Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
This works sentence works in a way, with "abject," but I think the word you might have been looking for is "object." 😉
In Kat’s wide definition of family, Gabi has been included as being one of her girls.
While Dr. Berg doesn’t see Zella the same way she does with Kiki, she still has a bit of affection for her.
I wonder if Tatiana was supposed to organize her own employment, because I don’t see the BND not having a backup plan unless Tatiana as part of her training was supposed to do it herself, and if that is the case then she has failed an important test.
While Dr. Berg doesn’t see Zella the same way she does with Kiki, she still has a bit of affection for her.
I wonder if Tatiana was supposed to organize her own employment, because I don’t see the BND not having a backup plan unless Tatiana as part of her training was supposed to do it herself, and if that is the case then she has failed an important test.
I am currently watching the NFL game in Munich, and it is making me wonder how would American Gridiron football would be viewed ITTL Germany without the IOTL exposure from the large number of American Service personnel stationed in Germany, and the games being on Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS)?
Not so much failing a test so much as she needs to have a reason to be there in the first place. That job allows her to be extremely close to the Speaker of the House, often while he is conducting unofficial business. The restaurant being closed means that the whole operation is scuppered.
Berg has presided over the births of thousands of babies over her career. Knowing exactly the right thing to say is a part of that.
Were you expecting anything else?
Part 141, Chapter 2449
Chapter Two Thousand Four Hundred Forty-Nine
2nd April 1976
Westend, Berlin
Paul knew that they were in trouble when he saw the look on John’s face as he was tuning his acoustic guitar. Paul had wanted to do a Rock & Roll show, give the kids a good time and ride off into the sunset. Seeing John with that guitar at the start of the show meant only one thing and he seemed like he wasn’t in the mood to compromise. That meant that the rest of the band had better be prepared to follow John’s lead.
This had started with making the mistake of going to Zella’s apartment in Charlottenburg. She had said in her letter that she was indisposed and that was one thing. Actually seeing that she was heavily pregnant was something else entirely. Then there had been that Italian girl. John had seen her before when she was a little girl and her mother had been his paramour at the time. Just one of John’s many failed relationships. Something about that whole thing had angered John.
This was coming atop the events of the last few months. It had started with that article that had appeared in that American magazine that had implied that the Moondogs had been lapped by popular culture, they were the “safe” band that your parents might have listened to. Paul had listened to John’s reaction to that characterization. They were the band that had made albums that the record companies had been afraid to release, how the Hell were they now getting saddled with that bullshit? As they were preparing to play what was possibly going to be the biggest show of their careers, Paul was looking at the playlist with mounting horror. Yes, they had rehearsed this set, mostly to keep John on side, but if they did this, no one would ever consider them safe again.
As John led them onto the stage, it was starting to feel like witnessing a car accident to Paul. There was no way to stop it, you wanted to look away but couldn’t. As one of the Sound Techs positioned a microphone in front of John’s acoustic guitar, he looked over his shoulder at Paul as if to say, “Try to stop me, I dare you.” John’s Epiphone Casino Semi-hollow electric was already plugged in and on a stand so that he could switch guitars as soon as he finished with the first song.
With that, John began playing the opening cord to a song off his solo album, Working Class Hero…
London, England
His girlfriend wanted to watch the telecast from Germany. The Moondogs live in Berlin. Johnny thought that it was a real joke. Everyone knew that those guys had done nothing worthwhile since the “Spiraling” album years earlier. His low estimation of the band was seemingly confirmed when he saw John Lennon alone in the spotlight playing an acoustic guitar, a few cords and complaining as expected. Then he caught the words “Till you are so fucking crazy you cannot follow their rules” and thought that he had misheard it. Had he just sung that before the whole world? Johnny watched with disbelief as Lennon was singing about being doped with religion, sex, and TV. Then finally, “You think you are so clever, so classless and free, but you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see.”
Johnny watched at what he knew was going to cause a complete uproar, as in a riot when the morality screechers started complaining about this. Then the song faded out and the whole band launched into the raveup version of a song by a songwriter that few had heard of outside of Scotland until that day, Johnny could see that John Lennon was shouting out each verse with the rest of the band only joining in during the choruses. “We are the first ones to starve, the first ones to die, the first ones in line for that pie in the sky…” This then transitioned into the song “On it or under it” which was from the Moondogs Spiraling album.
Barcelona, Spain
Normally, Moses Newton was too busy to watch television. Today though, a band whose music he had played in the past was being broadcast by satellite around the world. He had been expecting the sort of staid performance that bands tended to do when there was a lot on the line. Clearly, they had decided to do something else. Moses had heard the first few songs and knew that the hate filled hypocrites in America were going to go crazy and help the Moondogs sell millions of records in the process. Then the band launched into their version of “The Recruiting Sergeant” which would inevitably set off people in their own country. Moses could only watch with wry amusement to the rest of the concert. The Moondogs had probably made few friends by doing this, the executives at their label were probably pulling their hair out by the fistful. There were also probably many politicians and pearl clutching types who would try to make hay over this. Moses knew that it would be more of the sort of performative outrage that had grown so thin over the last couple decades. They would harp on how John Lennon had used a few choice words that people heard every single day, well, so what.
It was the content that they would be absolutely terrified to address directly. Moses knew exactly what he was hearing. It was a call to arms and the world was about to be shaken on its axis. Something which was long overdue.
2nd April 1976
Westend, Berlin
Paul knew that they were in trouble when he saw the look on John’s face as he was tuning his acoustic guitar. Paul had wanted to do a Rock & Roll show, give the kids a good time and ride off into the sunset. Seeing John with that guitar at the start of the show meant only one thing and he seemed like he wasn’t in the mood to compromise. That meant that the rest of the band had better be prepared to follow John’s lead.
This had started with making the mistake of going to Zella’s apartment in Charlottenburg. She had said in her letter that she was indisposed and that was one thing. Actually seeing that she was heavily pregnant was something else entirely. Then there had been that Italian girl. John had seen her before when she was a little girl and her mother had been his paramour at the time. Just one of John’s many failed relationships. Something about that whole thing had angered John.
This was coming atop the events of the last few months. It had started with that article that had appeared in that American magazine that had implied that the Moondogs had been lapped by popular culture, they were the “safe” band that your parents might have listened to. Paul had listened to John’s reaction to that characterization. They were the band that had made albums that the record companies had been afraid to release, how the Hell were they now getting saddled with that bullshit? As they were preparing to play what was possibly going to be the biggest show of their careers, Paul was looking at the playlist with mounting horror. Yes, they had rehearsed this set, mostly to keep John on side, but if they did this, no one would ever consider them safe again.
As John led them onto the stage, it was starting to feel like witnessing a car accident to Paul. There was no way to stop it, you wanted to look away but couldn’t. As one of the Sound Techs positioned a microphone in front of John’s acoustic guitar, he looked over his shoulder at Paul as if to say, “Try to stop me, I dare you.” John’s Epiphone Casino Semi-hollow electric was already plugged in and on a stand so that he could switch guitars as soon as he finished with the first song.
With that, John began playing the opening cord to a song off his solo album, Working Class Hero…
London, England
His girlfriend wanted to watch the telecast from Germany. The Moondogs live in Berlin. Johnny thought that it was a real joke. Everyone knew that those guys had done nothing worthwhile since the “Spiraling” album years earlier. His low estimation of the band was seemingly confirmed when he saw John Lennon alone in the spotlight playing an acoustic guitar, a few cords and complaining as expected. Then he caught the words “Till you are so fucking crazy you cannot follow their rules” and thought that he had misheard it. Had he just sung that before the whole world? Johnny watched with disbelief as Lennon was singing about being doped with religion, sex, and TV. Then finally, “You think you are so clever, so classless and free, but you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see.”
Johnny watched at what he knew was going to cause a complete uproar, as in a riot when the morality screechers started complaining about this. Then the song faded out and the whole band launched into the raveup version of a song by a songwriter that few had heard of outside of Scotland until that day, Johnny could see that John Lennon was shouting out each verse with the rest of the band only joining in during the choruses. “We are the first ones to starve, the first ones to die, the first ones in line for that pie in the sky…” This then transitioned into the song “On it or under it” which was from the Moondogs Spiraling album.
Barcelona, Spain
Normally, Moses Newton was too busy to watch television. Today though, a band whose music he had played in the past was being broadcast by satellite around the world. He had been expecting the sort of staid performance that bands tended to do when there was a lot on the line. Clearly, they had decided to do something else. Moses had heard the first few songs and knew that the hate filled hypocrites in America were going to go crazy and help the Moondogs sell millions of records in the process. Then the band launched into their version of “The Recruiting Sergeant” which would inevitably set off people in their own country. Moses could only watch with wry amusement to the rest of the concert. The Moondogs had probably made few friends by doing this, the executives at their label were probably pulling their hair out by the fistful. There were also probably many politicians and pearl clutching types who would try to make hay over this. Moses knew that it would be more of the sort of performative outrage that had grown so thin over the last couple decades. They would harp on how John Lennon had used a few choice words that people heard every single day, well, so what.
It was the content that they would be absolutely terrified to address directly. Moses knew exactly what he was hearing. It was a call to arms and the world was about to be shaken on its axis. Something which was long overdue.
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To answer your question before you even ask it. Yes, the Johnny in London mentioned is exactly who you think that it would be.
I don't know a thing about British musicians during the mid 1970-s, so could you fill me in?
Aah Mr Lydon the OTL Trump supporting MAGA. This not a love song. John Lydon first got noticed by Lemmy selling magic mushrooms at a Hawkwind gig.
It is always interesting how some people become exactly the sort that they would have once despised.
Seeing a heavily pregnant Zella, and a girl who who reminds him of his past, has obviously caused John to have a mid-life crisis just prior to a global televised event. He realised, as have Paul & George, that they have grown older and more than a little complacent. Sure, they been experimenting musically with new sounds & techniques, but the music industry thinks they've mellowed and the media thinks they're past it & living on fumes and past glories. Hence John's decision to throw a metaphorical thermonuclear hand-grenade into the airwaves.
Paul probably isn't all that horrified by the songs, or their message, but more by the fact that he knows their friends & family are not going to be impressed by the tsunami of press attention that is about crash down upon them with no warning. This is illustrated with Johnny realising that the "has-beens" his girlfriend likes so much are anything but and far more hardcore than even he dreams of being. Meanwhile, Moses is looking forward to the imminent firestorm, musically, socially and politically, that the Moondogs have released upon the world, hopefully with popcorn.
As for Zella, I really hope that Emil gifts her a modern motorbike-sidecar combo, with a streamlined hard-shell hood for the sidecar. Maybe even reminisce with Zella over how they used to travel over Germany together in a similar setup.
Paul probably isn't all that horrified by the songs, or their message, but more by the fact that he knows their friends & family are not going to be impressed by the tsunami of press attention that is about crash down upon them with no warning. This is illustrated with Johnny realising that the "has-beens" his girlfriend likes so much are anything but and far more hardcore than even he dreams of being. Meanwhile, Moses is looking forward to the imminent firestorm, musically, socially and politically, that the Moondogs have released upon the world, hopefully with popcorn.
As for Zella, I really hope that Emil gifts her a modern motorbike-sidecar combo, with a streamlined hard-shell hood for the sidecar. Maybe even reminisce with Zella over how they used to travel over Germany together in a similar setup.
At this point IOTL, Paul is singing a bunch of “Silly Love Songs”, John is on hiatus after years of fighting the Nixon Administration attempts to deport him and “The Lost Weekend” he was on, George has used up all the songs he wrote during the years with The Beatles that John and Paul wouldn’t let him use on the group’s albums, and Ringo has stop making hits and is more of a celebrity than a recording artist.
The fallout from the concert is going to be enormous as there will be people saying that what John did was brilliant, and those where will say that John is a self-indulgent poser who is basically out of touch.
This may lead to the breakup of The Moondogs as the rest of the band members may be fed up with John hijacking recording sessions and concerts to feed his ego.
If John does anything to upset Angelica, he is going to find out how “The Tigress” protects her own.
Also I think that while Cosmo de Medici has no problems cheating on both his wife and mistress at the same time, his ego will not let him forgo any vengeance on the fact that his much younger mistress cheated on him with a much younger,richer, and far more famous man thenhim.
The fallout from the concert is going to be enormous as there will be people saying that what John did was brilliant, and those where will say that John is a self-indulgent poser who is basically out of touch.
This may lead to the breakup of The Moondogs as the rest of the band members may be fed up with John hijacking recording sessions and concerts to feed his ego.
If John does anything to upset Angelica, he is going to find out how “The Tigress” protects her own.
Also I think that while Cosmo de Medici has no problems cheating on both his wife and mistress at the same time, his ego will not let him forgo any vengeance on the fact that his much younger mistress cheated on him with a much younger,richer, and far more famous man thenhim.
Part 141, Chapter 2450
Chapter Two Thousand Four Hundred Fifty
3rd April 1976
Charlottenburg
They had put Zella in a private room, which she suspected that her parents had something to do with, to recover they said. Unfortunately, she had never felt more alone in her entire life. At least in an open ward there would be other people around. Nora Berg had been here earlier, but she had left, saying that she would be back in a little bit when Zella was in a more agreeable mood. Then they would have a great deal to discus, which sounded incredibly ominous.
Zella for herself, she just hurt, there was no other way to describe it. Much of the day before had been a harrowing nightmare. Burg had told her that it had all been as routine as these things went, and it was all Zella could do not to scream at that woman. How could what she had gone through possibly be routine? Then Berg had mentioned to Zella that her daughter was healthy and that she needed to think of a name before the Registrar came around. At that moment, Zella felt like she was being a selfish twit and for the life of her could not think of a single reason why anyone thought she knew what was doing. That had been when Berg had left.
Her daughter, who still lacked a name, had been completely forgotten by Zella in her anger at Berg. She was in her basinet beside Zella’s bed and so far she had been quiet, the thing that Zella noticed was the confused look on her face.
“I know exactly how you feel” Zella said, completely unsure about what to do next in this situation.
“Don’t just let her sit there” Yuliya said as she rushed into the room and scooped the little girl up. Zella was shocked at how easily Yuri’s mother had done that. She had been terrified when she had the baby put into her arms while still in the Delivery Room, Zella was afraid that she might hurt her by accident. Yuliya had no trouble with this though as she spoke to her in Russian. Something about how she was a beautiful little girl and that she was welcome to the world even if her mother was a bit clueless. There was a bit too much truth in that. Zella had spent most of the last nine months thinking that she had this handled, only now figuring out that she was absolutely hopeless in the face of such a task.
“What’s her name?” Yuliya asked.
“I don’t know” Zella replied, “That is just one more thing…”
What was she supposed to say? That she couldn’t handle something so simple.
“My sister’s name is Irina” Yuliya said, “I’ve not seen her since I was conscripted during the Soviet War.”
Zella couldn’t imagine what that must be like, having family who would have preferred that you had died rather than having you come home. The way she looked at Zella when she made that suggestion implied that it meant everything to her to snatch a little piece of her life from before.
“Where’s Yuri?” Zella asked, delaying giving an answer.
“He dropped me off at the front of the hospital and went to find somewhere to park the car” Yuliya answered, “He wanted to be here, but you know how it can be when someone is on assignment.”
“Oh” Zella replied. To ARD Yuri would have had no reason to rush out when he had a major assignment. This whole thing was the most incredible mess. Yuri wasn’t alone in that regard. It seemed like all Zella’s closest friends had obligations of some sort to attend to. They said that they would visit when they could though. Zella’s parents were coming from Jena, it was in the early morning hours though and they were not here yet.
“Yes” Yuliya said, “They had him recording that band that played yesterday afternoon live on television. Did you know about that?”
“Yes” Zella replied. She had totally forgotten about the Moondogs and their concert with all that had happened. Had it gone well? It seemed like having the members of the band in her apartment had occurred a thousand years ago. Had that really only been two days ago? Remembering that reminded Zella of who had been kind to her and who had not. The thought of what her daughter’s name should be, or at least part of it occurred to her. At the same time, it had been Yuri’s family who had made it here tonight. Like it or not, Zella was forever connected to Yuliya.
“What about Irina Pauline?” Zella asked.
Yuliya seemed delighted by that.
Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport
The uproar that had resulted from the concert was already apparent before they had even made it off the stage. While Paul had his misgivings, the rest of the band didn’t seem too concerned. George and Ringo thought that it was one of their better shows with the band firing on all cylinders. That it was being broadcast live first to millions and then rebroadcast to an even larger audience made that so much better. All John seemed to care about was that he had made his point, this time anyway.
As they walked past a newspaper stand in the airport, Paul noticed that Ed Pickford’s face was on the front page of one of the papers. Paul had been the one who had introduced John to the obscure singer-songwriter and Worker’s Song had been the second song in the set yesterday. “Ed deserves the recognition” John said as they walked past.
3rd April 1976
Charlottenburg
They had put Zella in a private room, which she suspected that her parents had something to do with, to recover they said. Unfortunately, she had never felt more alone in her entire life. At least in an open ward there would be other people around. Nora Berg had been here earlier, but she had left, saying that she would be back in a little bit when Zella was in a more agreeable mood. Then they would have a great deal to discus, which sounded incredibly ominous.
Zella for herself, she just hurt, there was no other way to describe it. Much of the day before had been a harrowing nightmare. Burg had told her that it had all been as routine as these things went, and it was all Zella could do not to scream at that woman. How could what she had gone through possibly be routine? Then Berg had mentioned to Zella that her daughter was healthy and that she needed to think of a name before the Registrar came around. At that moment, Zella felt like she was being a selfish twit and for the life of her could not think of a single reason why anyone thought she knew what was doing. That had been when Berg had left.
Her daughter, who still lacked a name, had been completely forgotten by Zella in her anger at Berg. She was in her basinet beside Zella’s bed and so far she had been quiet, the thing that Zella noticed was the confused look on her face.
“I know exactly how you feel” Zella said, completely unsure about what to do next in this situation.
“Don’t just let her sit there” Yuliya said as she rushed into the room and scooped the little girl up. Zella was shocked at how easily Yuri’s mother had done that. She had been terrified when she had the baby put into her arms while still in the Delivery Room, Zella was afraid that she might hurt her by accident. Yuliya had no trouble with this though as she spoke to her in Russian. Something about how she was a beautiful little girl and that she was welcome to the world even if her mother was a bit clueless. There was a bit too much truth in that. Zella had spent most of the last nine months thinking that she had this handled, only now figuring out that she was absolutely hopeless in the face of such a task.
“What’s her name?” Yuliya asked.
“I don’t know” Zella replied, “That is just one more thing…”
What was she supposed to say? That she couldn’t handle something so simple.
“My sister’s name is Irina” Yuliya said, “I’ve not seen her since I was conscripted during the Soviet War.”
Zella couldn’t imagine what that must be like, having family who would have preferred that you had died rather than having you come home. The way she looked at Zella when she made that suggestion implied that it meant everything to her to snatch a little piece of her life from before.
“Where’s Yuri?” Zella asked, delaying giving an answer.
“He dropped me off at the front of the hospital and went to find somewhere to park the car” Yuliya answered, “He wanted to be here, but you know how it can be when someone is on assignment.”
“Oh” Zella replied. To ARD Yuri would have had no reason to rush out when he had a major assignment. This whole thing was the most incredible mess. Yuri wasn’t alone in that regard. It seemed like all Zella’s closest friends had obligations of some sort to attend to. They said that they would visit when they could though. Zella’s parents were coming from Jena, it was in the early morning hours though and they were not here yet.
“Yes” Yuliya said, “They had him recording that band that played yesterday afternoon live on television. Did you know about that?”
“Yes” Zella replied. She had totally forgotten about the Moondogs and their concert with all that had happened. Had it gone well? It seemed like having the members of the band in her apartment had occurred a thousand years ago. Had that really only been two days ago? Remembering that reminded Zella of who had been kind to her and who had not. The thought of what her daughter’s name should be, or at least part of it occurred to her. At the same time, it had been Yuri’s family who had made it here tonight. Like it or not, Zella was forever connected to Yuliya.
“What about Irina Pauline?” Zella asked.
Yuliya seemed delighted by that.
Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport
The uproar that had resulted from the concert was already apparent before they had even made it off the stage. While Paul had his misgivings, the rest of the band didn’t seem too concerned. George and Ringo thought that it was one of their better shows with the band firing on all cylinders. That it was being broadcast live first to millions and then rebroadcast to an even larger audience made that so much better. All John seemed to care about was that he had made his point, this time anyway.
As they walked past a newspaper stand in the airport, Paul noticed that Ed Pickford’s face was on the front page of one of the papers. Paul had been the one who had introduced John to the obscure singer-songwriter and Worker’s Song had been the second song in the set yesterday. “Ed deserves the recognition” John said as they walked past.
If the Moondogs split, I suspect Paul McCartney will, as OTL, go on to produce much more pedestrian pop music.
If John can avoid Yoko Ono and Mark Chapman, I could see him going the Billy Bragg route, going full on Agit Rock.
That could have a fun butterfly: John Lydon could skip the Sex Pistols and go straight to PIL.
Also, with John Lennon living longer and championing Agit Rock, Billy Bragg and bands like New Model Army* might get some better exposure.
*although maybe under a different name...
If John can avoid Yoko Ono and Mark Chapman, I could see him going the Billy Bragg route, going full on Agit Rock.
That could have a fun butterfly: John Lydon could skip the Sex Pistols and go straight to PIL.
Also, with John Lennon living longer and championing Agit Rock, Billy Bragg and bands like New Model Army* might get some better exposure.
*although maybe under a different name...
Zella is going to be fine. Relatively speaking. Her main problem is that she has never been truly sure of her place in the world, and just when she was thinking she had things figured out, she fell victim to that predatory lecturer. That really threw her. Then we need to factor in her other relationships. Both of her parents have excelled in their respective fields, although there was always an uncertainty for Zella around her father, as he did disappear from her life for months at a time (war). As for her mother, they are both too much alike and yet so very different. Even her extended family have found their paths and been (mostly) successful. Then there are her friends: Kiki, Imperial Princess & chronic overachiever extraordinaire and Aurora, who is far more settled in her life than Zella is, having found her path years earlier. And then there's Yuri.
And every single one of them, including the Moondogs (with the possible exemption of Ringo) have criticized Zella for having no direction in life, either subtly or openly. Hell, John wrote songs about her. That sort of shit leaves its marks. It leaves you dreading the comments about your latest fad/hobby or about how it must be nice to be able to just drift through life, when in reality you're desperately trying to figure things out. For Zella, things came to a head with her family when her Oma died, that's when they finally realised that Zella wasn't cruising through life.
And every single one of them, including the Moondogs (with the possible exemption of Ringo) have criticized Zella for having no direction in life, either subtly or openly. Hell, John wrote songs about her. That sort of shit leaves its marks. It leaves you dreading the comments about your latest fad/hobby or about how it must be nice to be able to just drift through life, when in reality you're desperately trying to figure things out. For Zella, things came to a head with her family when her Oma died, that's when they finally realised that Zella wasn't cruising through life.
Honestly, I'd guess dodging Chapman at this point isn't difficult. That particular event was a near perfect storm of things coming together that are easily avoided for John, ditto Yoko, though I don't doubt he could still wind up falling in with someone whose artistic ambitions outstrip their abilities from the Berlin scene easily enough.
The concession to Yuri's mother was sweet, and honestly she seems like a very understanding woman, especially as Zella and Yuri's relationship is "unconventional" (I'd personally argue it was more conventional for mankind longer than certain others views, but that's neither here nor there), though I can see the girl being called Paulina by close friends and family, especially want to see how her namesake responds to that.
The concession to Yuri's mother was sweet, and honestly she seems like a very understanding woman, especially as Zella and Yuri's relationship is "unconventional" (I'd personally argue it was more conventional for mankind longer than certain others views, but that's neither here nor there), though I can see the girl being called Paulina by close friends and family, especially want to see how her namesake responds to that.
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