Lonely People

The Dawn

"Today we sit down with Amelia McCartney," the interviewer announced.

I took a deep breath. It had been many years since I sat down for an interview. Many years, in fact, since I had been in front of a camera at all. The last time I had done this, I was younger and I wasn't alone. Paul was with me then, maybe even Ringo or Linda. Now, it was just me.

I took a step out onto the stage. My bones ached all of the time, and my voice had long since become hoarse. I was an old woman now, and I looked much different than I did in my youth. I no longer had rosy, youthful skin, instead, I had sagging leather skin much too big for my body. My hair, once a dark brown, had become white as a sheet. 

They were interviewing me for who I was, not who I am. They want to know the story of my time with the greatest band in the world. Who I am now doesn't matter, at least, it won't for much longer. I am coming to the end, and I wanted the world to know everything I did before it was too late.

This interview was my idea, and it was my idea to make it all into a book. Most of my friends had all passed; John, George, Maureen, Cynthia, Linda, Minerva, Janice, all gone. Paul and Ringo were still going, but nobody knew for how long. Soon, we would all reunite in the next phase of existence. For now, however, it was up to me to make sure the rest of the world knew the story of The Beatles.

"Thank you for coming onto the show, Amelia," the reporter shook my hand.

He was a young man, perhaps in his early twenties. His blonde hair was slicked back and his suit was cleaner than clean. The smile he bore seemed to be held back with safety pins, but his eyes shone with curiosity. I could feel millions of equally curious eyes on me, all waiting to hear the details of a story everybody on Earth knew. 

"It's my pleasure," I smiled.

The two of us sat down. The white chair they had for me was extremely uncomfortable, but I dealt with it. I ignored the gaze of six different cameras and a live studio audience and focused on the matter at hand.

"Amelia McCartney, younger sister to the legend Paul Mccartney," the interviewer explained to the viewers, "I must say, it's an honor to sit here with you. You haven't been interviewed since the early eighties, is that correct?"

I nodded, "I was never one for interviews. The big stars were Paul, John, Ringo, and George."

"But, you were always there?"

"Always," I replied, "From the beginning to the end, I was there."

"I was told you were writing a book."

I smiled, "Yes, it has been in progress since the late seventies."

"What is it about?"

"It's about the greatest band ever to exist," I replied, "Most of all, it's about four lads from Liverpool who had hearts of gold and played with more passion than the world could contain."

"Where does the story begin?"

The interviewer smiled. I could feel the audience holding their breath in anticipation. I became excited with them. For the first time in decades, I felt young again. As if I were that little girl from Liverpool. No more aches, no more pains, I was left with a big dream in a town not quite large enough to contain it. 

"It started one such July evening in 1957," I smiled, "That night, two legends met face to face for the first time."

***

July 6, 1957

That warm July day was just another day to most Liverpudlian citizens. They didn't realize history was about to go down at a church fete right in the middle of their town. It was that day that two musical geniuses first met.