A Common Misconception (Beatles Fanfic)

Sweet Hamburg (Chapter 6 - Part 1)

Two days later from George's POV

"You coming or what?" Pete grumbled as he stood in front of his bandmates. He had become more irritable over the first few days of the German 'tour' and we didn't seem to notice him over John's loud banter with the 'other' band Rory Storm And The Hurricanes. Most of us mainly John & Rory sat drunkenly sprawled in their booth as we watched a German band getting booed in German by their intoxicated audience.

"Ey fuck off, Best. We just got here," shouted John as he laid his head unto Paul's shoulder who didn't seem to mind. "George! Come 'ead!" Pete growled at George, desperately trying to get someone to follow him back to the small bedsit they shared in the seedy part of Hamburg. "Who do you think you are trying to boss me around?" I shot back at Pete who angrily glared at me as I said that.

After what felt like hours of thick silence, besides the drunken crowd still booing the German band, Pete stormed off in the other direction and out of the Star-Club. "Heer isch The Beatles!" the host shouted to the crowd, signaling to John, Paul & I. 'Shit, Brian had already warned us to stop pissing Pete off,' I worriedly thought as I looked at Ringo the drummer of Rory Storm And The Hurricanes who was also a good friend of mine.

"Fill in?" I mouthed to Ringo as I picked up my guitar and straightened my tie. "Okay," he mouthed back as he got up from his seat, taking his drumsticks from under the table. I sighed relieved as I then looked over to Paul who saw Ringo coming towards the stage who nodded his head appreciatively.

We prepared ourselves to play the first song, Long Tall Sally. "Thanks," I told Ringo. I glanced at the crowd who were mainly sweaty drunken sailors and busty blonde waitresses. "Eins, zwei. Eins, zwei, drei, vier," John counted off in German, making the German crowd roar happily as Paul screamed the first lines of Long Tall Sally.

I'm gonna tell Aunt Mary 'bout Uncle John 

He said he had the misery but he got a lot of fun 

Oh baby, yeah now baby 

Woo baby, some fun tonight

The crowds' interest wavered slightly as a young lad, though older than myself, shouted something incomprehensible. "Oh look they're back now," I mused.

Well I'm the Sheik of Araby  

Your love belongs to me

Well at nights when you're asleep 

Into your tent I creep

"Mach schau!" the crowd cheered which meant "Make a show!" in German I think. I'd ask Pete but he gets pissed at me easily so better not. You'd think I'd know by now. Sheikh of Araby took off well with Ringo's drumming. Usually with Pete, he'd get a bit offbeat though I don't complain. He's the only drummer we got. Ringo would make a lovely fit if he was in the band though. He's a nice lad and he's from Liverpool too.

In the middle of I Saw Her Standing There as I started off the solo, I noticed that some girls had come in and were making steady progress towards the booth that we had previously with Rory who was nowhere to be seen. They seemed very familiar as one of them waved at me or was that for Paul? 'Hmmm ah wait, isn't that Cynthia and Florence with Astrid and Stu?' I thought nervously as I suddenly remembered that we promised to pick them up with Astrid, Paul and John.

Our set carried on for what it seemed to be decades(actually three hours). By the end of it, the crowd was cheering at John who had come back from the loo with a toilet seat on his head. We took a bow before we started unplugging our gear from the amps.

"They left me again. They seem to be doing that a lot these days," Ringo frowned at the fact that his band had left him, his blue eyes emphasizing on his melancholy. "It's okay, Ritch. You got us," I hugged him as we headed to the booth that was currently being occupied by Astrid, Cynthia, Florence and Stu. "Ey got any space up in here?" John said as Paul greeted everyone. "You could always scoot over, Stu," Astrid softly said to Stu as he laid his arm around her shoulders. We ended up taking a few chairs to occupy everyone.

"Sorry we forgot to pick you guys up," I apologized sheepishly as I peered at Cynthia and Florence. "Good thing John told Cynthia how to contact Astrid when we got here," Florence smirked. "I was wondering if John, Cynthia and Florence could stay at Astrid's mum's house during Cyn and Florence's stay," Stu invited them.

"If it's not that much of a hassle for you, Astrid," Cyn said gratefully. "Nah, it'd be lovely. I can show you both around the city when the boys doing gigs or when Stu's with his art tutor," Astrid said kindly. "You know Astrid, yer English has gotten better. Has little Stuart been giving yer 'English' education if yer know what I mean," John snickered at Stu giving him the evil eye.

"Yes, he has actually," Astrid smiled, not knowing the underlying tone of John's question. Everyone except Astrid collectively choked on their drinks when she said this. "Well let's hope that he continues with his lessons," I choke out, managing to get Paul, John and Ritchie laughing louder, clutching unto the chairs they sat on as Stu sat silently with his cheeks flushed pink.

Astrid harrumphed as she excused herself to go to the ladies' room. From the corner of my eye, Cyn whispering something into John's ear that made him grin lecherously. "Well me and Cyn are going to get some fresh air," John said as he got up with Cynthia in hand. They went out of the Star-Club

"Not to be rude but who are you?" Florence asked Ringo with a friendly smile. "Me name's Richard Starkey but you could call me Ritchie, luv," he introduced himself. "My name's Florence Gillan but you could call me Flo. Pleasure to meet you," Florence said, mimicking Ringo's introduction.

"You know what lads! And fair ladies o' course," Paul added as an afterthought when he saw Astrid coming back from the loo. "What?" Stu asked as he stretched his limbs. "Drinks on me to celebrate Flo and Cyn's arrival in Hamburg!" Paul declared excitedly. We all cheered as Paul got up to get some drinks from the bartender.

"Someone should go tell ol' John and Cyn 'bout Paul buying us drinks," Stu said. "I could go," Florence and I volunteered simultaneously. "Well both of ya go find 'em," Stu said a bit boisterously with a big grin. Florence and I got up from our seats and went in the direction of where we last saw John and Cyn went.

"Did ya see where they went?" I asked Florence as she led me through the crowd of people. "I have an inkling," she answered as she pushed past several gruff men. "Can't see them," Florence said, squinting at several people by the bar. " 'scuse me. Have you seen a blonde girl and a guy with his hair quiffed up?" I asked a fellow by the bar. "Welche?" the man said in German as he turned to look at us. He was dressed smartly in a suit and seemed too proper and posh-ish to be in this part of Hamburg but Mam once said to never judge someone by how they look.

"Sie haben ein blondes Frau und ein Mann mit Teddybärjunge Haar Pass von ihr gesehen?" Florence asked him in German. I didn't know that she knew German, must have taken GCSEs for it. The smartly dressed man pointed to a door to his right, mumbling something incoherent under his breath. Flo nodded thankfully. " What did you say?" I asked her. "I gave him a description of Cyn and John and he said they went here," she replied simply as she took a step in front of the door.

Moans and grunts were heard from the other side of the door. 'Should we bother them? I mean John's been away and Cyn's hasn't see-. "Harder, Johhhnn," we heard Cyn's voice moaning, confirming our assumptions. "Ah well, that spoiled any illusion," I commented dryly, " You call them or do I have to?"

"Hey guys, Paul's buying drinks for everyone just to let you know," Florence shouted over the crowd of voices as she softly knocked on the door. "Okay," John grunted as the walls rattled a bit harder.

"Well we found 'em," I said with a smirk probably plastered upon my face. "Yeah come on. I need a drink," she told me as she pulled me back to our booth on the other side of the pub.

"Did you find them?" Stu asked us. "We found 'em fucking in a broom closet," I dead panned the truth. "As expected then," Paul answered, downing a shot. "Drink?" Ringo offered me which I obligedly drank. It was scotch and coke. I licked my lips, observing everyone around me. Paul and Stu were making jokes and laughing together which was a rare sight ever since Stu left the band. Astrid was engaging in a conversation with Flo. Ringo was staring at his drink sullenly.

"Come on, yer can't still be sad with that Rory and all left yer here," I told to Ringo as I hugged him from the side to comfort him and I don't hug people that often. "Guess so. Sometimes I think they don't like me but they're just keeping me because I could drum y'know," Ringo whispered to me. "Nah they're a bunch of shite if they don't like ya, Ritch," I tried to cheer him up.