I Saw Her Standing There (George Harrison) Part 1

Chapter 4

Her plane landed at Heathrow airport on a usually overcast day in September. Allison slept with an eye mask most of the way, and spent the rest of the time complaining about the stewardess'. Joie remained silent. She couldn't get a word in edgewise anyway.

When they disembarked, as promised, Mal was there with an overcoat on, the collar pulled up high and a hat pulled down low. He was holding a sign with her name. As the other girls went one way, Joie started to go towards Mal.

"What gives?" Allison questioned her.

"Oh, I have friends in England. One of them is picking me up. I'll see you at the hotel a little later," Joie explained quickly and made a breakaway towards Mal.

Allison was still complaining about Joie's preferential treatment as she made her way over to the man with a board with the rest of their names on it.

"Mal!" Joie exclaimed.

Mal held up his finger to his lips in a "quiet" signal. Joie nodded. But once they were in the back of the limo, Joie quizzed him with one question after the other. They waited while the driver got her luggage and soon they were on their way. Where, Joie didn't know.

"It's good to see you," Mal began. "We have quite a trip planned for you. First of all, you are staying with a friend of ours. Her name is Freda. She's the boys secretary. It will be more comfortable than the hotel. Trust me."

"Freda?" Joie asked. "Freda Kelly?"

Mal nodded.

"My sister has a fan club card signed by her."

Mal nodded again. "And she signed every single one personally---I guarantee it."

They were quiet for a moment when Joie spoke. "Mal....why me? I mean why all this? Because I made a scene at the audition?"

Mal smiled. "They fancy you. You didn't care who they were. And you were very good to them showing them all over Los Angeles."

"But I didn't do anything really...."

"More than you know.." he answered.

Freda welcomed her with open arms. "I've never been to the states. And California! Sunshine all the time, I hear. I'm afraid we don't see the sun too often here."

They talked until the wee hours...mostly about California and life in London. Freda told her she had been following the Beatles since they played in the Cavern and became their fan club secretary and then their head secretary, working for Brian.

"You better get some rest," Freda told her. "You are going to have jet lag something awful for the next couple of days."

"Are you sure you don't mind my staying here? I had no idea they asked you about this. I am more than happy to go back to the hotel with the rest of the girls."

"Absolutely not," she told her. "My house is yours. At least you have the weekend to get used to the time change. But I think tomorrow night Richie is picking us up with Mo to go to his mum's."

Joie looked at her for a translation. "Ringo. Ritchey. His real name is Richard. I call him Ritchey. Lots of Saturdays we go to his mum's. She's a great cook and loves company," Freda explained.

"And Mo?"

Freda laughed. "Maureen. His girlfriend."

Joie nodded smiling. "I guess they had me stay with you so you could explain the ins and outs. Is anyone else going?"

Part of Joie wished Freda would tell her that Paul was going. But she needed to ignore that. He had a girlfriend and she wouldn't try to undermine that.