Roxan ~ In My Life with the Beatles

6- Richie

Rich Man

On one unusually good day in March I plucked up the courage to see my old friend Richard. I had no visible marks that day so, thinking it was safe to let him see me, I made the trip to the Dingle. I was then informed by his dear ole mum Elise that he was in hospital again so I trudged on to the Mersey Hospital as that was his home for a few months.

His mum, though visibly distressed at my dress or lack of dress, encouraged me to go and visit as he was feelin' down, 'needs some perking up does our Rich' she confided good-naturedly. I don't think she saw that I was as damaged as I felt or she ignored it thinking I needed Richard as much as he needed me.

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So I'm in the hall outside Richards ward hovering and not making any move or motion forward.

I wasn't 'me' anymore. He would hate me too, wouldn't he? ... A nurse glanced up again and knowing I had been there a good 20 minutes approached my position then basically prodding me into ward and up to the cold metal hospital bed.

There he was, no more than 3 feet away from me, sitting up in bed tapping away on a drum! My childhood friend glanced up and back down to the drum not stopping the incessant ratt-a-tat tapping.

He didn't recognise me!

With another glance and raising one hairy eyebrow he croaked out "Why not get a camera, take a picture it will last longer ya' Ted"

Dropping my head and averting my gaze from him I mumbled back "Richie, it's me"

"I don't know any girl Teds!" he exclaimed then coughed loudly.

I spoke up now, worried the nurse would usher me out for fear of upsetting the patients "It's me, Roxan from the Dingle silly"

Rich' looked at me hard still disbelieving but wanting it to be true all at the same time. He took in my jacket and jeans, the short boyish hair looked me in the eye and said "Ok I'll play ya' little game - what be the song then?"

I knew instantly what he was hinting at the little weasel! I wasn't going to start singing in the middle of a hospital ward!

"Ummm really, do I really need to say it" I rolled my eyes and watched him straightening up, cross his arms, his blue eyes boring into me, staring me down with a slight smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Nah don't say it" he said loudly, his cough disappeared"Sing it, haha!" Pointing a finger at me laughing.

So, there I stood at the end of his metal bed, in a sterile bland hospital ward, my trembling voice barely louder than a whisper singing bloody 'Somewhere Over the damn Rainbow' only that boy could make me do that!

After my wobbly warble Rich gawked at me, tapping his chin with a drum stick for a second or two and then, without warning, crawled down the end of the bed and pulled me in for a massive hug, it felt so, so nice. He missed me and I him. We talked all afternoon, I told him my secrets as I felt closer to no one else; no one else cared anyhow.

"Visiting hours are over, young lady" The older matron stood looking down her nose at me.

"Well I best be off, Richie, get better quickly ok!" I hugged Richard tightly.

"Well keep your chin up, Roxy, don't let them beat you down, you're better than all of 'em"

In his infinite wisdom he made me promise to him there and then to weather the storm surrounding me.

"I'll try and come back soon ok" I walked towards the doorway and looked back once again.

"Don't be bothered too much I'll be out soon and this place is right crapola, don't you agree matron!" Matron huffed and stalked out of the ward, I stifled a giggle and we waved good-bye.

We had promised to catch up and spend time together when he got out of hospital, which was hopefully very soon, but sadly it turned out that we didn't get to see each other again for a very long time.