You Tell Me That It's Evolution- The Beatles Revolutions 1-9

Chapter Five - One Sunny Day the World Was Waiting For a Lover

The heat in the bedroom was becoming uncomfortable.  When the Beatles and their entourage had arrived in February the weather had been pleasantly warm, especially when compared to the harsh British winter they'd left behind.  Now it was spring and the temperatures in Rishikesh had sored.  Many of the students were, like Prudence beginning their meditation practice at dawn to avoid the worst of the heat.  The Maharishi was also suffering and unknown to John at this time, was planning to move the whole course to Kashmir and cooler weather until it was completed. 

The late morning was usually set aside for meditation but this change in the weather was distracting for John.  He was also loathe to meditate alone following the intensity of his experience with Prudence.  She had promised to return, John hoped she would, meditating with her had been revelatory.

With the door to his room and the windows propped open John tried to get the benefit of some air circulating.  Laying on the bed smoking he flicked idly through the pile of letters and telegrams he'd received.  Then he remembered the telegram from Yoko.  That whole business with Prudence last night and then Cynthia this morning had caused him to forget about Yoko.  John sat up straight, almost apologetically giving her words the attention he believed they deserved (as if Yoko would be able to tell that he'd been neglecting her).

However, disconnected from the day to day life at the Ashram, Yoko had resorted to sending her usual event scores.  John had already subscribed to her "Dance Event" and been deluged with cards on which were printed simple directions such as"Breathe" or "Watch All the Lights Until Dawn."  John's reaction to these was visceral.  By turns excited by her intellect and then annoyed by how pretentious it all sounded, the rewards followed by disappointments fed his addictive nature like a narcotic.  Today her simple message made his hackles rise, "Smile in the Mirror.  Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life." There was nothing in her words that satisfied the new found hunger he had.  In just a few hours he'd been intimate in different ways with both Prudence and his wife and he'd been left frustrated by both encounters.  Now Yoko added to his lack of fulfilment.

Angrily, John tossed aside the telegram, stubbed out his cigarette and in the absence of anything better to do, dozed fitfully in the rising humidity.

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Maharishi was giving a lecture that afternoon and John dutifully attended as usual, sitting in a group with Alexis and George, cross legged on the concrete floor.  Pattie and Cynthia sat behind them, still in a secondary position even in this new spiritual realm. 

The hall itself was a cavernous structure with a high pitched roof supported by exposed metal frame work.  Maharishi gave his lecture surrounded by his most loyal followers seated on a throne-like couch in the centre of a raised stage area at one end of the room.  The high ceiling and overall size of the Lecture Hall made for a more comfortable atmosphere than the humid gardens outside. 

Maharishi made a point at the end of the lecture of calling John and Cynthia to join him on the podium.  Grinning and giggling as was his manner, he announced to the group that today was the Birthday of John and Cynthia's son Julian.  He summoned one of his higher ranking followers to bring over the gift that he had especially ordered for them.  To their great delight, Maharishi presented them both with an Indian Prince's costume to take home for their son.  John blushed, partly overwhelmed by the gift but also embarrassed that even Maharishi had remembered his young sons birthday when he had failed to do so himself.

Maharishi led the audience through a ramshackle version of Happy Birthday as he had done for George and Pattie who also celebrated birthday's while here.  There was applause and Cynthia took the tiny outfit with her as she left the stage.  As John gave his thanks to Maharishi the guru whispered that he would like to speak with him privately, after.