It's a Wonderful Band

Chapter 5

Merry Christmas! (I'll be posting the whole story today... Yay!)

George followed Stuart into the room and found a stark, dark place containing only a bed, desk, chair, table, and phone. The whole room had a permanent stench of cigarette smoke that hung thickly in the air and made George wrinkle his nose. He might have enjoined his smokes, but this just made him want to gag.

Older George was siting silently, staring out the dirty window expressionlessly. His age weathered face was not a pretty site, nor was his stringy hair and slightly discolored shirt that might have used to have been white. George turned to Stuart and declared, "This is where I live? That's me?" George asked resignedly, and Stuart nodded. "I live here?" Stuart nodded again and George stared.

Suddenly the phone rang and older George stood abruptly, his chair scrapping the wood and making younger George wince.

Older George answered it, mumbling quietly, and then declaring unemotionally, "Oh. Hello Ringo. How's rehab in London.... Well it won't be to much longer now will it?.... Oh, I thought you said.... Oh, they're holding you back?.... Oh, I suppose if wanting to see your son's 6th grade graduation makes you want to drink more then they must think you're not cured.... Did any of your ex wives come to visit you?.... Oh, I guess that's to be expected. I knew none of them were any good. Did the Everly Brothers say you could come back on tour with them when you're let out?... Oh, well at least that is good news.... Oh yes, Paul is still very very torn up about it... Yeah, I know. It was especially terrible that she went just like his mum.... Oh, Beatrice is alright, but it's awful hard for Paul to take care of her with that merger teacher salary.... Maybe she wouldn't even have died if it hadn't been for that terrible health plan. Now with all the health bills Paul will be in debt for the rest of his life.... Oh, I was going to check on Cynthia and the kids right after I try to cheer Paul up.... Oh, don't mention it, I've enjoyed our talks. One of the more exciting parts of me day.... Oh, yeah well talk to you later Ringo.... Yeah bye." Older George hung up the phone and pulled a grey jacket over his t-shirt and walked out the door as he wrapped a black scarf around his neck. He shut the door with a click and younger George watched as he stepped outside and got onto a grey bicycle and he peddled off into the night.

"You mean he doesn't even have a car?" Younger George wailed.

"You mean you don't even have a car?" Stuart corrected George.

"You know what I mean." George glared.

"You don't make much driving the bus." Stuart shrugged.

George stood for a moment and then said, "So he's checking on Cynthia? So they're not together anymore? I'm not surprised, I could see signs of trouble."

Stuart remained silent.

"Are we going to follow him?" George asked, refusing to accept that was actually himself and not some random, unfortunate bloke off the street.

"In a way, yes," Stuart nodded and then snapped his fingers, making everything disappear and then a large impersonal apartment building melted into view in front of the two.

"This place is depressing! Why would Paul want to live here?" George glared at the mass of concrete, and Stuart replied:

"Perhaps he doesn't, but at least he has a private kitchen instead of sharing one like you do."

George frowned, and then Stuart led him inside to the lobby which was just as bad as the outside had been. They stepped into a dingy elevator and were rocketed to the middle of the building.

"I never imagined one of us living in an apartment..." George remarked to Stuart as they arrived at Paul's floor. Stuart shrugged.

"People surprise you sometimes," Stuart told George seriously.