Freefall of Cocaine and Music

FREEFALL OF COCAINE AND MUSIC

Drifting in and out of consciousness, Serena's first marriage swam into her mind as a freefall of cocaine and music, ending in misery.

Yet it had begun so well.

Luke had been introduced to Serena by a mutual friend at a boozy Sunday lunch party. She found his wide smile and laid-back attitude to life instantly engaging. As she grew to know him, she realised that although he was a gentle, kind and caring boyfriend, he was also something of a rebel. Her own adventurous heart warmed to this side of him. Luke had attended a repressive Catholic public school where he struggled to conform. He followed this by dropping out of university to turn his passion into a career; rock and roll.

Nevertheless, they married in a traditional church service with her father generously footing the bill for the lavish reception afterwards. They honeymooned on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands where they enjoyed leisurely days diving and admiring the exotic ocean life. At night they partied long and hard with the glittering expat crowd. As Serena soaked up the beauty of this archipelago of islands, she naively thought her life was beautifully mapped out forever.

Being married to someone in the forefront of the music business certainly had its advantages. Every weekday there would be a band to go and listen to. Most gigs were held at dark, crowded and slightly seedy small clubs, pulsating with loud music. They were huge fun, especially after a few pre-concert drinks to wash down a few pre-concert snorts. Serena could always identify the record label managers by their expensive suits, constant sniffs and clinging blonde PA's. In those days the industry had a real live pulse. It was exciting and vibrant; a heady mix of hard rock, punk, soul, new wave, new romantics, funk, and jazz fusion. But then this was the 80's. People could choose to reinvent themselves overnight and many did.

You could be anything you chose, such was the extreme diversion of the era.

There were lots of perks or 'incentives' as they were classed. In other words, a never-ending supply of recreational drugs. In later years, whilst strongly condemning the use of any drugs whatsoever to her children, she would recall witnessing bulging bags of white powder destined for a record launch party. A glass topped table had one use only. Anxious looking executives desperately trying to stay ahead of the game would pull out thick wads of notes out of their pockets whilst deals took place in dark corners. If they were desperate a banknote would already be tightly rolled.

Luke had once taken her to a launch party hosted by a famous playboy at his riverside mansion. So dumb and numbed were the band being celebrated, snorting and sniffing in their limos as they arrived, that they completely failed to spot the hard-up hack lurking at the entrance to the estate. He got his picture.

Some fairly senior heads rolled the following week, as the storm broke with headlines screaming 'Playboy's Drug Den Busted' in a Sunday tabloid. Soft drug use didn't shock her, and frankly as far as she was concerned what people experimented with was their business. It had distressed her, though, to witness barely-of-age near naked nymphets frolicking in fountains of cheap champagne. These young girls would openly ply their wares to the bug-eyed and drugged up portly executives much to the annoyance of the industry PA's, whose sexual favours were often a passport to a much more exciting existence. The playboy nearly lost weekend custody of his children thanks to that unfortunate escapade.

Serena was struggling with her day job at a highly fashionable West End advertising agency. Its open plan, uber-cool work space was supposed to nurture the creative talent of the handsomely paid creative types. They would sit quietly in dreamy contemplation or take it in turns to throw hissy tantrums. Every Friday lunchtime, it was deemed that a full weeks work had already been done. Black cabs would deposit employees at the sleek revolving red doors as they fell haphazardly back into work after long boozy lunches. Having racked up huge expenses the indiscreet touting and hunting of drugs for the weekend would commence. Serena ignored the dealings but after one particularly strenuous session at an overpriced brasserie she succumbed to a quick like, simply to stay awake.

But then she was gripped with an overwhelming desire to speak to her father, the man she trusted above all. She phoned his office number.

'Hes in a board meeting' a flustered secretary responded. 'I must speak to him urgently' Serena insisted. When her Father eventually came to the phone, he confirmed that he was hosting a meeting but calmly asked her what he could do for her.

'I just needed to tell you that I love you' she said.

Though he must have realised that she had started her weekend earlier than most, he simply thanked her, and replied

'I love you too.'

Serena put the phone down, comforted that her father had an unconditional love for her that transcended everything. Serena would always remember and treasure that moment. For those brief seconds it had just been the two of them and she knew she would never have to question his love or doubt his sincerity. She supposed it was why the men that had subsequently followed him throughout her life had always been such a disappointment.