Childhood Friends

2

1969
I'm 25 years old now. I'm over Jimmy now and attend my new job in a few hours. I'll be a roadie for a band called Led Zeppelin. I've never heard of them but it seems like they're really popular. I'm packing all my stuff in my suitcase which isn't that easy because I'm taking a lot of things with me. I take my things downstairs and my mother puts them in the car.
„ You know, I'll really miss you. Please call me as often as you can and be safe. I don't want to lose you." My mom says sadly.
„ I'll do that. You don't have to worry. I'm a big girl now and want to see the world. That's my chance and I even get a lot of money for it." I say calm but at the same time excited.
„ Don't you think you should wear another shirt? I mean you're going on tour with a band and you're wearing an Elvis shirt. Shouldn't you be wearing a t shirt of that band?" She says and punches my arm lightly.
„ I don't even have a shirt of them and it was Jimmy's. I feel like I should wear it on such a special day. He would've been proud of me and now he's with me." I say.
„ Y/N you haven't heard from him in ages. You should get over it." She says concerned.
„ I am over it mom." I say and roll my eyes.
„ Now let's get in the car or you'll be too late." She says and we drive to the airport.
We get out and I hug her.
„ I'll really miss you mom!" I say while I'm tearing up.
„ I'll miss you too darling. Now go and enjoy your life." She says and stars crying. I take my things out of the car and run to the gate for private planes. I check in and walk up to the plane. I walk inside. It smells like cigarettes and alcohol in here. The plane is really big. There are sofas instead of the seats and in the back of it are doors. They probably lead to the bedrooms. The floor is made of wood. All the colors blend in perfectly. In the Right corner in the back is a Little bar with barstools. I'm completely lost in my thoughts so I haven't realized that somebody is standing next to me.
„ What do you think?" somebody asks me.
I finally wake up from my thoughts.
„ I'm sorry what did you say? I drifted into my thoughts and wasn't listening..." I say surprised and turn to the side where the voice came from. A tall man with long brown hair looks at me.
„ Oh my god you're John Paul Jones!"
„ In the flesh." He says and chuckles.
„ I'm Y/N and I'm a roadie. It's a pleasure to meet you."
We shake or hands.
„ It's a pleasure meeting you!" he says.
This has to be a dream. I just shook hands with John Paul Jones. THE JOHN PAUL JONES. I didn't even think that I'll meet the band but here I am.
„ Do you want something to drink?" he asks and guides me to the bar.
We sit down on the stools.
„ So what do you want to drink?"
„ I'll just have a beer please." I say.
„ Two beers please." he says to the woman at the bar.
„ So Y/N, tell me about yourself."
„ Okay. Before I got here I worked at a supermarket. It was boring and they didn't pay well. I lived at my moms house." I say
„ I guess it must be really exciting for you to be here." He says and takes a sip of his beer.
„ Yes it is. I just wanted to get away from here."
„ Do you have any friends at home?" He asks and looks at me interested.
„ Not really. My best friend James moved to London when I was 12. It was a difficult time for me. We wrote each other letters and send us presents but one day he just stopped responding. I never wanted friends since then because I'm afraid to loose them like Jimmy." I say a bit sad.
„ Well I'm sorry for you. I didn't want to make you sad." He says and puts his and on my shoulder.
„ It's okay. I'm over him now."

He probably thinks I'm just a bit too sentimental. I shouldn't have told him the story. Well now it's too late.

„ I think I'm gonna head back to the other guys. Do you want to come with me? We still have to fly another 5 hours." He asks me.
„ Yeah why not."
He smiles and walks to the back of the plane. He opens a door and I hear some people talking and laughing.
John stands at the door and waits.
„ Come in in. They won't bite." He laughs and closes the door behind us.
The room looks like a living room. A black leather couch in a corner, a record player, some cabinets which are mostly filled with alcohol, cigarettes and records and some other random stuff standing around. I was lost in my thoughts again so I didn't realize that nobody was talking anymore and that they're staring at me. Finally John Paul speaks up and I look at the guys sitting on the couch.
„ This is Y/N, one of our new Roadies. Y/N this is John Bonham."
He points at a guy with a mustache and a bit longer hair.
„This is Robert."
Robert has long blonde curly hairs and blue eyes.
„ And this is Jimmy."
Jimmy looks really familiar. He has dark, wavy hair and light green eyes. I've probably just seen him on a picture or something like that.
„ It's nice meeting you guys!" I smile and wave awkwardly at them. They all smile back.
„ You can sit here." Jimmy says and points next to him.
I sit down.
„ I really like your shirt. I owned the same. Do you like Elvis?" He asks.
„ I love Elvis!! He's my favorite singer actually." I look at him and he smiles.
„ That's cool. Do you want to drink something?" He asks.
„ Do you have jack Daniels here?"
„ Yes."
He walks up to the cabinet with the alcohol and pours Jack Daniels into two glasses.
„ Here you are." He sits down again.
„ Thank you!" I blush a bit
„ Y/N tell us about yourself." Bonzo says.
„ Well I'm 25 years old. Before I came here I worked at a supermarket and lived together with my mom. My childhood was boring and I didn't have a lot of friends." I say and take a sip of my drink.
„ Why didn't you have a lot of friends? A pretty girl like you should have tons of friends." Robert says.
I blush a little.
„ Well my best friend moved to London when I was 12. That really broke me. I didn't want to make new friends because I didn't want it to end like with Jimmy and me."
„ I'm sorry to hear that. So your friends name was Jimmy?" Bonzo asks.
„ Yes."
„ Do you still have contact with him?" Jimmy asks.
„ No he just stopped responding to my letters one day. I say.
The guys look sadly at me.
„ Excuse me I'm gonna use the bathroom."
I get up and walk outside. It was a bit too much to talk about Jimmy right now. I calm myself down and go back to the band.
„ We'll be landing in 30 minutes so go get your stuff and get ready." John says.
I realize that Jimmy is staring at me but I decide to ignore it. As the plane lands, we get out and a black limo drives us to our hotel. The ride is silent. I just stare out of the window and enjoy watching New York. This is my first time being in America.
We check in and get the keys to our rooms.
The walls are tall and white. Blue curtains cover the window and the view. I throw my bags on the blue and white sheets on the bed and open the window. The view is breathtaking. There is a small lake and lots of plants and trees. You can also see some skyscrapers and other buildings. I sit down on the grey couch and look at the room. All the things are either blue, grey or white. It's beautiful. Suddenly someone knocks at my door.
„ Who is it?" I ask and get up.
„ John."
I get up and open the door.
„ You have to get ready. You have to be at the venue in 30 minutes." He says.
„ Thanks." I say and smile a bit.
He walks out of my room again.
I walk to the venue because it's not far from the hotel. It's a 20 minute walk. I start to set up the instruments and amps. The only thing that's left are the drums. I have absolutely no Idea how to set them up. Luckily Bonzo shows up and shows me how to set them up.
„ Got it?" He asks.
„ Yep. Next time I'll try to set them up on my own but I can't promise anything." I chuckle.
I sit down next to the amps where nobody can see me.
„ Jimmy what's up? You've been completely different since the new roadie is here. What's her name again?" Robert says.
„ Her name is Y/N and I'm not different. I'm just nervous." Jimmy says.
Everyone can see that he's clearly lying. Robert shakes his head and continues with the Sound Check.
„ The show was amazing!" I say to the band.
„ Thank you." They all say but Jimmy stays silent. It seems like he drifted off in this thoughts. Robert snaps his fingers in front of Jimmy's face.
„ Hello Jimmy are you still there?" He asks.
Jimmy shakes his head.
„ Yeah Robert, I'm still here. Why can't you just let me be for a second?" He says annoyed and angrily and walks away.
„ Did we do something wrong?" I ask.
„ We don't know. Jimmy talks to nobody and always drifts off in his thoughts. We are a bit concerned to be honest." John says.
„ Okay well someday we'll find out... I think I'm gonna head back to the hotel. I'm tired." I say and walk outside.
What is wrong with Jimmy? Is it because of me? I'll ask him tomorrow.
As soon as I'm in my room, I lay on my bed and fall asleep.