The tide brushes between my toes as I walk over the
jagged rocks along the beach. At last, I can feel some
comforting sand on my battered arches form the
treacherous terrain. I turn to observe the blue
twinkling ocean which cascades over a near by ridge.
As the sun begins to set my lids follow in a similar
fashion almost as if they have become one with the
light. My face turns to see a strange, eerie yet
beautiful face. This was not the first time I had seen
it, in fact I can not remember a time when we were not
united in my blissful slumbers. I began to glide over
to her but a familiar clanging sound halted me from
continuing.

Still half asleep, I attempt to put the noisy monster
to rest by throwing it against the winter white wall. The
infernal clanking continues as my foot reaches for the
shag carpet but is diverted on the buzzing clock
instead. I yank back in pain and agony wanting the day
to end this second and not be forced into any more
misery. I craw out of bed carefully watching my steps
so I do not come to the awful disaster earlier that
mourning.

I groggily put the kettle on the stove and slumped into
the closest chair. Why did we have to work on that
last track until three am? Some nights seemed so
endless and yet so repetitive I lost track of all aspects
of life. The whistle brings me back intoreality as I reach
for the boiling kettles hot handle. Well at least I did not
burn my hand on the stove I considered that my day might
be looking up after all.I poured the tea into the cup cautiously
still unsure whether or not clumsiness had fled me for the last
time. As I reach to take the ringing, phone off the
steady hook the cuppa tea crashes to the floor.

"Hello, hello are you still there? I hope I did not
wake you but it is about time you started to get ready
cause we have a busy schedule."

"Yes I'm ere, Eppy just hav'in the mourning from hell
that's all."

"Well I'm sorry to hear that but I thought I would
just call to remind you that the press interview is at
nine and we will leave immediately afterwards to the
airport to catch your show in France later that this
evening."

"See you then tah," clunk. I stare blankly at the
pieces of broken glass shattered all over the once
swept floor. I bend over the chair and start to pick
up the jagged pieces when the phone rings again.
Unfortunately, I lift my head to quickly and bump it
right on the table, which sends me plummeting on to
the pile of broken glass. My whole body is aching by
the time I grab onto the phone, which disconnects as
soon as I say hello.

Well it looks like clumsiness got its revenge after
all but the day is young and I'm trying to keep a
positive outlook. I walk to the mirror to see how bad
I am cut but walk into even more glass. Shit, I cry as
I lift my foot looking to see the damage I created
with my carelessness. I pick up the phone next to my
bed and contemplate whether or not to dial for a
hospital. I knew the publicity would be bad and I
could only imagine the look on Brian's face when he
saw that I wasn't going to arrive on time. He'll thank
me in the end, after all my health is the most
important thing right.

Well maybe I'll drive myself, I thought but the pain in
my shoulder forced me to abort that idea. I dialed the number
of the local hospital to explain this morning's incident. The
assistant on the phone calmed me down and said it was most likely
not that serious but I probably would not be out of the emergency
room until 9:30. Great, I thought. Brian is going to blow his top off
because of this. When she hung up the pain really began to set in but
I knew I had to let Brian know why I was going to be late.

Dazed and confused I stared into my new unfamiliar and
uncomfortable surroundings. Where was I? I hadn't the
slightest clues where I was or how long it had been
since I originally passed out. I pulled myself up and
searched the room for someone to burden with my
numerous questions. As I stare at the wall next to me,
I notice a button that says Push for assistance. Ahh..
My mind jumped, the hospital that's where I am. I am
surprised I did not recognize it earlier. This wasn't
the first time I had been here, well maybe it was the
first time I was here for anything serious. I waited
for a nurse to come to my aid and turned on the tellie
to pass the time.

A shy, petite black woman walks in with high beehive
hair and little hoop earrings. Dressed in normal nurse
attire you could tell she was the type of girl that
mothers bragged about and said should already have
been married. "Is there anything I can help you with,
Mr.. McCartney?"

"I am not it any sort of pain I really just needed to
talk with someone about what happened since I passed
out."

"Well let's see the ambulance arrived shortly after
you called but you were passed out next to the phone.
They rushed you here just as fast as they could after
all if word got out that the ambulance had been to
slow and Paul McCartney the Beatle died because of it
we would have been put out of business for good. I
must admit when I first saw you it was a bit hard to
tell who you were with all those cuts and bruises not
to mention the dripping blood. They took out the
glass, and mind you, it was no easy task because
everywhere you look there was a sliver here or apiece
there. You lost a lot of blood but not enough for a
transfusion. We notified your family, manager, and
friends who will be here when visiting hours allow it.
You haven't been here that long in fact it is only
half past ten."

"Thanks for all that valuable information but the more
I lie the more uncomfortable I am. Do you think that
you could fluff my pillow a bit and see about a little
breakfast. I know it's a little late but I haven't
eaten anything in a long time."


"Right a way." She jumped out the door as fast as she
had pranced in. Alone again I directed my eyes back to
the tellie. Oh well, nothing is on might as well turn
it off . I sighed and watched my growling stomach.

No sooner did I clench my stomach in agony the nurse
returned with a plate of eggs, bacon and toast. It
looked inviting even if it came from the hospital. She
smiled at me and sat down by my side next to the bed.
I waited with anticipation for the first bite. "I've
never seen anyone so anxious to eat hospital food in
my life." The tension dropped as we both had to laugh
at the sincerity she remarked the comment. With each
bite, I felt my hunger disappear into the darkness.

"Done. Thanks so much for all your help. Do you know
how much longer until visiting hours? I really want to
see my friends and I know my family is more than
anxious to know how I am doing?"

She looked at her watch, "Only another 5 minutes
actually." But I will keep you company until then. So
how did you get all that glass in you in the first
place?"

"Well to make a long story short I dropped my cuppa
when reaching for the phone. It was my manager about
the press conference that I was supposed to attend but
as you see have missed. Well I began to pick up the
glass when the phone rang again. I quickly darted up
hitting my head on the table and fell into the pile of
broken glass."

"Gee this wasn't your mourning was it? Well I know
what it feels like when everything is going wrong so
don't feel you're the only one. You wouldn't have bled
so badly but the glass got one of your veins. We were
lucky that we got there in time."

"Hey don't push cause we aren't gon'a get in any
faster." George pushed past Ringo anyways still eager
to be the first one in to see me. "Move along lads
you both know that I get to go to the room first
whether you like it or not." John growled. Both backed
away a bit hesitant to infuriate John especially so
early in the mourning. The nurse stepped out as the
three men fell into the room.

"Who's the bird?" Ringo smiled.

"She's not that great you know." I explained. Well she
was nice but definitely not the type you sleep with I
thought.

"You know your nurse is twice as good as the one when
I was here. She had a mustache so I would call yours a
god send next to her." Ringo smirked.

John smiled, "Well if you're not interested you know
you could always put in a word for..."

"Don't even think it, John she is strictly professional
and I don't want to end up with one of those nurses
with a mustache while mine sues you for sexual
harassment." I quipped. They all laughed and I felt
much more at ease than I had by myself.

"Well, I see we have our Paulie back don't we eh."
George retorted. "Speaking of which do you know if you
will be able to make it to the concert in France this
evening? We can still make the plane if you could get
released in the next hour or so." Brian brushed past
the three Beatles and went straight to my side.
"Are you up to playing because I got a message from
the nurse that you could leave if you were up to it."

"Well I can hardly lay down with all the pain. I don't
think I will be able to stand."

"Oh come on Macca we all know your fakin it so you
don't have to play." John whined.

"Ask the nurse if you don't believe me."

"The only thing we are going to find out from the
nurse is how good you are in bed with that quickie you
had before we got here. Hey maybe that's not such a
bad idea." Ringo joked,

I gave him an unamused look, which made him look into
his hands with a guilty look that made the rest of us
burst into giggles.

No sooner did the laughing begin I could hear my dad
and brother asking outside the door, "Where is my son?
I want to see him now. Before the nurse could finish
her sentence, they burst through the door not behavior
typical of my mature father mind you. A relaxed smile
crept over Mike's face as he stared at me with his
pensive eyes and I lied there miserably in that
pathetic looking hospital gown. With a frown on my
face I knew he would taunt me about it later when he
felt I was more up to it but as long as I had him on a
guilt trip I could find some blackmail late to
counterattack his blows to my strong ego. "Paul I was
so worried about you and drove here as soon as I got
the news are you alright."

"Yes dad I am fine just havin a ruff day that's all."

"Yeah," John smiled... "I am SURE the nurse can
voucher for that right Paulie." His nudging and
winking sent everyone into hysterics including my
father whom had grown to like John's crude sense of
humor over the years. I had had enough of their
badgering especially since I wasn't the least bit
interested, but I gave John a complimentary smile to
shut him up and restore order to the room.

"Actually dad I am feeling a lot better and I think I
will be going home right now to catch up on some good
rest and perhaps work on a couple new songs I've been
writing."

Brian did not look very happy at my statement, in fact
a rather unpleasant look crossed his face, which could
always signal his temper was boiling and about to
flare. "Paul I know that you are not in very good
condition at the moment but timing is very critical at
the moment and if we wait to long to tour Well there's
no guarantees if your popularity will hold out."

"Hey you should have a lot more faith in us than that,
Brian," George said defensively. We aren't just some
fad that is gonna pass by just like that. Its the
music that gives us an edge and Ill be damned if we
just "disappear" cause Paul is out sick a couple a
days."

"Yeah George is right I think a couple days out of the
lime light isn't gonna hurt our popularity. If
anything we will get more coverage cause the cute
Beatles was knocking on deaths door and how will the
other lads cope without him." John stated in his
famous sarcastic voice.

"Yeah you sound just like em too all those teen
newspapers are the same? I bet we will be on the cover
of one of em in not to long but only after we make it
big in America." Ringo added.

"Well Boys, our plane is scheduled for 5:15pm and I
suppose you need your rest so let's compromise shall
we boys. Paul you really need to attend our trip to
France so you will board and fly like before, however
we will not do any shows until you are up to it but I
can only afford a couple of days. While you are
recovering we will get in as many interviews as
possible and allow you and John to work on those six
songs your suppose to finish. Have we reached an
agreement?"

I hesitated for a moment after all I wasn't really up
to the press but I knew Brian would never submit to me
just relaxing at home so my only choice left was to
agree. If I didn't he might make me perform and that
was the last thing I wanted to do. "Alright," I
reluctantly agreed. How bad could it be I thought?

"Splendid we will have you out of here in no time
after we finish all that preliminary paperwork."

Everyone filed out of the room in somewhat better
spirits knowing I would be alright and that plans
would resume as scheduled. My dad seemed to be the
only one hesitant that I should be traveling in such
an awful state but a little convincing seemed to do
the trick. Alone in the room, again it the room seemed so
empty and I longed for company. My wish was answered
but unfortunately, the visitors didn't exactly look
like the ones I had in mind. The group of young
teenage girls flocked to my bed and gasped as they
looked at my cut up face. Now mind you I hadn't seen
how much damage was there but if John hadn't said much
than it couldn't be that bad could it? I eyed each
girl carefully after all; why not make the best of a
bad situation. Hmmm... The one with the blond hair to
the left isn't that bad the curves are right anyway
and she looks old enough or at least close enough to
what I had in mind. "Hello girls," I smiled.

They shrieked hysterically as if I had told them that
I was in love with them . I could only imagine where a
little of the old McCartney charm would do to them. I
bet they would turn into jello and just melt on the
spot. "Who are these gorgeous models who mysteriously
snuck into my room," I remark. Most of the girls sigh
dramatically, smiled or giggled but the only reaction I
could see from the blond was that of disgust. Each
girl slowly gave her name but my mind was elsewhere or
rather it was focused on the girl where my greatest
chances of getting laid were. But before she could
introduce herself, the head nurses dragged them out
and threatened to press charges if they did not go
quietly. I was relieved but somewhat miffed I did not
like a challenge like that to be lost especially when
I thought of how unaffected she seemed by my flirting.

The nurse looked up at me with a smirk of disgust at
how I had obviously egged these girls on and knowing
she would have to be the one to deal with the trouble.
I had only added more work for her and now I would
suffer the consequences as she jerked me up from the
bed and sat me upright in the wheelchair in one swift
movement. I bellowed in pain after all I was still
sensitive but did my best to hide the scornful look on
my face that made it painstakingly obvious. If the lads saw
me, I would never hear the end of it and they would
treat me like a child. Of coarse I really had it
coming from George especially after the hell I put him
through when he got a black eye from a fan after we
sacked Pete Best.

I gathered myself together as I was pushed down the
long cold corridor. I never did like hospitals that
much. It must have been all the bad memories
connected with my mother in one way or another. I
spotted the lads chatting up some nurses.

You know... George said smoothly to a nurse with red
hair, I think you would be very disappointed if you
turned down a possibility to be with one of the four
men who are going to be bigger than Elvis.

I am SURE that you all will be twice as big as
Elvis, she smiled.

We already have a record out and it is a smash. Who
knows where we are headed after this tour in France
but I sure hope its America. I always wanted to go, me
sister lives there now.

Well I will admit I would love to go to America but
you have to be kidding if you think you are going to
be a star there. No one in Britain has ever done to
well and I doubt it is going to be YOUR group but who
knows stranger things have happened...

John who wasn't paying to much attention to the
conversation perked his ears up at her negative
attitude and smiled at George and Ringo who were
anticipating the motto of the group. Where are we
going?

To the toppermost of the poppermost Johnny, they
replied in unison.

To bed, I chimed in no longer wishing to be an
outsider in the festivities.

Ahh... Macca I see that we're runnin about again.
It's about time mate, I thought we would loose our
lucky break if we didn't have the pretty face to close
the deal. John snickered.

Ha ha ha very funny, I said in a childlike tone,
Doesn't everyone know that without my pretty face we
would still be stuck in that dump down at Hamburg.
Thank god for the Top Ten cause I don't know how much
more of sleeping in chairs at the theater I could of
stood.

Yeah well if we hadn't left sooner Paulie would a have
lost his perfect posture and THEN where would we all
be, Ringo joked.

The insane asylum, George quipped. Of coarse with
this the nurse he had been flirting with burst into
giggles and the rest of us laughed at her obnoxious
laughing. As everyone began to calm down Brian walked
over and each of us put on a solemn face as if we were
innocent in causing trouble here at the hospital. Of
coarse Brian saw right through us but did not mention
it as we were rushed into the car trying to avoid the
mob of fans hanging around the side entrance.
Unfortunately, a bright fan got the idea that if she
put a broom handle through the metal of the wheel on
my wheel chair I would be stranded there until someone
helped me. Before I could reach for it, a nurse pushed
it out and helped me the rest of the way to the car.

Eh Paul is it just a COINCIDENCE that the nurse who
was keeping you company helped you into the car. John
retorted.

Yeah I agree with John but I personally thought that
cute brunette next to the redhead George was trying to
pick up is much better, Ringo added.

Oh she was a fox but I didn't have any luck with
her, George complained bitterly, They all either
want John or Paul its disgusting really.

Well I think that Richard is a looker myself, I
replied in the most girlish voice I could squeak out
and batted my lashes at him. Neil had a hard time
concentrating on driving from all the laughing he did.

As if, John commented, We all know it is... that
cutie pie named oh I don't recall his first name but
anyways that Lennon character I just can't keep my
eyes off em.

Quit being so cocky, Lennon and egotistical for that
matter, George sighed.

Easier said than done, I mumbled.

All me mates are against me even that trader I call
my best friend well I have never been so...

... Mature, Ringo cut in.

That's it from now on I get to ride in the front seat
cause you all are mean, he joked, But everyone knows
that I always get the last laugh, he cackled.

The lads walked into the house I was currently staying
in here in London. I on the other hand had to lag
behind since there was no way to get the wheel chair
up the steps. Who knows, I thought, maybe one day I will
own a house here in London. I rub my hands together
after all it is rather cold in February. John walked
outside and hoisted me over his shoulder. Owwwww. I
moaned, be more careful eh. He released me on my bed
and stretched out his arms.

Man are you heavy Macca .I thought I was gonna break
something trying to carry you. You did look like you
were getting a little round around the edges but

Stop right there I heard enough already.

Shish you know I am only kidding. Or am I????

Is your suitcase packed? Ringo asked attempting to
break up this silly squabble.

It is but there are a couple toiletries I need that I
did not manage to get in after my eventful mourning.

Oh you poor thing, Paulie. You did not get the PLEASURE
of finishing all your packing and now we the very
FORTUNATE ones might I add get to take up this HONOR,
George said in a sarcastic tone..

Oooh let me have the honor, George I want to pack his
toothbrush, John yelled.

Well if John gets to pack your toothbrush then I get
to back your comb. Ringo complained.

No fair, George whined, A brush is twice as good as
a toothbrush so I get to pack his shampoo to make
things more fair.

Speaking of not fair, oh well I guess we have to duel
for it again. Ringo relented.

Well isn't that cute my knights in shining armor, I
laughed.

But I got to carry him so there, John added, Did
any of you get to do that? I think not.

Now that I think about it there was that one time
Ringo said breaking into a mischievous grin.

SURE there's not a doubt in me head about that, John
snickered, No I admit it I was just humoring you.

George pouted feeling excluded, You won the battle
Lennon but not the war. I will have my vengeance.

I doubt it Harrison but you can give it a whirl if it
makes you feel any better.

Enough already and please get the stuff in my bag you
can all help, I reply with a sarcastic smile, Cause
you know EVERYONE loves either Paul or John.

Not necessarily in that order, John corrected. But
the scowl look still occupied George's angelic face.
So, the teasing ceased and they actually got to work.
(A shock especially to me.) I sat there and almost
jumped out of my skin when the phone rang. They all
looked at me as if I was going to get up and get it
but I wasn't moving. John picked up the phone a bit
annoyed.

You know that you are not crippled, George said a
bit grudgingly.

Yes I know but I am very sore and the doctor said I
should stand as little as possible and get me beauty
rest so I can recover faster. After all we wouldn't be
here without my beautiful face since I am the cute
one in the group.