Chapter Eighty Four

Fully rested the next morning after breakfast we set off to do the sight seeing thing around London. the kids voted on visiting Madame Taussards first, they wanted to see if they had my wax work still there. Now I wished I hadn't told them I'd sat for one in the eighties, Mara was intrigued to, so I was out voted, so packed up with necessities and with  Joe our driver we climbed into the car and set off. I had my baseball cap and sunglasses at the ready so hopefully I could blend in with the rest of the tourists, and thank fully with the sun shining wearing the shades I would not look to outta place.

Joe negotiated the centre of London with ease, which was not indifferent to the hustle of New York at peak flow, and he somehow managed to stop not to far short of the attraction to allow us to get out safely and go join the already mile long queue. I had his card and when we had finished for the day all I had to do was call him to come collect us.

Out of the vehicle the kids shot off to join the waiting line with Mara and me following a little slower behind.
My idea I'd had playing in my mind, was still high priority and I wanted to discuss it with Mara, and right now seeing her smiling and her enthusiasm it inspired confidence what I was going to speak with her about she would be happy to agree.

All standing together, and listening not just to my kids excited chatter about the attraction but listening to others waiting in line was a treat. The family in front of us, I'm guessing was Mom and Pop with their two kids, "Ooooh I so hope Justin Bieber is in there, I want my photo with him so bad mum..."
"Who knows Sammie, we will see won't we, Robert stop pinching your sister please..."
"Who do you wanna see Robert?"
the young guy shrugged his shoulders then answered, "Someone I know I guess..." His sister then started in on him, "Oh you are so lame, Someone you know... this aint about meeting our friends doubles in here you muppet..."
"Enough, both of you, or well go back home..."
I was fascinated by the family, and couldn't help listening in to the family chit chat. the normality of everyday life, and how no family with kids was to indifferent to my own. I studied the family, the mom was a striking women early forties, average build, dressed smart but casual in jeans with a t, her blond hair cut short which fitted her elfin features, the pop was around 6ft and he seemed by nature a quiet kinda guy who let his wife control the kids, he came across as the man to be back up to his wife when needed. He was stocky in build and dressed in shorts, with t and sneakers. the kids were dressed as most teens dress, and looking along the line the kids could all have been moulded in the same clothes factory, mine included as the repetition of clothing was 100 percent. I smiled to myself analysing and listening to the family, Mara had to poke me in the ribs twice to get my attention.
"Hey welcome back, I've been talking to you for the last ten minutes, but you seem oblivious to what I was saying, or that I was even here?"
quickly I apologised, "I'm sorry babe, I was miles away..."
"Yeah so I saw..."
concentrating on Mara, and quick to make it right I asked, "Sorry babe what was it you wanted?"
relaxing her arms back by her side, she slipped one arm through mine as she asked, "can we go see the London Eye next, then Harrods, Buckingham palace,..."
I laughed, "Whoa there, take it easy, we don't wanna see everything in one day do we?, we have a month to see everything, lets not burn ourselves out on day one."
Mara paused and grinning from ear to ear, she nodded her head. "I'm sorry I'm just so excited to be here, I cant wait to do and see everything, I feel like a kid in a candy store at Christmas.."
Pulling her close into me, I kissed the top of her head and smiled, as the line started to move. Reaching the cashier I paid for the tickets and we headed inside to the attraction, with us, about ten thousand other tourists descended at the same time as Inside the place was manic,  the kids looked at me, everywhere we looked there were people hustling for photo's with the different celebrities. Jake looked at me a frown and disappointment on his face, "dad, I don't know any of these people, do I have to have my photos taken with them?"
I laughed, "No its ok buddy, you can just look at them, and just have your picture taken with someone you know and like... ok?"
his young mind settled he took off to check out all the first line of celebrities, I called out after him, "Jakey, stay close, I don't want to lose you..."
Looking forlorn he returned to my side, and shuffled along next to us in protest, his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl set on his little face.
I stopped and knelt beside him, "listen buddy, I only want to keep you safe ok, we are in a foreign country and I don't want to lose you ok? once we get outta here you can have a little more freedom, ok, I'm sure the rooms will thin out as we move round..." my reasoning wasn't cutting it, in the end I relented to bribing him "look Ill let you have a fudge Sunday and soda pop at the hard Rock café, all your call ok?"  That worked and his little face broke out into a broad smile, as his little hand slipped into mine and Mara's. Jessie and Steph were hustling with the crowd to get close to the stars. Steph came back and announced there was a copy of Arnie dressed as the terminator and she wanted her photo with it so she could e-mail her friends to say "she'd be back..." Mara went forward and took the picture with the camera. Any idea's that the rooms would thin out of people were not happening any time soon and to reach the end it took us more than four hours, as we walked back out onto the side walk at the end, hot flustered tired and all wanting a drink, I hailed a cab to take us to the hard rock café for a rest.

After paying the cab fare, we headed into the Hard rock café, "Jessie asked, " Hey Pop, aint this where, you and uncle Richie and the guys played and were arrested cause you did not have a working visa?"
I shook my head, "Yeah,"
As we waited the questions started, "What was it like being arrested?, where did they take you?"
I laughed at the interest, "Whoa, it was not cool Jessie so less of the enthusiasm please,"
"Wait a minute, you were arrested?, how come I didn't know that?" Mara looking at me a quizzical look on her face...
"It was way back when we first started out, our manager Doc Magee, got us the wrong visa's and we were booked to play here, Doc didn't want to lose the fee, so he told us to do it, the law wouldn't do shit, so we played on the balcony to thousands of fans below and after we were arrested..."
"Wow, my husband has a criminal record, I never would have thought.... I'm surprised they let you back..."  she laughed, and I caught Jessie and Steph whispering to each other too...
"Ok you too, what's the secrecy about?"
"Jessie looked guilty as he answered, "Oh nothing pop honest" he smiled the biggest smile and I knew both he and Steph were up to no good.
"Stephanie Rose, out with it?"
she looked at me trying to look all innocent, "What, it's nothing pop, I swear..."  neither of them were giving anything away, so I made sure to keep a close eye on them as I knew they were making mischief.
The bleeper we had been given for a table started to buzz, so I headed with the guys following to the station and handed it to the staff member who then took us to our table. We had no sooner sat down when Steph asked to go to the rest room, as she left the rest of us choose our meals from the menu.
When Steph returned she had a member of staff with her, "Pop, Pele here has recognised you and has asked if you would sing a song for her and the diners?"
the tables surrounding us all broke out in cheers and applause, as I sat there uncomfortable, with a dilemma of whether to accept or decline, as I was conscious that my visa was not a working visa and I did not fancy spending the rest of my vacation in jail for breaking English law again...