Get It Straight, Or Say Good Night

Licence To Sea

"What's this then Paulie? In the news without the other boys?" Lou heckled Paul as he wandered out of his bedroom, hair in disarray, rubbing his doe eyes awake. Scooping Evie up, he bounced her in his arms "She's just eaten. Stop ya bouncing or she will cover you in porridge"

Paul shrugged and bounced the giggling infant a few more times as Lou read the contents of the paper out to the gathered ensemble of bleary eyed men in the room "Yesterday, James Paul McCartney, that'll be you Paulie, twenty-one year old musician of 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool, was fined £25 and disqualified from driving at Wallasey for 12 months after he had admitted exceeding the speed limit along Seabank Road ........" that was until Paul scrunched the entire page and tossed it fair across the room. "Hey! Reading that!"

"Shushhhh Lou, Brian's' already grouchy bout that, don't go rehashing it into today's news too" Paul rubbed his face, no motor he thought, bugger me dead.

"Twelve months!" John leered "Geez, I may need to get my licence out of the bottom of the cornflake packet yet!"

"As long as it isn't a real one, we're all safe" George spat from behind his toothbrush, walking away to dump the contents of his mouth in the small sink "You know you will have to wear your specs to drive don't you John"

" ..'Course, I'm not a complete idiot"

"Oh, only a half one then. Would that be a half id or a halfwit" Lou streaked across the room to hide behind Mal, John dancing side to side to mock throttle her for the retort. Paul was more than grateful his misdemeanour was forgotten for the time being.

The second day began with laughs and fun and games then settled into what Lou though an apt description- tigers at the zoo.

All four boys, Brian, Mal and Neil, another recruit in the Beatle circus, were all pacing up and down out of sheer boredom, either in the room or out in the hall.

When needed, they, on the most part , were immensely handy...

Evie's upset, dump her into one of the lad's arms as he paced. Evie enjoying the different faces that held her high, even John wasn't afraid to show his soft side entertaining the little girl in interesting things like Paul's wallet or his now useless car keys and licence or Ringo's camera and, if very lucky, real birds, seagulls not screaming fans, landing on the balcony squawking for the meagre few cold leftover chips from lunch.

Two shows a day starting precisely at 6.25pm and 8.40pm had Lou left to the four mustard yellow striped wallpapered walls, alone. Although, she could sort Evie to her evening routine and bed.

Lou wondered if this was it.

Caged and left waiting.

****

The boys all tumbling in between midnight and beyond, Lou could hear them through the walls, banging on the furniture, yelling, tossing hellos off the balcony to the shrieking fans delight, as they all held twenty four hour vigil outside the building.

Many voices were in there tonight. Lou's headboard, touching against the wall of the living room they all now were congregated in, might as well have been acting like a gigantic megaphone. Women giggled and glasses chinked, the portable record player was spun loudly.

Paul was in the hallway, feeling up some broad. As the light danced under Lou's door, heels tapping on the timber floorboards, they moved around, alot. Lou could even hear Paul's intimate requests spoken ever so softly as they stood right beside the bedroom door. Heavy breathing an' all.

"Paul McCartney get your whoring arse away from my door!" Lou hissed from the other side as she walked by to use to the bathroom.

The door opened moments later.
"Sorry Louise-"