An Adventure In Ireland

Thursday 26th March 1964

"Hello?"

"Pattie."

"George!" Her voice was a squeak. She knew this once she'd spoken but there was nothing she could do about it. "Hello!"

"Pattie, we're going away."

Pattie's heart sank. "Oh," she said, forlorn. "When are you going?"

"What? No, I mean we're going away. Us."

"Wha...? Who? What? When...?" What on earth...?

"Pattie!" George's voice was firm, as though he wanted to take control over all the spluttering. "We, you and me, are going away, to Ireland, for an Easter break."

"Oh, are we? That's nice. When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" It was another squeak, but this time she felt it was justified. "What...? But..."

"Pattie!!" This time it was almost a shout. "Brian has booked us into a castle, in Ireland, for Easter."

"But tomorrow? That's... tomorrow." God but that was a stupid thing to say. But he seemed to know what she was getting at, thank goodness.

"Yeah, but that's when Easter is. We can't move it. Not even Brian can do that."

"No I know, but..."

"But what? Don't you want to go?"

"Of course I do! It's just... soon."

"Yeah. Like, tomorrow."

George surprised her sometimes. Like when a dry sarcasm broke through the sweet young persona. Like, just then. "Well yes! I do want to go. We're going to... a castle?" Images of cold stone steps and dungeons; Pattie frowned. But of course he couldn't see that.

"It's called that. It's a posh hotel really. President Kennedy stayed there."

"Oh." The cold stone and dungeons disappeared. "It sounds lovely. And he's booked a holiday, just for us!"

"Well..." Had a note of diffidence crept into his voice?

"What?" She paused, and then remembered, their first date. "Oh don't tell me he's coming too!"

"No!" George broke in quickly. "No. He isn't."

Pattie didn't like the emphasis on the work 'he'. "So, is there someone else coming too?"

The briefest of pauses; but not so brief that Pattie didn't have time to start to feel anxious. "Ah, yeah," said George. "We're going with John and Cynthia."

There fell a silence.

"Pattie? Is that...? Ah... that'll be alright, won't it? I mean..."

"Yes." This wasn't a squeak, more like a husk, but at least she had found her voice. "Of course, that's fine..."

"But?"

Another pause. "John's..."

"I know what he is," George broke in. "But he likes you."

"How do you know?"

"He said so."

"Oh? When?"

"Lots of times." Pattie didn't want to think too closely about that last bit. "So that's fine, isn't it." But Pattie's mind was still snagged up on doubts, which she found it hard to articulate. "Pattie! What is it? Don't you want to go?"

"Yes! I do!" And she did; then the doubts crystallised and she blurted out before she could change her mind, "Will Cynthia like me?"

"Cynthia?" George sounded completely astonished. "Why the hell shouldn't she?"

"I don't know. I just... she's just..."

"Pattie, she's really nice, it's be fine! They both like you. I like you. And I love you. Will you come?"

Somehow the airing of her nebulous fears made her feel better. She laughed, a genuine laugh. "Yes. Of course I will. Ah, George?"

"What?" There was no doubt; the words 'what now?' hovered unspoken over the phone line. Pattie hastened to reassure him.

"I just wondered – why have you only just told me?"

"He's only just told us." Obviously, rang another unspoken word. Pattie reflected, not for the first time, that there was a lot to get used to in going out with a Beatle.

"Oh, right. Well... what do I do? When are we going?" And then, "What do I pack??"

"I don't know." George was dismissive that that last question. "He's got a car coming for you tomorrow at 10.00"

"And will it take me to you?" Pattie asked hopefully.

"No."

"No? So where...?"

"I'll be in the car!"

"Oh George!" She wished he didn't do things like that. "When...?

"Pattie, I've got to go, we're on again. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Love you!"

He was gone. Pattie stared uselessly at the phone receiver in her hand, and then replaced it carefully. Her mind was already buzzing; packing, clothes, Cynthia, clothes, John, aaarrrgh! She turned and headed into her bedroom and pulled the suitcase down from the wardrobe. This was crazy. But, she was reflecting yet again in the space of a few minutes, there was a lot to get used to in being with a Beatle.

The weekend would only start to show her just how much.