They hopped off the buss and gazed at the long line that wound it’s way around the Cavern. Hah, a long line, in which everyone speaks English. Gabrielle couldn’t help but grin. It was freezing though. January was not the best time to be wearing a mini skirt and short jacket. The snow had melted away the day before, thank god, but it seemed like the sky may have been threatening something.
“I know, I’m freezing me bullocks off” Shaz exclaimed wrapping her arms around herself, Her curtly bond hair was blowing around fiercely under a knit cap. Gabrielle thought she looked a bit like a clown. She giggled
Shaz looked up at her “What?”
“Nothing. I mean. I know it’s cold but what about the fucking line” she gestured to the line of kids.
“Oh” Shaz laughed “Don’t worry about that,” she grabbed Gabrielle’s hand and drug her towards the entrance. A heavy set man in leather stood there. He had his arms crossed and was glaring at just about everyone around them”
“OY! Paddy!” Shaz called, he looked over at her.
“Sharon” he rumbled, and stepped out of the way “Hallo luv, come to see the new German band?”
“Don’t call me Sharon Paddy, call me Shaz” Shaz corrected him pointedly
“German band?” Gabrielle asked
“Yeah, the Beatles, just came in from Germany. Speak good English, them lads”
Shaz and Gabrielle looked at each other a busted up laughing. When they’d finished Paddy was giving them a questioning look “What’s this?” he asked
“They aren’t German, Paddy” Shaz laughed
“Yeah, they’re from Liverpool. Remember the Quarry men?”
Paddy had a blank look on his face
“Come ‘ead Paddy let us in” Shaz continued, she started for the door. He stepped aside only calling after them as the went under the rope in a very confused voice “They’re English?”
Gabrielle and Shaz giggled and found themselves at the top of some stairs. It seemed like a blast of smelly sweaty air hit them in a cloud as the stood there. The stairs were rickety and old and it seemed as if the bricks would give way at any moment. From somewhere down there you could here heavy Rock n roll music.
“Hey that’s them” Gabrielle laughed, at hearing ‘Long Tell Sally’ followed by burst of cheers.
The girls hurried down the Cavern’s steps, giggling and singing along quietly. Gabrielle didn’t recall acting like such a silly girl in such a long time. When they got to the bottom it was wall to wall packed with kids. All dancing, singing, sweating, laughing, snogging, anything.
‘Yeahhh Baby, Have some fun tonight’ Paul was screaming. Like he did in Hamburg, only now with all the kids enjoying it and dancing and acting normal- as opposed to a bunch of bisexual sailors and their whores speaking in German- it suddenly seemed… something very special.
They found Peter Harrison sitting with Charlie McEchron, Shaz’s old boyfriend as well as Arthur Kelly
“Gabby!” the all cheered at once.
Gabrielle ran over and tossed her jacket on Peter’s head “Hello luvs,” she said, hugging Arthur and then Charlie.
“You look fab” Arthur grinned as she pulled away “Going in fer the Mini skirt”
Gabrielle laughed “Don’t’ get any ideas”
“Me, never” Arthur tired looking innocent. It just didn’t work
“How was Hamburg?” Charlie wanted to know “I haven’t seen you for ages, you’ve been holed up in your house or that bloody school”
“Eh” she shrugged “You know how it is, mother dies, you got to have some time to sit on your own and be a fucking pensive git”
There was a bit of silence that Arthur filled “Sorry about that, mate. Must be fucking ‘orrible”
Peter groaned “Kelly why don’t you just try keeping yer gob shut”
Gabrielle waved him off “Don’t be silly, I’m over it. She didn’t even like you, Kelly”
Nervous laughter. Gabrielle bounced from foot to foot “Well, I’m off to fine me Beatles”
She turned around. Stopped for a moment. Collected herself and hopped on her way over to the stage.
Of course, that was now, more of a problem then it had been before. Swarms of girls were collected around the front. Only the prettiest, blondest, leggiest girlies. All screaming as Paul screamed and shook his…. Oh fuck. He had long hair!
Gabrielle stopped for a moment and stared with her mouth agape. Oh God. It was so perfect! They looked so perfect! All done up in leather with those bowl cut… mop tops swinging and shaking away. Paul and John both had theirs cut like that now, where as they had been taking the piss out of George before. And his was back, a mop top. That was it. He didn’t seem to be complaining about not being able to see now as a little girl screamed at him.
Instead he laughed and shook his head for her and turned and shared a laugh with John.
“Have some fun to night, WAAAAAO!”
Paul was screaming again.
“I need a beer” she muttered and sprinted to the back of the room. A very small bar was set up. She tossed a few shillings at the bartender as he flicked the lid off.
“Ta” she muttered as the man tipped his cap.
Gabrielle held the beer up to her lips and scanned the room as she decided tonight was not a good night to get sloshed but perhaps she should just for the hell of it. They launched into another song. This one had Paul and John screaming at the same time while George just busted up laughing at the faces they were pulling and tried to concentrate on his guitar. She caught George’s eye on stage. He grinned and looked like he would almost leap of the stage to come see here. He tilted his head back towards the stage. “Come ead” he mouthed, or actually, he could have yelled it and she wouldn’t have heard it over John and Paul and the guitars anyway.
Gabrielle laughed and headed for the stage again. Pretty girls be damned.
“Scuse me girl, thank you” Then an elbow in the stomach from some nutter who jumped backwards. Gabrielle stood for a bit, she was behind about two girls from the stage. She tried jumping up and down in a vain attempt to be seen. Damn this blasted height of five foot two.
“La, la, la” they finished the song and another cheer went up. Gabrielle jumped as high as she could go, the horrible thing is all the other girls had they’re arms up so it was like being lost in a sea of flailing girlie arms.
“Ta very much, you guys” John was saying “Dunno why the fuck you lot like us so much now. You seemed to find us fucking ‘orrible a few month ago- ah, what is it George”
“Oy, It’s Gab” he said pointing vaguely in the crowd
“Gabby?” John looked around “She’s here?”
“Hey! Gabby!” Paul called
Gabrielle stopped jumping for a minute and paused to laugh at their antics
“Oh I’m fookin blind as a bat, I dunno” John sighed
An idea struck her, balancing her beer in the crook of her arm she pulled of her shoe and threw it at the stage. There was a clatter of cymbals and Pete swore fiercely.
“Fucking hell Gabby! You nearly took me ‘ead off”
There was laughter and then Charlie yelled “Play something!”
“Shut it McEchron, we’re getting our Gabby” Paul yelled “Oh I see her, move aside girls”
The girls were swept aside and took two steps towards the stage before George and John were pulling her up. She hugged them both at the same time while Paul attempted to pacify the crowd
“How many of you know Gabrielle? Great tits huh?”
“Shut up Macca” she snapped and reached over to hug him as well.
Gabrielle sighed as she hugged them. Her Beatles. This was how it was supposed to be.