Be My Baby

Six

February 5th, 1964

A good three weeks have passed. Nothing was too exciting was happening other than The Beatles were getting ready for their first American performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. However, the guys had a few more gigs around Newcastle. Some girl named Carol who watched their shows asked out Hilton and he decided to take her out to the local cafe. This was quite a serious matter for the youngest Animal as this was one of his first dates.

        Hilton insisted on me, Eric, and Alan on helping him out on getting ready. We all sat around his couch as he was scrambling around, trying on every suit he had. A part of me felt a little jealous that he was going out, but I had to keep reminding myself that he was born 59 years before me and that I was here for the time being. 

             Waltzing out in a red suit, Hilton asked everyone's opinions. Eric gave a nod to the red suit whereas Alan didn't. Me on the other hand, still a bit shy around Eric, kept my mouth shut. Plus I didn't want to cause an argument. 

              The next suit was an black one with a collar. This time, Alan liked it but Eric said it was too plain. Frustrated, Hilton turned to me and asked me my opinion. 

            Coming from an teenager, no one in the twenty first century really wore suits to their first date. This was all new territory to me. Also, this wasn't like he was going out to a fancy restaurant. He was meeting this girl at a coffee shop.

              "Maybe a suit is too extreme," I honestly admitted. "I think you would look good in a white collared shirt and a pair of black pants with a black coat."  I felt a pair of eyes scanning at me and turned around and saw Alan.

           "I think that'd be great!" He replied followed by Eric agreeing. With a huge sigh of relief, Hilton went to change on last time and came back with his outfit neatly fitted on him.

           He looked quite charming. The black sweater really brought out the blue of his eyes as if they were diamonds. "You look dapper mate." Eric said, smiling. 

           "If it wasn't for Penny, we would all be lost!" Hilton turned to look at me. "Thank you Penny!" 

            I gleamed. "No problem Hilton. This wasn't too bad admitting this was my first time planning someone's date outfit.  Now since the hard part is done for us, all you gotta do is just be honest with yourself and be polite!" 

             "Great advice!" He replied. Combing his fingers through his hair, he looked at himself at the mirror.  Eric glanced at the clock, studying the hands as it read eleven thirty. 

            He got up, stretching. "I think we should go and leave our little Hilton to get ready." He quickly nodded to me and Alan and we both got up. I gathered my coat and placed it on me and tied my boots on. 

          Alan placed his brown French-styled hat on. "Call me when your home." You could tell that Alan and Hilton were friendly with one another. However, this way before Mike and Chas moved in with Alan, and Eric stated that The Animals were split into two teams: Alan and Chas and Eric, Hilton, and John.

  I had a friend like that back in elementary school, but when she moved, we lost contact with one another and our friendship was nothing but an memory. For the past six years, I have been riding solo. Part of it was due to being socially awkward, and the other part was that I literally was obsessed with old men who all had the same hairstyle. 

         Hilton nodded. I waved goodbye and gave him the best of my lucky and me and Alan walked out. We said goodbye to Eric we got into the car. As Alan began driving, I watched the ground move and counted how many snow banks I saw, thinking about my life. I didn't feel like talking. An feeling of guilt and loneliness crept over me. When I got back home, I was going to be back to being stuck with no friends. But at the same time, I missed home. I missed the smell of the stale coffee at work and my little car blaring classic rock. I missed my mom and dad. I missed my dog Rocky. I wondered what he was thinking right now, if he was sad and lonely. I was probably still kept at the hospital, alone and thousands of wires covering my body. My school would probably not even notice my disappearance. What was my boss thinking?