Not Fade Away - Ringo Starr Fan Fiction - Beatles Fan Fiction

Chapter Four - Be Sociable

Carrying plates and cups on her tray to take to the kitchen for washing, Cilla walked by Ringo giving him an encouraging look in Joan's direction. She didn't think it could hurt to play matchmaker, figuring they were already halfway there spending time together on their own. 

Cilla made her way over to Joan, a cheerful expression on her face. "You've been making time with Ringo, a little birdie told me that." She set her tray of dirty tableware onto the counter.

"Did he have a rather large beak?" She wittily replied, a small smile on her face.

Cilla nodded, lightly laughing. "He did."

"I wanted to work on my portrait painting, and he offered to sit for me." She explained, turning to face her friend.

"That's it?" She asked, a bit disappointed that there wasn't more to the story. Cilla liked Joan and Ringo and thought they might be a good fit for one another, even if it was only a casual sort of thing.

"Why? What did he say?" She questioned, briefly looking over at Ringo. He appeared to be in his own world, taking no notice of them. Joan hadn't ever picked up on him being interested.

"Ringo said the same." She waved her hand through the air, painting an imaginary canvas.

She shrugged. "That's all there is to it. Just a bit of well-needed practice."

"Go over and talk to him. I think both you could use the company." Cilla stated.

"I've got all the company I need." Joan defensively replied. For a young woman who had to deal with as many uncomfortable ones as she had over the years. She didn't enjoy being forced into social situations. 

Cilla nodded, letting the subject drop. "Better get these to the kitchen." She picked up her tray, and walked behind the counter, disappearing out of sight around a corner.

Ringo stood up from the sofa, grabbing the saucer with his empty cup and his plate. He could've left it there for a waitress to pick up, but he walked over to the bar where Joan was still waiting for her order. "Hello." He placed his things on the countertop.

"Hello." She replied. An odd moment of silence settled between the two of them. Neither one of them noticed Cilla stepping out of the kitchen. She lingered near the entrance, watching the pair. Joan's order was set in front of her, and she thought this was a good time for them to part ways.

"We're on for tonight then?" He asked, attempting to making conversation. Finding it a bit difficult for her, but he knew once they got going it'd be fine.

"Unless you have anything planned," She paused, thinking that'd Ringo had been on her schedule. "With your band."

"I'm not in a band anymore."

"Do you know what you're going to do now?" She asked, no judgment in her voice.

"I'm going to emigrate to the States. Texas." He replied, waiting for to be dismissive of his plan.

"I'd like to go — but to New York to be part of the artistic community. Why do you want to go to Texas?"

"To become a cowboy." He good-naturedly replied, downplaying his reasons for wanting to emigrate into a joke. Knocking himself before anyone else could. "Just like Gene Autry."

"Gene Autry's a cowboy?"

Ringo smiled. "You don't know the Singing Cowboy?" He cleared his throat, before singing. "I'm back in the saddle again. Out where a friend is a friend. Where the longhorn cattle feed on the lowly jimsonweed, back in the saddle again." 

 He began to whistle, thinking the song might become familiar to her and she'd join in but she didn't. He gave up, feeling a bit silly. "I'm off to sing on the open range." Ringo waited for her to take the piss.

"I could see you being a cowboy." She simply replied. Joan wasn't humoring him, and Ringo didn't feel that she was putting him down. She picked up her cup of coffee and plate of butties. "If you're staying, do you want to join me?"

He nodded. "All right. I'll order a Pepsi and come over."

Joan walked away from him and sat down on one of the sofas. 

Cilla stepped forward, trying to downplay the smile on his face. She grabbed a bottle of soda for Ringo, popping the top with a bottle opener, and handed it over as he placed a few coins onto the counter. He suspected she might have a comment to make, but Cilla remained quiet, picking up his change and walked over to the till. 

He stepped away from the counter, taking a few sips of Pepsi as he walked over to Joan and joined her on the couch. "You think I could be a cowboy?"

Placing her hand over her mouth as she chewed. "I don't see why not." She answered, picking up her cup of coffee and sipped on it. "If that's what you want to do. Emigrating is complicated."

"I've looked into it, got the paperwork. Haven't started filling it out." He took another sip from his bottle.

"What's stopping you?"

"Just haven't gotten around to it.

"If you need any help I could be of some use. At the end of the sixth form before entering university, I looked into emigrating. I didn't get too far into it, but I could help you with what I do know." The offer was genuine, any young person wanting to make it out of Liverpool was cause for unexplainable excitement and hopefulness in her.

"I think it'll be fine." He wasn't sure what to make of her offer. Ringo had prepared himself to be met with disbelief and perhaps even a bit of mocking. He quickly added, not wanting to appear rude. "If I do have any questions you'll be the first person I ask."

She motioned to one of the untouched butties on her plate. "Do you want one?"

"I'm fine." He finished off the last of his pop.

"Are you sure?"

He'd already had a couple of them earlier, but Ringo didn't have a problem eating another one. "If you're sure you don't mind." He was already reaching out his hand toward the plate.

Joan laughed. "I don't mind, or I wouldn't have offered."