Bono and the Motorcycle

I also had a huge... I mean HUGE crush on a producer/engineer named Niko Bolas. I am not the only girl who had a crush on Niko Bolas. Seemed to me that there was almost a catfight-like atmosphere swirling around Niko. I was the tamest cat in the bunch by a long shot. Anyway - Niko did invite me out to dinner once. Well... let me clarify that: I had to "run" some material over to Niko at another studio and he asked me to join him for dinner. I told him I probably should get back to A&M and he said, "Have you had dinner?"

"No"

"You have to eat sometime, don't you?" For once in my stupid life I said the "wrong thing" and said,... "Yes! You're right. I WILL go to dinner." Yeah! Yeah Me! I really treasured that dinner with Niko - very Zen (and okay, gorgeous beyond belief, beautiful brown eyes... but it was mostly the Zen-ness).

Here's a yummy sandwich: Niko was a motorcycle guy - I'm thinking a Harley (forgive me Niko if I'm wrong) but Niko rode some kind of cool motorcycle. And then Bono bought a motorcycle - yes, a Harley. I heard about the bike before I saw it! Then, one day, I was on my way into the studio. Bono and Niko were out in front, discussing their bikes. I smiled and waved. Two of my favorites! How sweet!? "Vatrena, have you ever been on a Harley?" Bono asked.

"No." I replied.

"Would you like to ride on a Harley?"

"Sure!!!...!"

"I'll take you on the Harley."

Oh my gosh... "I'm going to ride on the Harley with Bono. I'm going to ride on the Harley with Bono." That was the only thing I could think for the next two minutes. I ran into Larry Mullen, Jr. in the hallway. "I'm going to ride on the Harley with Bono!"

"You are NOT going to ride on the Harley with Bono." said Larry, definitively. His relationship to me was like a big brother, which was great... most of the time.

"Oh yes..." I said, "I am.... Bono promised me he'd take me."

Larry: "Promise me you will not get on that bike with Bono."

Me: "Why not?!"

"Because he doesn't know how to ride the damned thing!" he practically yelled.

I paused... but just enough to take a quick breath "... "I'm definitely going."

Two weeks later, Bono crashed his bike.