[ Home | Contents | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From:
Date: 11/28/2002
Time: 7:17:43 PM
Remote Name: 64.154.79.63
"Another side of the Hells Angels" She has trouble keeping her tears away. No, she doesn't know Charles. But she lives across the burial place and was curious to see what was happening. And when she sees all those men, that unity, Corry Kohlen cries as well touched by the revelation that even Hell's Angels cry.
The 39 year old Hell's Angel Charles was shot to death earlier this month in a shooting in South Africa. And now his brothers are escorting him to his final restingplace in Sittard. 100s of Harley Davidsons are driving straight through Sittard to the cemetary. The interest for the escort is overwhelming.
Butcher Jo Zelis (54) from Oirsbeek is watching the funeral escort with his 12 year old son Ivo at the busstop in Doenrade. He thinks it's pretty imprressive, all those motors together. He himself would like to be an Angel but that's not for him. No time. He is however a member of the DAF club and then he goes to DAF weekends. You know, 2 days no shower, 3 days no shave, the rough life.
It's sad that the boys are always talked about so negatively says the butcher. He hears the stories in his store. But when you go down to talk to those people you see they're nothing like the stories. Those Hell's Angels they're one big happy family. People can take them as a role model down here he thinks.
Halfway the Windraak stands a 69 year old Hell's Angels fan from Sittard, Guus Paas. He's got friends in that club. They may look like fighters but they really aren't. They're decent people who help out where they can. Example? Well last carnival. There was a fight the Hell's Angels went out to quiet things down. Good boys, decent guys. Yes you can really see they're touched by their brothers' death. Brother, because that's how Hell's Angels view their fellow members. Guus stands there out of respect. If he was any younger he would join them.
Also on the sidelines stands Peter Paulussen (60) from Schinnen with his wife. Out of curiosity for all the motorcycles they went up to the clubhouse to see what's what. The friendlyness with which those Hell's Angels from other nations greet each other was noticed. They're making friends for life, but don't piss them of I doubt they're friendly then. Becoming an Hell's Angel himself? He never thought about that. But he doesn't think his boss would've liked it if he came to his job unshaven and with earrings on. Now he just drives his motorcycle to enjoy nature.
Not much later the Hell's Angels park their Harley Davidsons at the cemetary neatly in a row. Looking in their mirrors the tough guys check if their hair is ok. They come from Scandinavia, England, Germany, Spain. They are all wearing a black tape around their arm to show their sorrow for Charles. They are being watched with much attention by 100s of citizens from Sittard. An old couple watches a tatooed women dressed in leather steps off her motorcycle. "Look look a girl. How old do you think she is?"
At the cemetary the sound of rockmusic is loud and overwhelming. "Seven Angels Took Another Angel Hoe" and "Nothing Else Matters" are bumping out of the speakers while the Hell's Angels are grouping together around the white coffin/casket of their brother. Another song playing is "De Vlieger" by Andre Hazes (A Dutch singer very famous here). Kingsize bottles of wodka go from one hand to the other. The Angels hug each other. Tears are flowing now and not just with the Angels. Some bystanders can't watch the tears of the Angels without crying themselves.
After half an hour of loud music and heavy drinking they carry the coffin to the burial place. As the coffin goes down the Hell's Angels put their fist in the air and yell: "Hell's Angels Mother####ers". The cemetary guy (who keeps everything nice and clean) doesn't like it there should be peace and quiet not yelling and music. "But what are you going to do?"
And then the Hell's Angels get back on their Harleys. "Are you driving home in one trip?" asks one Angel to the other. "Hell no, I'll get a 'castle' (motel)"