"Pattie, what is the meaning of this?" the Chief Blue Meanie bellowed. "Get off that- that . . . filth!" George managed to keep the corners of his mouth from turning upward, but his face twitched. He soon lost his humor when the Chief went on to say, "He's going straight to jail."

Pattie hesitantly pulled away from George and faced her father. "Dad, you don't understand. George has been cured! He's immune to becoming a Blue Meanie!"

"That doesn't matter!" the Chief shrieked. "I would never allow such a long-haired . . . disgrace to court my daughter!" George's hand self-consciously went to his hair. It wasn't that long, was it?

"But, Dad- "

"Silence!" the Chief boomed. "He'll probably just leave you like your last boyfriend, whatever his name was. Jim, Joe . . . " He gestured his hand vaguely.

"His name was Steve," Pattie said flatly.

"Whatever! It doesn't matter! This slime is in a band. Do you have any idea how many girls follow him around? He's used to it! There's no possible way he'd ever fall in love with someone when he has- "

Pattie cut him off angrily. "George is not like that!"

"You said the same thing about Stan."

"Steve," Paul mumbled into the palm of his hand, causing John to let out a bark of laughter. The Chief Blue Meanie gave John a good hard glare before turning back to Pattie.

George stepped forward, gently taking hold of Pattie's hand. "I promise I would never do that to her." The Chief stared him down and George added, "Sir."

"You really think I'd believe you?" he sneered.

"But you don't understand," Pattie said again, beautiful blue eyes pleading. "We have so many things in common. We have the same food tastes, too."

"And I take food very seriously," George said, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Paul doing the universal gesture for, Cut it out, but he ignored his bandmate.

The Chief Blue Meanie paused for a moment, appearing to consider the situation, looking from Pattie to George to their interlaced hands and back again. He crossed his arms and tapped his foot in an impatient way. He finally sighed and looked at George in an intense manner. "You must promise me that you will never leave her if you do court her."

"I promise," George said with a wide smile, and he turned to Pattie. Quite shyly he said, "Would you like to go on another date? The last one didn't go too well, if you remember . . . "

"Of course I would!" Pattie exclaimed and then threw her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply, which caused the Chief Blue Meanie to avert his eyes awkwardly.

George pulled away and titled his forehead down to Pattie's, staring into her blue eyes. His world was now going to be completely blue, and he didn't have a single problem with it.