October 5, 2011 12:30 AM PDT
....My Sons of Anarchy story
....Two summers ago we went down state to hang out with some friends for the weekend. They live 3 hours away and it was raining, so we took the truck. It was my friends wifes birthday, and they are big fans of the show, and it was the debut of the new season. So he was throwing a Birthday/Sons of Anarchy party, and he bought these black T Shirts with the show logo on the back and Sons of Anarchy on them. He also had everyones name put on the front and their town put across the bottom of the back.
He threw a really good party Friday night and gave out these shirts to everyone to wear. We had a great time and took a bunch of pics with everyone wearing these shirts. Next day we were going to this antique Bike show in town that was being sponsored by the local ABATE, that a friend of mine just happens to run. There was a Poker Run first, which we were all going on. My friend let me use his other bike....a 97 Valkyrie Standard...with Cobra 6 into 6 straight pipes on it...no baffles. Now if you ever heard a Valk with 6 into 6 pipes....they sound wicked...but they are also loud as hell. Well, we did the Poker Run....stopped along the way at this farm market for fresh apple cider and cider donuts...and walked around this tiny town that had a bunch of fine old bikes on display all over the place. It was a sunny warm September day and we had decided to wear these shirts to the event for the hell of it.
Now I noticed some people stopping and looking and eve pointing at us, because we had these shirts on, but didnt really think anything of it. At the end of the day we said our good byes to our friend that runs ABATE and we all went into this nearby parking lot to mount up and scoot. Our group that was rather large in the beginning, was now down to the guy that threw the party ...his friend...and their wives....and me and my GF. They mounted up first and pulled out into the street..we were sitting there getting ready to leave when this HUGE dude come walking up and stops about 10 feet away from us and says something to me. Now like I said...this bike I was on was loud...and Im going deaf in my left ear, so I thought he was looking at the bike and complementing it...so I smiled and replied....Yeh...wicked aint she ? Thats when we walks closer and starts saying somethign about...a shirt...Im looking at him and trying to listen to what hes saying, when it suddenly sinks in.....hes talking about my shirt and saying something like I shouldnt be wearing it around there...so Im kind of stunned and just looking at him and he starts to walk away...but then he looks around and seeing no one else really in the parking lot ...he turns and comes back...and starts telling me again that I shouldnt be wearing this shirt and how Im "claiming territory". Now he has my attention...Im looking at him and taking it all in when all of a sudden my friend who threw the party and his buddy come riding back into the parkinglot with their wives on the back....suddenly this guy turns his attention to them and hes watching to see what their going to do....Im thinking ...cool....I got back up....cuz this guy was BIG ! Well...they see how big this guy is...make a U Turn in the parkinglot and the guy who threw the party yells out... C Mon ! .....and they both cruise back out into the street and disappear ! So Im like...great...so this guy turns his attention back to me and starts to explain..."3 piece" to me....he says....you got that picture on the back....the name of a Club...and your town underneath....thats "3 piece"...you,re claiming territory...and this is OUR territory ! He goes on to tell me how he,s heard about these shirts and how others have gotten into trouble wearing them and had them ripped off of them and even got a beating out of it. So Im thinking ...what can I do to get out of this...so I try joking with him and go...Man...Grayling isnt "territory"...Grayling is some place you stop to take a piss on your way to the Upper Peninsula ! And besides...its a friggin TV Show !!! Well...he seemed to like this cuz he cracks a smile and lightned up...a bit....but he also reached over and tapped me on the arm and goes....Im gonna let you go this time...but dont come back here again....wearing that shirt !
Well...I saw my chance....I looked around and my friend and his wife who runs the ABATE and some other people are standing on the edge of the parking lot....watching...so I go...no problem man...I gotta go !. ...And I tweeked the throttle and lit out of the parking lot and down the road...this guy watching me the whole time.....
...Now my friend that runs the ABATE had talked to me before about "3 pieces" and claiming territory...but I just laughed and said I didnt think it would be a problem......well.....its a nice shirt...but I havent worn it since...and my GF refuses to wear hers even though I told her we live in a tiny town way out in the woods....3 hours away from where this happened. She said she didnt care...and that shes NOT wearing it again.
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I hunt in Lake City, went to Clarkston HS, and snowmobile in Munising. I guess I could pass as a local