Now and Then- 𝓂𝒸𝓁𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑜𝓃

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝐹𝒾𝒻𝓉𝑒𝑒𝓃

"So, we'd made it to America," says Paul, fondness lacing his voice, and he smiles. "It had been an ambition of ours- John and I's, especially- ever since the beginning. Finally, then, we were there: it was an incredibly rewarding feeling, and it felt different than before, when we'd only ever been in Europe. We felt, in a sense, as though we'd made it. And we had." Paul's smile deepens. "We had."

Michael smiles. "That must've been an incredible feeling: very accomplished, I suppose."

"Very," Paul agrees, "The fact that we were famous finally dawned on us. Still, we were surprised when millions of fans would tune into our shows or have merchandise with our faces plastered all over them: because we fel' as though we were still these ordinary musicians from Liverpool, y'know."

"Oh, of course." Says Michael, "And how did America treat you?"

"Well," Paul smiles again, shifting in his spot. "America was incredible. We did the Ed Sullivan Show, of course. And then, we toured all around: we truly were on top of the world."

___________________________________________

The first live performance given by the Beatles in America was at the Washington Coliseum in D.C.

They'd come in by train, as it was snowing heavily, and by the time of their arrival, eight inches of snow had piled up on the ground. Several hours later, the boys were lounging around in one of the backrooms as Jay & The Americans performed their opening.

"It's a new one," George mused, pressing his ear up against their dressing room door, listening to the band's opening performance. "It's got a clever tune, listen."

Ringo, too, pressed his ear to the door and grinned. "Never heard that one, either." He glanced over at John and Paul. "Have a listen, you two, you might recognize it better than us."

John and Paul, having been doing their hair in the mirror at that moment, took a break to listen to whatever it was that Jay & The Americans were singing. They took Ringo and George's spot at the door, pressing their ears against it, and listened.

Faintly, Paul could hear the song from the outside: he did recognize it. His gaze flicked up to John, wondering if he, too, recognized it.

"I know tha'," said John with a grin, nodding at Paul. "You do, too, don't ye, Paulie?"

Paul cocked his head and returned John's grin, "Yes. Yes, I do." He stood up straighter, stretching, trying to jog his memory. "Where'd we know that from, John?"

John, too, stood up straight and replied, "We were talkin' to Jay and Howie a while back, and they sung a bit o' that song for us."

"What's it called...?" Paul wondered aloud, raking his fingers through his ebony-brown hair, staring up at the ceiling. "Ah, right!" He lit up, suddenly, grabbing his comb to use as a microphone as he sang, "Come a little bit closer, you're my kind o' man, so big and so strong!"

George and Ringo giggled to each other, sitting back and watching John continue the show, singing into Paul's comb-microphone: "Come a little bit closer, I'm all alone, and the night is so long!"

They were all laughing to themselves, now, and the other two were even applauding as John and Paul continued on to the second verse. They harmonized, this time, Paul still holding onto the "microphone", and with John wrapping his arms around Paul's waist, swaying dramatically as they sung: "And we started to dance, in my arms, she felt so inviting... and I couldn't resist just a-one little-"

A knock on the door startled the boys: a knock signaling that they had one minute before showtime.

"For fuck's sake," George mumbled, shaking his head as the boys began scrambling around again, preparing themselves. "Wish I could take a bifter out there,"