Black Star| thedailyfaçade

🎶10🎶

"It's John's birthday soon so let's have a party, at mine, Saturday. OK?" Mum said.  "Can we get boozed up?" Someone asked. "Only if I can." She winked. "What about birds, Mrs Lennon?" Someone asked. "Let's just keep them in their cages." She said.  "What do you reckon then, Johnny boy?" Pete asked.

"I think... I need a piss." He said walking off.

~Time Skip~

We're at Mums house for Johns Birthday, I stood with John for a minute listening to their conversations. "He said it's the police or the navy. My old man's giving me no other choice. Imagine me in a copper's uniform, nicking people." Pete said.  "Nicking you." John retorted.  "I sometimes wish I had tits, you know? Not in a weird way,
just to have a little mess around with." Someone said. "That's my cue to leave" I said waving.

I walked through the large crowd towards the room Mum and Paul were in. I heard soft music playing and light singing.

Love me true
All my dreams fulfill
For my darling, I love you
And I always will

I stood leaned against the door frame. "That was for her, wasn't it? Your mum. It was awful. Taken away from you... It's not fair. She had cancer." She said as John joined me.  "What's your excuse?" He asked.  "Nice." Paul said.

I walked my hand in Paul's back out to the party as John kept talking. "Can someone turn that bloody record off before I start crying... in pain?" He said.  "Give us a few words, Johnny boy." Someone said.  "Cock, balls, fuck." He said as mum covered the girls ears. Mum came out with the cake and let John blow out the candles.

"Speech! Speech!" People chanted.  "Well, ta, for turning up. You're very special to me... in that I hate you all equally. Apart from you, Mum, obviously. Thanks for all this. Well, big clap, folks, you know, for Julia." He said as a roar of claps filled the room.  "And my band. What can I say? You really are there for me. Never on time, usually looking like shite, but, nevertheless, you're there or thereabouts." He said.  "Speak for yourself, eh, Lennon!" Pete said. "So, where are we going, boys?" John shouted.

"To the toppity top, Johnny." Paul and all the bandmates shouted.  "That's right.  To the toppity of one's topness. Except the boy Shotton wants out. I know. Apparently, washboard players don't get enough chicks and he feels like a pansy
in his mum's sewing thimbles." John said.  "Come here, spunkhead." Someone said dragging John.

"Where are you going?" I asked as John walked away.  "I'm going for a ciggie. Have one here." He said as he held it out and walked away. "I'll be back" I said to Paul. I followed him outside to see Mum as well.  "I wonder if someone's up there on Mars, having a quick cigarette like me." He said.

"Where's Dad? They're called dads, right? Most people I know have got one." He asked.  "I don't think..." mum started.  "Oh, don't you, Mum? Well, I do. Think, think, think. That's all I do. Where's Daddy, Mummy? Alf, that's his name, right? Where's fucking Alf?" He shouted frustrated. "Please don't swear, John." Mum said. "Make you feel uncomfortable? Try being me for 17 years when everyone asks why your auntie is your mum. Now, that's uncomfortable." He shouted.

Mum began to tear up and I walked closer to John.  "Oh, here we go. Who turned the taps on?" He said.  "Please don't be horrible to me, John." She said.  "Oh! Me being horrible to you? Oh, I see. Horrible John, naughty John, poor Julia. No, no. No walking away. I know you're good at it, but not tonight." He said grabbing her arm. "John!" I said.

"Where is he?" He asked again. "Oh! New Zealand, maybe. I don't know." She said. "Not round the corner, like you?" He asked.  "He was in the merchant navy. No letters, no money. He abandoned us." She shouted.  "Then you abandoned us" he shouted.