"Ey, Paul!," Pete called out when he went to set up his drums in the back. "You'll never guess who's here!"
"Who?," Paul asked, not at all interested.
"Martha, that's who. She's chattin' up a storm with Rory's drummer," he said laughing at his joke. "They're over at the bar.
Paul peeked through the curtain and sure enough, there was Martha and that sad-faced drummer from Hamburg, Ringo.
"I wonder why she came...," he whispered to himself.
As Paul watched he noticed Martha laughing over something Ringo had said. He also noticed another member from Rory's group who's name he couldn't remember, walk up to Martha and Ringo.
'It must be time for them to play,' he thought as he saw Ringo rise from his chair.
Though before Ringo left Martha, he leaned over and whispered something into her ear and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"GOD DAMMIT!," Paul yelled as he kicked his chair which knocked his bass right through Pete's precious bass drum.
"I'll be right back, luv," Ringo whispered into my ear as he got up to play. "Go ahead and get another drink on me," he continued and gave me a friendly kiss on the cheek.
As he started for the small stage, a loud crash echoed through the smoky club.
Janet, who appeared at my side suddenly asked, "What was that?!"
Before I could say anything, Ringo, who had heard Janet's question, whirled around to answer, "Something probably fell backstage. The sound that comes from the back is really loud and when you yell or drop something, people around the stage can usually hear it despite all the noise in here."
"Oh," Janet and I said in unision.
"Well, I'll be back soon, Martha. Get your friend a drink on me as well," he said with a smile and started once again for the stage.
"Was that who I think it was?," Janet asked wide-eyed.
"Yes, it's Ringo," I said handing her the drink I had ordered for her.
"Do I sense something developing here?," she asked raising her eyebrows.
"No. There's nothing developing. You know that eve though I am upset at Paul, I still like him. I'm not fickle. Ringo is just a really nice guy who's turning into a good friend."
"Hmmm," Janet answered taking a sip of her drink.
'Oh, what does she know,' I thought to myself. 'I mean, of course I don't like Ringo. He's just a great person to talk to and he's very kind. That was it, right?'
"Ey, Rory. Do you know where me drumsticks are?"
"Backstage on a chair, Ring."
"I'll be right back."
'That bastard's coming back here,' thought Paul, over hearing Ringo's conversation with Rory, despite having his band mates yelling at him for the drum.
"What the hell do you think your doin', McCartney? That's my god damn drum you've ruined?! Do you have any IDEA of how much that's going to cost me??," Pete roared.
"Paul, what were you thinking? That's the only drum head that Pete had! How are we going to get another one?," George asked annoyed that his friend would ruin yet another job for the band.
"Dammit, Paul. You sure picked a hell of a way of getting out of this gig. You seem to be ruining all of our gigs lately," John said, irritated.
"What the hell are you insinuating, John? That I purposely kicked my guitar through the drum? I've heard alot of bullshit from you, Lennon, but this is the worst yet," Paul yelled over the continuing complaints of Pete and George.
Ringo had entered and was surveying the scene of the Beatles fighting when Paul noticed him.
"What the hell are you looking at?," he asked irritated that he had the nerve to stand there and stare at them fighting.
"I couldn't help overhearing that you lads seem to be in a bit of a fix. Maybe I can help. You are more that welcome to borrow my drum kit," Ringo politely offered to Pete.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Paul said answering before Pete could.
"Are you sure about that?," Ringo asked speaking to the rest of the band.
"Thank you for offering, Ringo," John said. "We really owe you one for letting us borrow your set," he continued giving Paul a look that meant that they were going to have a bit of a talk once Ringo had left the backstage area.
"It's no problem. I owe you for all those times you lads let me crash with you in Hamburg," Ringo said with a laugh.
When Ringo left, Paul's bandmates turned to him with a vengence.
"What the hell do you think you are doing, Paul? You nearly ruined our chances to play tonight, but I will be fair and let you tell me why the hell you think you had the right to refuse Ringo's offer before I pound you into a bloody pulp!," John yelled at Paul.
"I'll tell you why. I did it because the bastard made a move on Martha, that's why. I wouldn't play knowing that we wouldn't be playing if it weren't for him. He's taken enough from me tonight, the last thing I'm going to give him is my pride!," he yelled back with an intensity equal to that of John.
"You aren't giving him your pride because you need fuckin' brains for that which you don't seem to have right now! I think you better start thinking about what your priorities are before we make the decision for you," John said over his shoulder as he joined George and Pete to grab a table to see Rory's show.
"I can't believe it!," I said to Janet, embarrassed by what the whole club had heard from the arguing group backstage. "How could he embarrass me like that? And infront of the whole club too!"
"I don't know, Martha, but it happened," she answered looking around.
By now, the whole club was staring at us and whispering. Paul and his mates had been yelling backstage about Ringo and my name had come up in the argument. The club had become silent enough for the majority of the club to hear and those who hadn't heard the argument knew about it now from their friends and were starting in on the whispering to. But I wasn't alone in my embarrassment. Ringo who was closest to the backstage had heard the whole thing too.
"Poor, Ringo!! I mean, Paul not only insulted both of us, he called him a bastard and the whole place heard! He looks helpless up there!," I said looking at him taking serious ribbing from his own bandmates about the incident.
"I know," Janet answered. "What would have given Paul the idea that Ringo was making a move on you anyway?"
"That's what I would like to figure out! I haven't seen him since we've been here so I haven't a clue."
While Janet and I were talking, John, George and Pete had come from backstage, not having a care to what was going on around them. Paul too, had come from around from the back and was walking towards me.
"I better go," Janet said noticing his face. "I'll be close by if you need me," she said finishing her drink and took off to dance.
Paul stopped infront of me and before I could say hello, growled, "Hello, Martha. Glad to know you had a back up plan for our date."
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Paul, and I suggest you quite down before you embarrass us even more," I said as Rory Storm started his set much to my relief.
"Why would you do this to me, Martha? I told you that I had to play and I couldn't get out of it. They needed me to play and I had to be here," he said not looking at me in the eye.
"Why would I do what to you? I haven't done anything here tonight except for talking to someone who I've never seen before. You however, have not only embarrassed me, but him as well. Maybe we shouldn't see each other, Paul. If you are going to be this jealous of someone I just talk to, this isn't going to work."
"But, you and him. I saw you from backstage!"
"I can't believe this! You were spying on me?!," I asked in disbelief. "You know what? I don't want to know. I need to get out of here. Goodbye, Paul," I said getting up off my chair. "I hope you have better luck with someone else."
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