The Life We Once Knew

Being Selfish Feat. My Embarrassed Friends

When you think 1960's, you think psychedelic hippies, great music, drugs, and Eastern Spirituality. Everyone had suddenly become infatuated with the mystic Eastern ways. They thought spiritualism was the way even when the person they chose to lead spouted absolute rubbish. Things like chakras and inner peace never made any sense to me. As the sixties grew more spiritual, I found myself being dragged along whether I liked it or not.

Pattie was the one to start the ball rolling. She had heard of some mystic guru who could do anything, as she was told. From the description she gave me, we were going to see a wizard rather than a guru.

"Will he have a wand?" I asked, "A robe?"

Ringo lifted an eyebrow, "Why would he have a wand?"

"Cause he's a bloody wizard, apparently."

"He's not a wizard, he's a guru," Pattie explained for the thousandth time, "The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is an expert in transcendental meditation."

"That sounds like a witch's spell."

Paul groaned, "If you don't like it, why'd you come?"

"Peer pressure, Paul, that's why."

Paul rolled his eyes as John snickered. We were all packed into one train cabin heading towards Wales for this magical experience. Everybody was looking forward to it, except for me. They all came willingly, but I was pressured into it by George, John, and Paul. Even Pattie had pressured me into it.

I was a bit interested in what he had to say. While meditation and spirituality seemed like a load of rubbish to me, I was curious how he would explain it to make all of these people believe him. I wasn't interested in the idea, rather, how it was done.

Vera was fast asleep on my lap. Applebaum dangled from her hands and nearly fell on the floor, but Cynthia caught it. I gave her a smile of appreciation.

Each man had brought their girls and I had brought a baby. I had juggled with the idea of a babysitter, Linda even said she'd watch Vera for the time I was away. That idea washed away whenever I told Vera I was leaving and she broke down in tears. She had been with me so much, she had grown overly attached. The thought of me leaving for a weekend terrified her so much, she began to sob. My heart broke at the sight and I instantly decided to bring her with me. I also decided to enroll her in a daycare or preschool after her second birthday, so that she could spend some time with other people.

The train pulled into the station in Wales just a few minutes later. We all filed out with me in the back. My arms were filled with a sleeping baby and overly large teddy bear. Jane took Vera's baby bag, to which I thanked her heavily.

We each had our own cars to take us to our hotel. It was difficult to fit so many people into one car, so we got three. John and Cynthia took the first, while George, Pattie, Ringo, and Maureen took the second. Paul loaded the luggage as Jane helped me put in Vera's car seat.

"Ta, Jane," I whispered, "It's a pain to load her alone."

Jane smiled, "My pleasure."

"Oi," Paul came up behind me, "Are you flirtin' with Jane again?"

Jane blushed as I rolled my eyes, "I only do that when you're watchin', Paulie."

"It's bloody annoying."

"That's why I do it."

Both of us laughed. I buckled Vera in her car seat just as Paul slid into the car. I was about to slide in when we heard a volley of shouts. My hand was on the door as my gaze went to the end of the street. Just a few meters from us was a large group of reporters and a few fans. They were all shouting, a few were screaming. The most common shout was, "Paul! Paul McCartney, over here!"