Bromford Below - Part 17

 

»Llama, what are you doing?« I can hear Nigel ask.

The llama is standing in front of a window, front legs bend on one of the plastic seats, hind legs standing upright in the aisle and nose pressed against the pane.

»Do you see all those butterflies out there? The tunnel is full of black-winged butterflies«, the animal says.

»Must be moths here in the underground«, Nigel says but doesn't sound too sure.

I turn around to take a look. The subway train is still driving full speed passing dark-tiled walls. Whether these tiles are of a dark green or black I cannot say. And every twenty or thirty meters there are yellow lamps at these walls blurring in a lighter line and disappearing in the complete darkness behind the train.

But the llama is right. There is some other kind of movement out there like a buzzing and whirring. You can almost feel it in the tips of your fingers when you touch the glass. But are these really butterflies or moths? They are small, swirling units building a whole moving and pulsating body almost like one big organism. Disturbing, I think.

🎶
I′d like to be

Under the sea

In an octopus' garden

In the shade

🎵

Fish? Is that a school of fish outside those windows? Are we under the sea all of a sudden? No, those were just the words of that bearded man with the coloured sunglasses singing and dancing with his wife in this waggon.

🎶
We all live in a yellow submarine

Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

🎵

»Richard stop it!« the woman is almost yelling. »I cannot hop around only to the sound of your voice. And are you sure that you are striking the right notes?«

»I am just a drummer, baby«, the bearded man says shaking her in his arms from one side of the aisle to the other, »a drummer, no more no less. And since someone took away my drums all I have left to do is sing.«

🎶

What would you think if I sang out of tune?

Would you stand up and walk out on me?

Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song

And I'll try not to sing out of key

🎵

»Ringo!« the woman shouts out.

The man with the round glasses is winking in my direction.

»She's getting serious«, he says smirking. »She is only calling me that when she is angry.«

Here we have the fourth and last member of the "Imaginary Four" as they called the hobby band "The Buggles" back in the 60s of the last century, Ringo Lennon dancing with his lovely wife Barbara.

»Richard, you are behaving like you are stuck inside some kind of Hollywood Musical where they break out into song every time they are trying to hide and cover another plot-hole«, Barbara Lennon says.

»Don't be so grumpy, Barb«, says Ringo whose real name is Richard Larkey and not Ringo Lennon, laughing. »Don't you feel the urge to sing and dance sometimes when you do not know exactly what is going on? It is like whistling when you are alone in the dark.«

But he is already sounding less confidant.

»Sounds like John, George and Paul are calling me«, Ringo sighs. »Feels like I am missing a rehearsal. But I cannot find the way to our band practice cellar. Or was it a garage?«

He grabs me by the collar of my shirt now.

»Have you seen the elevator, Bromford?« he shouts. »Where are the stairs?«

And when he starts singing again the words sound a lot more serious, almost sad.

🎶

Now it's time to say good night

Good night sleep tight

Now the sun turns out his light

Good night sleep tight

Dream sweet dreams for me

Dream sweet dreams for you

🎵

We have to get off this train, I think.

🎄🎄🎄🕯🎄🎅
🎄🎄🎄🎄🕯🎄

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

"Bromford Bye Ta-Ta"

Bromford bye ta-ta

Strange young town

Bromford bye ta-ta

brought me down

Don't like your new face

that's not nice

Got to go far, far

Bromford bye ta-ta

Gigi, Gigi, Gigi, Gigi

take me away

Gigi, Gigi, Gigi, Gigi

take me today

The boys in the clothes shop

sold me curry for a pound

His cardboard face is soggy,

and his sellings thorny crown

I loved her!

I loved her!

I've got to get away,

but I loved her!

Oh-oh-oh

Bromford bye ta-ta

Strange young town

Bromford bye ta-ta

brought me down

Don't like your new face

that's not nice

Got to go far, far

Bromford bye ta-ta

Red light, green light

Make up your mind

Red light, green light

You're far too un-kind

She loves to love all beauty,

and she says the norm is funny

But she whimpers in the morning

when she finds she has no money

I loved her!

I loved her!

I've got to get away now,

but I loved her!

Ahhh!

Oh-oh-oh

Bromford bye ta-ta

Strange young town

Bromford bye ta-ta

brought me down

Don't like your new face

that's not nice

Got to go far, far

Bromford bye ta-ta

Ahh

Oh-oh-oh

Bromford bye ta-ta

Strange young town

Bromford bye ta-ta

brought me down

Don't like your new face

that's not nice

Got to go far, far

Bromford bye ta-ta

Oh, Bromford bye ta-ta

Oh, Bromford bye ta-ta

Oh, eh