Thursday, May 21, 2015

A Perspective on Motorcycle Gangs, or the Night Ronni was Gang-raped

In the wake of the Waco Massacre (see what I did there?), I found myself researching a bit about motorcycle gangs and what they are like these days.  I mean, we all hear about the Hell's Angels raising money for this and that good cause and helping little old ladies across the street, but I wanted to know just how much of an anomaly this O K Corral stunt was.

I looked at this picture, and that grinning red devil's face rang a rather clangy bell.  I can't make out the name on the top rocker or the word (usually a place) on the bottom rocker, but that face reminded me of something.


A Google Image search brought up this:


Not quite the same, but the image and the name of the club raised hackles on the back of my neck.

~~~~~
Sometime in February of 1968, I was talked into going to a party with a casual acquaintance who hung out with the Satan's Choice in Toronto.  As far as I knew, this acquaintance was not a member of the gang and he didn't sport the "colours," as the above badge is called.   The party turned out to be at the group's clubhouse, a much-abused older home out in the burbs somewhere.  It was dark and I was riding in a car (nobody bikes in Toronto in winter), so I really had no idea where I was.

Anyway, I soon had reason to regret my recklessness.  I got slapped around and asked if I wanted to get "fucked or beat."  The evening went downhill from there.

About the only thing I managed to do was keep track of the numbers.  There were 18, all told, but I have never been sure if it was 18 different bikers, or only a dozen and half of them got a second turn.  The last one passed out after claiming me by throwing his leather jacket over me, and I slept.

The only one whose name I remember was Tiny, a large individual who wasn't there that night, but in whose bed I was dumped in the morning.  I think he was the one who gave me the STD.

They took me home, after courteously calling me a "good sport," and inviting me back anytime.  One of them asked me if I'd go on a run with him to Quebec when the weather got warmer.

I was terrified, because they knew where I lived.  A few days later, I saw the person who had taken me to the party.  He was wearing colours.  Putting two and two together was not difficult.
~~~~~

So, while researching the Waco Massacree, I found this little gem:


Fascinated, I watched the whole thing.  This was made a couple of years before my little run-in with them, but it's the same clubhouse.  Of course, I didn't recognize any of them, but when they showed Tiny and named him, I knew.  Oh, yes, I knew.

I had nightmares for years, and would cross a street to avoid anyone who looked like these guys.  

Then, about 20 years after that night, I was telling a friend about it.  The friend and I were both three sheets to the wind, or the subject would never have come up, and halfway into the story, I was giggling.  By the time I got to Tiny, I was rolling on the floor, overcome with hysterical laughter.  Don't ask me how.  Time and distance, I guess.  And the right listener.

Suffice it to say, the experience lost its power over me that day, and I have not dreamed about it since, even in the wake of Waco.

18 comments:

  1. What a horrible experience. I am so impressed that you found a way to deal with it. Ronni, you are indomitable!

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    Replies
    1. Actually, the way found me...thanks for the kind words!

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  2. ronni,

    the crap that has happened to you just makes me what to slam my fist into a wall!!!

    i can't bring myself to watch the above link.

    happy birthday my darling, talented, RESILIENT, friend.

    surf





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    1. Surf, If I ever make it to where you live, we are going to go out and get stinking drunk.

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  3. Hi Veronica, I used to be a member of the Satan's Choice. I am sorry for what happened to you. Your experience is not out of the ordinary. I am glad you have gotten over this and moved on.
    Hippy

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    1. What do you mean "not out of the ordinary" you mean you guys did that all the time.

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  4. It seems very odd to be responding to a comment from a person who might have raped me nearly 50 years ago. Still, an apology of sorts in an interesting concept. Frankly, Franko4444, I had hoped every single one of you had died in a fire.

    Fortunately, I got over that. "Not out of the ordinary," eh? Perhaps there's a club I could join, with a survivor's patch depicting your head on a platter...

    To call yourself "Hippy," when, back then, "hippies" were your prey of choice seems a little ironic.

    Apology accepted, grudgingly. You look a lot better, happier and healthier than you have any right to.

    Of course I've moved on. Life is too short to be trapped in my own mind by the users and abusers. If any of you had been interested in anything but the use and abuse of my body, you would have found out that, even back then, I was a smart, witty and interesting person...but no. I was nothing to you but a rag.

    I wonder what would have happened if I had told you I was pregnant when I was raped. I thought about doing that in the hope it would stop you, but was afraid you would laugh and beat the fetus out of me.

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  5. ronni,

    i just read the article linked below and am aghast at chrissie hynde's comments.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11833539/Women-should-dress-modesty-or-expect-to-entice-a-rapist-claims-singer-Chrissie-Hynde.html

    Pretenders lead singer claims sexual assault in the 1970s was her own ‘fault’ because of the way she was dressed

    excerpt:
    The book details an incident when she was 21 when she was picked up by a motorcycle gang who promised to take her to a party but instead took her to an empty house and sexually assaulted her.

    But she said: “If I'm walking around in my underwear and I'm drunk? Who else's fault can it be? – Er, the guy who attacks you?

    ~surf

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    1. Wow. I wondered who she was when I saw references to this on Facebook. Still, I blamed myself for a long time...for going to the wrong party with the wrong guy...but, as I've got older, I have realized that life is too short to wallow in that sort of guilt.

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    2. Chrissie is lead singer for the Pretenders ("Brass in Pocket") an 80s-90s band. She is one of the most famous female rockers along aside Patti Smith, Deborah Harry, and Pat Benetar For a time, she was married to Jim Kerr, the lead singer for Simple Minds. "Don't You Forget about Me" was their big hit.

      Her comments remind me of a friend who was gang-raped as a teen after taking quaaludes at a party. it was a set-up by a vengeful ex-BF. my friend blamed Wm. Kennedy Smith's rape victim for the attack in florida.

      i could never understand why she was not empathetic to the victim since she had
      suffered from being raped.

      ~surf

      hit

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  6. forget about chrissie hynde,
    my mind is blown by the poster upstream that i just saw --- frank.

    he's glad you've gotten over it???!!
    holy shit!

    i don't think anyone gets over something like that...
    in your case, you've built a life full of wit, creativity, fire
    and compassion despite the brutal sexual attack.


    ~surf

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    Replies
    1. Yeah. He found me on YouTube when I left a comment on the documentary linked above. Got some balls, don't he?

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    2. He doesn't know I could probably track him down (I did learn a thing or two in the Great Blog War) and send him a fruit basket.

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    3. i know you're not religious but when i read his post, i thought, "unless you ask forgiveness of God and the victims, you'll see what the real satan is like."

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    4. Yeah. His "non-pology" ain't gonna cut it with the Almighty!

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  7. In 1973 I caught a so-called friend of mine who I don't mind naming- Jimmy Talerico out in the woods with an underaged hippie girl just about ready to rape her while he was flying on drugs. I managed to secret her away to my car and took her home. She was clearly scared out of her wits. I calmed her down by the time we reached her home. To my surprise I got a thank you kiss goodnight from a very happy young hippie girl who would have been a great date but I never did get her number..

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  8. Veronica,

    I stumbled across this blog as I was looking for information on the choice back then. Please reply if you are still active

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