Another Day

Chapter 3

That night I stayed up until ungodly hours of the morning blasting Please Please Me as loud as it could possibly go. Around three, neighbors started to complain so I reluctantly had to shut it off and go to bed.

Walking in for the dinner shift the next day, I noticed the diner was surprisingly busy. Nearly every table was full, and it was, dare I say, noisy. As I slipped into the kitchen I couldn't help but laugh. Most of the people in here were girls, around the same age as the four yesterday that knocked over Linda. Perhaps they were hoping for a glance at another famous band member.

"Looks like George helped pick up business for us." I commented to Linda. She brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and glanced up at me.

"I suppose they're looking for a chance to maul him if he comes in." she said. I cracked a smile. "Let's hope not."

The crowd grew to be so thick neither Linda or I got a chance to sit down, always running for another cup of teat or another sandwich, more napkins or a dozen extra pastries. It was exhausting, but at least the tips were more generous than usual.

Ages later, an hour before closing time at eight, the dinner crowd began to disperse. With my dirty dish tray I sat at the corner booth and gathered the dishes slowly. On my way back to the kitchen, I caught my foot on a chair and lost my balance. The dishes, tray, and I went crashing to the floor, where I lay for several seconds. Nobody offered to help me up, but I really didn't much care. I just folded my arms and set my face in them, considering taking a quick nap.

Linda came rushing out from the back looking alarmed. She stopped when she saw me on the floor, and clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter.

"What are you doing on the floor for?" She asked.

"I'm tired." I mumbled.

"Fair point."

She helped pick up the scattered dishes and I sluggishly stood, fixing my skirt and apron.

"We'll be off soon." She said, perching my dish tray on her hip. I sighed, "Yeah, I know."

Time dwindled slowly. People crept out eventually though.

I was heading for the sign to turn it to "Closed", seconds away from being free and heading home to get ready for the concert, when the door burst open. It went sailing straight into my nose and I fell down for the second time that day.

Someone was laughing at me sprawled out on the floor. I scowled.

Standing in front of me were five men, four rather tall and one shorter than me.

"I can see you're not famous for your manners." I said dryly. I directed the comment towards the one that shoved the door into my nose, the one with squinty eyes and a beak nose, but he just smiled wickedly.

George stepped out from behind him and reached down to help me up. "Sorry, I seem to be knocking over a lot of people lately." He joked. I smiled, rubbing my nose and narrowing my eyes at the one I recognized as John Lennon.

"It's fine George." I said.

The tallest one, with immaculate hair and an authoritative stance stuck his hand out at me. "I'm their manager, Brian Epstein."

"Don't let him tease you; he likes to be called Eppy."

Brian narrowed his eyes at John but didn't respond. He turned back to me. "That's John, and Ringo, and Paul, and you already met George..." I smiled shyly at them all and John saluted me.

"George informed me this would be a good place to get something to eat." Brain said expectantly, with raised eyebrows and a half smile. I nodded and gestured to the empty place, "Anywhere is fine gentlemen."

Back in the kitchen, I was propping a half conscious Linda against the counter as I shook her back into reality.

Without thinking, I had come running into the back, shouting in a whisper about the most attractive men in world being here and she had confusedly peered out the kitchen door window as I babbled on frantically. She had gasped, her knees failed to support her, and I luckily caught her just before she hit the floor.

"Linda! Get yourself together!" I hissed furiously. She pushed me weakly off her and hobbled over to the window again. "Look at them." She sighed dreamily. I nodded, busily getting their tea together.

"Do we have any sandwiches left?" I asked.

Linda nodded, still staring at the five men, lined up in a row sitting at the bar. I pushed past her with the tea into the diner and was met with several pairs of eager looking eyes.

Between the five of them, I think they downed at least a dozen sandwiches.

"So you are...?" Paul aimed at Linda she refilled his tea. She blushed furiously but didn't drop her gaze.

"Linda"

He smiled. "A pretty name for a pretty girl." He said. She smiled, and I could just hear her heart sputtering from a mile away.

Brian wiped his mouth and shook his wrist watch to face him. "We've got an hour boys, let's head out." As they stood and got their coats on Linda and I whisked the dirty dishes into the kitchen.

"You girls coming along then?" Brain asked as we reappeared with our coats. George cut in, "I invited them." He said, looking directly at me. I blushed and dropped my gaze.

John wriggled his eyebrows at George. "Did ya' now Georgia?" George turned a little red and shoved John lightly. "Yeah, Lennon, I did."

Brian sighed. "We can give you two a ride if you want."

I almost died, but Linda catching hold of my arm and squeezing tightly kept me from collapsing right there. She shook her head. "We would love to, but we need to close and freshen up before we go."

Bran nodded and buttoned his coat. "Alright then, let's go boys. See you later girls."

They shuffled out the door after tossing some money our way and shouted their goodbyes obnoxiously. George was last, and he waved at me as he trailed out the door. It swung shut behind them to silence.