Somebody to Love - A Joe Mazzello FanFiction

Chapter 56 - The Fight Part 2

I sat in silence through the whole train ride. Keeping my head down and getting lost in my own thoughts. But, for once, I was thinking about myself. Thinking about what I was going to do today instead of what Joe and I were going to do. It felt freeing in a way. But as the train ride went on, I started to have doubts.

What am I doing? Why did I leave? I'm being so selfish. This isn't the time for me to be selfish. I should have stayed at the house. I should have at least stayed in the town. Maybe Joe was right. Maybe I have been selfish sometimes. Maybe all of his tantrums weren't being helped by my lighter mood. I think I should call him.

I reached into my pocket for my phone. It was still off. I pressed the button to turn it on, and as the Apple logo appeared, Michelle's words ran through my head. 'You don't need to apologize.' She was right. So, I turned my phone back off. She was smart when it came to this stuff. She knew that I was going to think about calling him. She saved me from myself.

I got out of the train and had to walk up some stairs to get to the main street. When I emerged from the subway, I was in the middle of Times Square. The bright lights of the displays were blinding even in daylight. Advertisements for shows, movies, clothes, and shops were all around me. Everything was so big and bright. I felt so small. So many people were bustling around me. Trying to quickly get to wherever they were going. Some of them bumping into me in the process. I managed to get over to the big red steps. Going all the way to the top and looking out over the square.

Seeing all of the people who were here. I didn't know anyone. It was so cool to think about why all these other people were here. To know that each one of them had their own stories and lives that were so much different than mine. I stayed on the steps for a while, just people watching and enjoying the nice day.

I hadn't decided what I was going to do all day. I had some options, but I hadn't committed to anything. I decided that I definitely wanted to go to Central Park. Maybe take a walk around on the nice green pathways. It took me about 45 minutes to walk over there. It was much farther away than I had thought. When I finally got there, I realized I wasn't far away from Strawberry Fields and the Dakota.

I hadn't been to either in years. At least since I was a teenager. The Dakota was John Lennon's old home and Strawberry Fields was a patch of Central Park near his home that was dedicated to him. With a big mosaic art piece on the ground with 'Imagine' engraved on it. It seemed like a nice quiet place to rest.

I entered the park, trying to find the right path to get to Strawberry Fields. A couple of signs led me in the right direction, but it took me another half an hour to actually find it. In other parts of the park, people were playing, laughing, walking, just enjoying themselves. At Strawberry Fields, people were reverent and respectful. There were signs telling people to be quiet as they passed through. I got lucky to have the entire place to myself. I stared at the mosaic, getting lost in its lines.

"Hi John," I whispered. I knew it wasn't his grave, but it felt like he was there. It felt like a part of him was still here in New York and here by his home. "Can you do me a favor?" I whispered again. I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "Can you take care of Joe's dad when he gets wherever you are? I know you don't know him, but he's a good man. Trust me." I smiled as a tear rolled down my face. I wiped it away before anyone could come and see me crying.

I sat on one of the benches that surrounded the area. Just staring at the piece of art. People came and went. Some of them being quiet and peaceful like me, and others who were taking pictures with the mosaic and talking the whole time.

At one point, a man came with a guitar and sat down on another bench. He pulled out a beautiful light brown acoustic guitar, somewhat similar to the one John used to play, and began to play it. The light notes and soft strumming filled the air and I recognized the tune immediately. He began singing it.