People Can You Hear Me? [A Brian May Story]

[12]

It was so busy! The entire street was filled with all sorts of hustle and bustle, people running about and shouting. Roger was thankfully keeping his hand on my shoulder so I wouldn't get lost in the sea of people. "Just this way!" Freddie yelled over the commotion.

And there I saw the store. In big, blue block letters was the name, Biba. Roger pushed me forward and I followed Freddie into the store. Tables and tables of clothes were covering nearly the entire floor, mannequins displayed neatly out of the way. Every girl walking by was stylish and beautiful. It was almost like I was in a movie. It seemed too perfect. Almost like the Hollywood glamour of film stars.

"Let's go find Mary upstairs," Freddie said, leading me to a staircase. The three of us squeezed up the narrow stairs, to a new level. It was much quieter, the room not so cluttered with clothes. A few women sat at desks, typing away or answering phones with perfect poise, saying sweetly into the receiver, "This is Biba's, how can we help you?"

My eyes landed on Mary before anyone else's. I gently tapped Freddie on the shoulder and pointed at her. "Oh thank you!" He said, walking towards her.

Roger and I followed a bit less closely. "This is the best store in Kensington," he said excitedly. "Everyone comes here for everything. Shirts, shoes, pants..." he paused, his eyes landing on some undergarments on a table next to him. "Lingerie," he smirked, winking at me.

But I could tell by his body language, he was hesitant to say that. His feet were pointed towards himself, his shoulders a little too tense. It was just harmless teasing. And I was okay with that. I playfully rolled my eyes, grabbing some underwear off the table. I tapped my chin and held them up to him, pretending to see how the pink lace panties would fit him.

"Ha, ha, ha," Roger said sarcastically, snatching the underwear out of my hands. "I don't think those are my color."

I shrugged as if to say, "If you say so."

"Come here you two!" Freddie shouted at us. Roger put the underwear back on the table quickly and we walked over to Mary, who seemed a little less than happy she was being interrupted at work.

"Freddie, I'm a little busy at the moment," she said firmly. "I'll be off in forty minutes, please just give me that."

"No problem!" Freddie said, getting off the table. "We're going to see Brian get his haircut now."

Mary raised her eyebrows. "That should be interesting. Have fun with that." She glanced up at me. "Oh, hello Genevieve, I'm sorry I'm a bit rushed at the moment."

I waved my hand reassuringly, giving her another smile. Mary's phone rang and she gave Freddie a pointed look before answering it. "Anyways, Mary said Brian is upstairs in the salon," Freddie began walking towards another set of stairs across the way. The salon was a bit louder than the previous floor, with hairdressers and consultants with their clients around every corner.

It wasn't very hard to find Brian in the mess of people. He stood out, quite literally, above the others. Freddie spotted him first and we walked over to where he was standing, waiting for his turn. "Good Lord, what took you so long-" he stopped as soon as he saw me. "Oh... umm... hello," he said shyly.

I gave him a small wave. Brian rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Fred, do I have to do this?" He tried to ask quietly, but I could still easily hear him.

Freddie nodded. "You need a new haircut if we are going to be gigging more often."

"May? May?" A man came over, wiping his hands on an apron. "Is anyone here a Mr. Brian May?"

Oh, so that's his last name. It suits him very well, in my opinion. Brian meekly raises his hand. The man nodded, "I'll be cutting your hair. Right this way."