Paul couldn’t help but chuckle as he saw Pete on the bunk above John. Two pillows crushed to his ears whilst he rattled around and tried to sleep. Hah. Paul thought. Bet he didn’t want that top bed now.
Paul sat down on George’s bed and lit up a fag. He smoked and half watched John and his hooker and half watched Pete try to sleep with people shagging beneath him. Both were equally amusing, Paul decided.
John collapsed on top of the girl panting heavily. He took a minute to catch his breath and then stood up and grouped around for his trousers next. Paul balanced his fag between his lips and walked over to hid band mate.
“Can I? I’m fucking strung out” he mumbled, tilting his head at the bird in John’s bed.
John reached over and plucked the cigarette out from Paul’s lips “All yours” he said simply
Paul looked down at the girl “Hullo, can I have sex with you? Do you understand English?”
She nodded and scooted over in the bed “Ja”
She would have been pretty, Paul thought, had it not been for a few distracting features on her face. She was a brunette, and she had nice eyes, but she had a huge nose and her teeth were fucked up as well. Some were missing. Oh well. That never mattered before. She had dark hair. That was good. He didn’t feel like fucking a blonde today for some reason.
*****
George and Gabrielle walked holding hands out of the Reeperbahn and towards the Pier.
“Are you going to push me off?” she joked when he told her where they were going
George laughed “Now why would I do that” he drawled lazily “Loose my last bit of sanity?”
Gabby giggled and shook her head “If I’m you’re sanity then you have some pretty fucking schizophrenic sanity”
George laughed. This was perfect. The most exciting place he’d ever been in his life and now he had her here with him.
They found a bench near the water’s edge and sat down. Never once did they stop talking. Unless of course a dramatic pause was needed. That was always how it had been and, they thought at least, how it always would be.
Gabrielle recounted her conversation with Astrid to George, all most word for word. He wasn’t surprised that they hit it off at all though. Then he told her about Astrid’s attempts to let her cut his hair like the ex-y’s were.
“Are you planning on wearing your hair like Elvis for the rest of your life then?” Gabrielle said, giggling
George shot her a look “No, I should have known you would let her cut me hair like that. I do not need to be called Mushroom head you know. It’s bad enough being called the ’beautiful baby Beatle’” George said the last bit in a disgusted German accent.
Gabrielle cracked up laughing. “What?” she weezed “You’re joking, who calls you that?”
He shot her a look “It isn’t funny”
“Oh yes it is, you beautiful baby, you” she laughed
George tried to look serious and severe but failed miserable and smiled down at his clasped hands. “It isn’t fair, I’m not a baby. I’m only nine months younger then Paul is…” He looked up at her “You’re the baby, you know, really. You’re not even eighteen for another week or so yet”
Gabrielle looked thoughtful “Yeah, about a week.” she nodded “But I don’t count. I’m not a *Beatle* I’m just an innocent bystander watching yo go to the topper most of the popper most”
“Ah at very much Gab” he grinned “But you never know you could be like, inspiration for a famous song someday…”
“Why are you going to write one for me?”
George shrugged “Maybe, or maybe Lennon and McCartney will”
Gabrielle laughed “Why would they?” she giggled “The only reason I’m ever around them is you. I think John gets a bit annoyed with me hanging about all the time”
“I don’t think so” George said shaking his head “They love you. John thinks you’re fab. And you are Gab, your one of those *inspiring* people”
“Load of bollicks, that” she snorted
“It’s not”
She sighed “They don’t treat me like a kid like they do you. That doesn’t make sense”
“It’s yer tits” George sighed “You have them, there for you’re higher up in the hierarchy of our entourage”
“Oh right” she agreed “That does make sense, that”