An Anniversary
October ninth has been a secret holiday for me. During my preteens and on to high school I was a huge Beatles fan. After the fact, though, as they had disbanded by then. Nonetheless, afterschool hours would find myself and best-friend Paul memorizing every lyric and musical phrase, practicing laughable Liverpudlian accents and pretending to live an a world that few would ever know; inside the lives of two of the most famous people in the world. Yes, my buddy Paul was Paul McCartney, by virtue of name and an uncanny ability to mimic his voice, and I was John Lennon (by default, because, who else could I be in this boyhood fantasy?)
We learned a great deal about the Beatles during our escapist episodes. We both started playing guitars to round out the shared illusion. I still play. Although our lives separated soon after, I’m sure the Paul I knew still does as well.
So John Lennon’s birthday is today, and it’s my secret holiday. A sentimental, nostalgic day.
So sing you favorite John song. I know you have one. And celebrate the stunted love of a confused and brilliant man. John saw firsthand the absurdity of celebrity, the insanity of our world. He tried his best to point that out to us. After that, all he could do was to distance himself and Watch the Wheels go Round and Round.