Roxan ~ In My Life with the Beatles

32

Wild Animals and Cake

On June 18, The Beatles returned to Sydney. They would be performing six concerts over three nights at the Sydney Stadium to a combined crowd of 60,000 people. 

But today we had a lay day.

"You know I feared I would be permanently replaced because of this illness" Richard spoke to us all as we gathered in the small but functional kitchen for breakfast of Cornflakes and tea.

"What rot Rings the whole place has gone to pot without you here to guide us through the shows. James here has been great 'an all but no one could replace you me lad" John spoke from the heart, looking directly at Richard over his thick rimmed specs. Then got back to the matter at hand, he glanced down at his daily crossword tapping the page with the pen he had just swiped out of my hand. "OK, Rox- One down – Important day- Eight letters. Starts with B"

"Temporarily cured, you know. Need to go back and get these tonsils removed later. Perhaps in December" Richard mumbled over his tea.

"Richie" I leaned over to him and sat my head on his shoulder. I knew he was wanting attention and feared the hospital stays creeping into his life again "You are one in a mil. This is a small set back and the tonsils- it's not like when you were a kid. It will be only a little while not months, OK" I got a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, which I pretended to swoon over, making my friend smile.

"Watch yourself Rings she is a right stirrer that one, always mucking us about with jokes, and the like" Paul stirred the air with his teaspoon then leaned over for another spoon of sugar; I'm pretty sure that was four in the cup now.

"What's this about a stirrer?" Brian just had to walk in when Paul was diss-ing me.

"Oh yeah, all sorts of trouble that one" George drolled flatly to the room, shooting me a sarky yet very cheeky look.

"Miss Nicholls, a word outside if you don't mind" Brian's voice was quite strained and his face showed disdain.

"We're having you on Bri, you prat!" John said never looking up from his crossword. "Rox, Rox crossword. Come on love- important date- Eight letters."

"Birthday" Paul spoke sadly over Johns head.

"Thanks Paulie. Fits perfect" John wiggled his eyebrows at me. Ignoring poor old Paul and his attempt to get someone to remember that today was in fact his birthday. I smirked and looked back down at the upside-down crossword on the other side of the table.

Brian ignored the crossword questions and returned to the earlier stirrer conversation  "Oh. Oh well, no bother, I should have guessed I was being led on a merry chase yet again!" Brian grabbed a cup of tea and walked off to his room.

The whole morning was spent in the hotel, everyone pottering around watching television, listening to the radio, leaning on the balcony watching the world go by, well Neil and I did, not the lads! 

At eleven a.m I had organised that we all get ready to leave for a fun afternoon and remindered all to bring a change of clothes, some swimmers and hats. We however, failed to tell Paul, who by now, was, as expected,  sulkily holed up in his room.

It was John's idea to rush into Paul's room. He jumped up and down on the poor boy's bed yelling "Happy Birthday, Son. Happy-Bird day lad!" like a wild man. Paul took a few seconds to react, his face stunned then, we were all crammed in the doorway of the room tossing him our happy wishes for his special day.

"I thought you lot had plum gone and forgot" He smiled happily.

"No way, we had make you really, really really angry to make you really, really happy mate" Richie spoke such nonsense it made sense! We all fell about laughing "What. What did I say" he deadpanned.