Lean On Me

Champagne and Socialites

It was the most elegant ballroom I had ever seen in my life. Glass to the heavens, a chandelier I was certain Freddie would attempt to try and purchase from the hotel, and so many tables covered in white linen cloths. I gasped at the sight of the enormous, seven-tiered cake made especially for the release party. It was all so very gorgeous. The night had begun with Mary and Freddie entering the ballroom first, followed by Roger and I, then John and Veronica and lastly, Chrissie and Brian. Mary’s dress was unlike anything I’d seen her wear to any even previously: emerald green and suiting her perfectly. She had done it to match the record cover and she had pulled it off exquisitely. She and Freddie standing beside each other at the table with the brilliant white and green cake made for an utmost glamorous photo. I don’t think even Fred had seen Mary so dressed up in the time he had known her. They looked so very chic.

 Normally, it was Veronica who took a hundred Polaroids of moments like this but recently, Roger and I had bought a Konica-Minolta camera, supposedly the Cadillac of cameras and truthfully, he and I had trouble putting the thing down. Tonight was no exception. I left Roger in charge of the thing because he loved it so. When Freddie and Mary stood there alongside Jim Beech and the Elektra rep, Roger had our camera ready and so did the media press that were permitted inside. Instantly, Mary Austin stole the hearts of the American press, the Vogue editor whom had made an appearance and of course…Freddie. He doted and fawned over her for at least the first half hour of this thing.

 It was always very apparent when Freddie was feeling exceptionally nervous and shy. He would ramble, flip his hands about and cling to Mary like a fly to a tacky strip. Tonight was not an exception. Mary had been at the main table when the Elektra Records rep spoke and had held on to Freddie’s hand while he gave words to the many, many faces in the ballroom this evening. No sooner than he had finished speaking to the American crowd, the first bottle of champagne was corked. Mary smiled like a bride on her wedding day as she and Freddie cut the spectacular cake. I feared slightly that they would each end up in sugar comas before the evening was over. The room gave a standing ovation as Freddie nervously joked about. We watched, on our feet as Mary and Freddie toasted their champagne to News of the World while the rest of us waited for the champagne to come round our tables. I turned around to face Veronica.

 “You and John look so perfect tonight.” I told her sincerely. The two of them had been very quiet but seemed to perk up the moment the eight of us entered the ballroom. She smiled at me.

 “Thanks but…let’s be honest…we aren’t you and Roger. My god, it’s as if you two have been planning what you were gonna’ wear to this thing for months. Can you tell John and I decided two days before we left?” she laughed and put a hand on my bare shoulder. “Is….is his suit…silk?” she asked. It was true. 100% pure off-white silk double lined and evenly combed to give the entire thing a ridiculously smooth feel.

 “Sure is. Here trade me places, go rub on that thing.” I said, trading chairs with Veronica. She gasped as she put her hands on Roger.

 “Oh my god!” she responded as a waiter came by our table with a bottle of champagne. “Your wife told me to come rub on you and now I know why. Jesus.”

 “Nice, huh?” Roger raised his eyebrows at Veronica.

 “Nice is an understatement. John feels like steel wool compared to this.” She remarked.  I looked over to John as he and I were presented full glasses of champagne.

 “To…” I looked at the book on the table before me. “To…Astounding Science Fiction, John.” I gave him my best ruby-red lipped smile as he tapped his glass into mine. I dearly loved seeing John’s smile for it was the sweetest and most sincere thing to grace a room.