Through Chrissie's eyes

Before a big trip

The first party that was held at the Taylors House in Surrey was to commemorate the wedding of its owners. This time, unlike the last wedding we were all together, the boys made a point of playing some of our favorite Queen songs, which were not necessarily the most famous.

Before joining his bandmates, John handed Bobby over to Veronica, which made the little boy cry, wanting to be right where he was. But when his father and his friends began to play, Robert was glazed over the music, paying attention to every vibration that the instruments produced together, even giving some cute giggles during some parts of the songs. When John saw that, he smiled back at his son.

Everything remained familiarly friendly until the boys suggested Roger play "I'm in love in my car". Dominique's husband was so excited that he didn't realize that Brian, Freddie and John's request was pure joke. Dominique was sitting with me and the girls when she recognized the first notes of the freaking car song.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back" she warned us and we started laughing, already knowing the reason why she left the table.

In the distance, I noticed her whispering in Roger's ear, he grimaced, but understood the message, saying something to the boys and soon the four began playing "Modern Times Rock'n'Roll."

"Still, this song doesn't make me regret having married him" she confessed to us when Mrs. Taylor returned to the table.

After the wedding, the boys continued working, finishing the new album, which was called "A Day at the Races". My favorite songs of it were "Long Away", "You and I", "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" and of course the thrilling "Somebody to Love".

John Reid had an unusual idea to promote the album. We would go to a racetrack in one of the events to publicize "A Day at the Races", see a race exclusively with the right to special seats. A hippodrome was another place I never imagined I would be some day. I always thought it was a place for rich people and mainly snob, who went there to spend their time and spend their almost endless money with bets. But when I was told that we were going to watch a race and everything, I had to change my mind about it.

Watching a horse race for a few people, but even then, an existing minority, was to follow something they loved, just like other sports fans watched a match, or how I vibrated in front of the TV with each new episode of Doctor Who. Maybe comparing television with sports was very messy, but in my head, the feeling of following something that was loved was the same. So it was with that thought that I felt better to attend the event.

I was simple but elegant, my best blouse, my best skirt, my low shoes, and one of my cardigans to complete. Brian and I shared the mirror in the room checking our picture. He wore the black blazer set with white details on its lapels and dark trousers, his hair was full and bulky as ever, but there was a little different detail in his appearance. Brian had grown a beard, I suspected that it was to avoid being recognized on the street, although the strategy wasn't always affective, but I never asked why. I didn't care, he was beautiful to me anyway.

We all met at the racetrack, except Veronica and Robert since the little baby had been agitated for the past few days and she thought it best to stay home. We got ready to see the race, and even against my advice, the boys bet, and everyone on the same horse, which was bad because he lost the race getting in the fourth place.

In the end, I ended up enjoying that different day, which, even though it was a day at work, ended up being a lot of fun. I started to enjoy my job, not just for Brian's company, but for the boys, but because I saw that I could handle things, I was able to get around the events, and communicate very well, when the print and the media addressed me, which was surprising. I was proud of myself.

And I needed even more confidence that I was able to do my job when we received the proposal of Queen to be one of the attractions of the Brazilian music festival called Rock in Rio. I found it a nice initiative to do a festival like this, providing fans of such a distant place to have contact with their favorite artists. The problem was that I didn't know much about Brazil, and I didn't even imagine that Queen had Brazilian fans, it was impressive the reach that the boys' music had.

But then, concentrating on doing my best, I began to study more about the country, its culture and especially its language. I wanted to be sure that we would be able to communicate if any unforeseen events occurred. I was in the queue of John Reid to know what he had planned for the routine of the boys in the days that we would be in Rio de Janeiro.

I was copying and revising the schedules Reid had gave me in a corner in his office when I felt someone watching me. It could only have been someone very sneaky. If it was one of the boys, I would have recognized it without even looking at it, because by then I knew John, Roger, Freddie and especially Brian very well. So that's why I knew it wasn't one of the four.

"I didn't know you were here, Chrissie" said Paul Prenter, scaring me a little, confirming my suspicion of who was watching to me.

"I'm leaving, I'm just finishing up here" I said politely, avoiding talking to Paul because I didn't trust him too much.

"The trip to Rio, right?" He looked at my papers without my permission. "Are you going along?"

"Yes," I confirmed, not believing he was asking me this, since accompanying the boys was part of my job.

"But it's so far, and you've never left the UK, I don't think you should go" he gave his opinion without me asking.

"Care to say why?" I was losing my temper, but he seemed to amuse himself with my question.

"Oh, you don't have experiences with international travel, the only thing you did before that was teaching, and there's no children here." Prenter used a sarcastic tone of voice as he spoke. "Look, everyone knows Brian gave you this employment for pity..."

Part of me wanted to cry, but I was more outraged than hurt, so I took courage to respond it.

"I know my limitations very well, Mr. Prenter, but I know that I can overcome them, and I have succeeded" I looked serious and angry at him not leting his height a little higher than mine intimidating me "If I remember correctly you're not my boss, John Reid could very well fire me, even without the consent of Brian, but I think that for doing a good job, this won't happen, you will have to put up with my company, whether you want to or not!"

Paul looked at me incredulously and mockingly, but I kept my eyes fixed on him. Before the assistant said anything else, Brian arrived just in time. The look he exchanged with me silently asked if I was okay.

"Chrissie, are you done?" my husband asked me, instinctively pulling me closer to him "I was waiting for you to leave."

"Yes, I'm done for today" I continued, staring at Paul.

"Look Paul." Brian turned to him without hesitation, realizing that I was agitated by Prenter "I know you did something that upset my wife, you do not even nedd to pretend to didn't it, I hope it doesn't happen again, understand?"

"I understand." Paul cringed, knowing it was stupid to argue with one of the band members.

I went out with Brian in silence, grateful that I had been able to impose myself and he had defended me. We would talk about it later, now worrying about the trip to Brazil was more important.