm she'd injured and flexed the fingers for a moment before shrugging. 'It's not stopping me racing.'
'Good,' Janet said. 'It's always good to see women out. There needs to be more women in racing.'
'I'll do what I can,' Sam said, jokingly seriously.
'Ooh, nice classic Duke,' Janet said, stopping at one of the bikes parked at the side of the road. 'Haven't seen one as well maintained as that in a long time.'
'I've always wanted a duke,' Sam said, stopping and admiring the bike with her. 'If I was racing solos I'd want to do it on a duke.'
Janet nodded, 'I love my Suzuki, but the dukes are something else.'
They kept wandering, stopping a particularly fine bikes along the way, complimenting the owners if they were there and generally talking about motorbikes.
They got to the end of the prom and Sam screwed up her chip paper and chucked it in a bin. Janet had already finished hers.
'So, this was fun, thank you,' Sam said.
'My pleasure, it was fun too,' Janet replied, feeling a little awkward.
'I need to get back, we've got work to do still and Jack'll have my hide, but I'd like to do something again sometime.'
'It was fun,' Janet said, she stuck out her hand and shook Sam's greasy hand.
'See ya,' Sam said, and turned to walk back up the prom.
Janet watched her for a minute and then frowned. She'd spent an hour with the woman and managed to talk solely about motorbikes, she hadn't actually managed to learn anything about her, other than her taste in engines. She shook her head slightly.
Part Three