"So .... couldn't make it then. Couldn't last out the whole tour with Mimi but willing to give it a good English try now?" Richy smiled as he leant on the window looking back at Louise on the opposite side of the seat. "Did he call at all hours or somethin' ?"

The taxi steered through the wet conditions, the roads overflowing with the torrential downfall that seemed to hover over them all the way to the airport to catch the plane bound for Australia.

"I.... I just.... Oh, blow it! I miss the big lout, don't I. Home is right boring without him sitting there in silence for hours then reading Snoopy comics out overly loud and dropping crumbs all over the sheets" Lou grinned as she watched the traffic swirl around them, bright amber indications of lanes changes, red stoplights and bright headlights on for the rain.

A bobby stood forlorn, a near relic of the past he was now, traffic signals now abundant across the city but this intersection was just him, drenched and bleary looking. A whistle in his mouth, big outlandish bucket of a hat on his noggin and arms swishing this way and that.

"I wonder where they send all the intersection coppers to? Airport maybe, they still use hand signals for the hairy planes, don't they?" Richy leaned over and waved gaily at the stoic copper, a bit useless really as the window was up tight, plastered with a thousand droplets of rain. "Oh, how I will miss the English rain- not. Virgin Islands now that's what I need to perk me up"

"Australia will be nice though. Except Sydney.... apparently their cape stitching melted in the rain there and Paulie's new suit ran rivers of dye. Wish I'd seen that" Lou smiled as she straightened Evie's dress. "You weren't too upset with Jimmy filling in then?"

Richy scowled at her - oops.

"What if he's better? John would easily swap 'im for me if thats the case"

"God you're a dunce"

"Well thanks Louise... for the shoulder to cry on and all"

'You're very welcome Richy"

"It was said sarcastically"

"So was mine" Louise pulled Richie across the seat to her, two kids now cuddled up. One on her lap, the other leaning on her shoulder "If he did anything like that I would neuter him for you"

"You're such a good friend"

"I know" she smiled as she pinched his nose gently, pretending to steal it away wiggling her finger between the others. 'Pretending' it was his nose she had hostage.

"So, after you neuter him, you'll be able to go off the pill" Richy's mind wandered where it will go as usual. Always saying some daft but ultimately funny thing.

"Why are you so practical Richy!?!- I was thinking the same thing!" Louise laughed.

Richy was so nice and easy to joke with. She hadn't seen much of him while he was in hospital recovering from his tonsilitis.

Ringo, having collapsed at a photo shoot earlier in the week before the trip, was laid up and left out. Sure she sent flowers the first day and visited once but he was pretty depressed when the powers that be decided that 'the show must go on' and hired Jimmy Nichols to fill in Ringo's big Cuban boots.

***************************

"Well lads last knees up and all that" John was pissed, having enjoyed the last few weeks thoroughly, he was going to go out with a bang. "Pass the scotch Jimmy lad"

Tonight he would drink, fuck and get the partying out of his system.

The Denmark and Netherland girls had been few and far between- there were more lads in the audience there!

Hong Kong was good- very polite they were there, the girls 'sleepers' – quiet and demure, but noisy in the sack.

And now as they circumnavigated Australia they had been introduced to all sorts.

A few times mother and daughters arrived together for drinks and such. Leaving with hangovers and big grins, well you couldn't have mum all pouty face now could you.

Paul had out-done his previous laying record.

George in his own quiet way had made a breakthrough in the list of most outlandish places to copulate and not be caught.

Jimmy was ok- enjoyed himself and the bevy of girls all willing to give him a turnabout.

And now here we are, Mimi in New Zealand basking in family photo albums and reunion activities, and the last night of Johns perceived freedom.

He was half cut and strolling the main room, checking out the legs, bums, tits...faces. A nice little piece of fluff patted the seat beside her and John joined the pretty dollybird, thigh to thigh.

It was abundantly clear that tours equalled copious amounts of sex.

A way to relieve steam, the wind down after a show.

A way to relieve the boredom of never-ending boring dilapidated hotel rooms and the same old faces that stared back at you over the cornflakes in the morning.

Her scrawny knees shuddered as John ducked his face into her chest. She screamed and John released a load into another condom.

Thank- you mister inventor of condoms! And the pill too, cant go forgetting that little diamond of a saviour.

They had been warned many a time- no underage, which they didn't do anyway.

No doing it without condoms...

As John sat on the side of the bed he felt guilt but also relief at the ebb of tension from the tours daily grind. The pent-up energy would dissolve whenever he flooded a condom. The girl, could never remember a name, leaned over his shoulder trying to get a kiss.... Trying for seconds.

It never felt the same.

A kiss.

Lips on lips.

You would think they would all be equal to any other, but they weren't. Some were cold, some dry, some too wet, some perfect. John kissed the girl and she pulled him back down to the mattress.

"Well bravo" Paul laughed and stood clapping as John finally came up for air. He'd been in the room for around a half hour with this girl, she must have been doing something right.

Usually it was a wham bam thank-you mam affair. Minutes to release and off out the door. Not that these girls were clever or inventive, it was just a culmination of events and usually the bang would be quick.

"Your turn, not bad that one" John waved an arm, sometimes they shared, tonight a rare occasion, she must have been somewhat talented.

Sculling a few drams of scotch, taking a leak, John again circulated, his speech slurring slightly. This time chatting with a few members of the press that were on the way out the door. Never did they cough up the activities in the newspapers the next morning. 

John and Paul could never quite understand it.

The jornos saw it all, like tonight, and it was swept quietly and discretely under the carpet. Brian didn't grease palms that wasn't his way but somewhere in the wash, these usually eagle eyed vultures, shut their clap traps and turned blind eyes. 

Maybe they got some of the leftovers?

A woman of maturity curled he fingers around Johns hand. Nice rack, good bum, a few lines around the face but overall neat. Small talk with this one. She was ok, interested in art. Interesting life she seemed to have led as she conversed easily about the latest museum events and animals that she had come across in her back garden- poisonous snakes, kangaroos, even a wombat had wandered in from the forestry that she lived nearby to. 

Then the drift to the drinks cart, the leaning against the wall as she touched his suit, his tie, his arm, the drift of fingers, the slight press against his groin. The pull on his senses as she licked her lips and gazed at his mouth.

Fumbled buttons and zippers, the night between them, as they stripped. Well she took her shoes and underpants off then lifted her dress, he dropped his trousers to his ankles.

He climbed aboard.

He climbed aboard the next train to euphoric release.

And then she walked in.