Now and Then- 𝓂𝒸𝓁𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑜𝓃

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑜

The documentary opens with an ominously black screen.

A microphone cracks, buzzes, then picks up the hauntingly familiar acapella voice of John Lennon.

♫ I know, it's true ♫

The screen illuminates suddenly, displaying a white room: white walls, white couch, accented slightly with neutral tans and grays. Above the couch is a singular, silled window, on which lies a light blue artisan vase holding a solitary white orchid. In front of the couch, Paul McCartney, 88, is perched on a barstool, holding his knee as he crosses one leg over the other.

"I often felt as though I couldn't fully express my feelings while being at the height of our popularity." says Paul, "Especially when concerning... y'know, the people I was closest with."

The screen goes black again, and that same haunting voice returns.

♫ It's all because of you ♫

The screen flashes back to Paul McCartney, where the offscreen interviewer asks him, pointedly: "Is there anyone in particular who comes to mind when you think about the times in which you couldn't always give the full truth?"

Black screen.

♫ And if I make it through ♫

Paul reappears, closing his lips tightly. He focuses his gaze on something in the corner of the room, then finally, meets the eyes of the invisible interviewer. "Well, yes, there were many people like that. But I think the one tha' stands out in my mind, who I've never felt comfortable with speaking about completely truthfully is, y'know," Paul pauses to smile lightly, but his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Is John. John Lennon."

There's a pause, and referring to Paul's earlier statement, the interviewer concludes, "Until now."

The screen goes black again, for the final time, and John Lennon's voice echoes through the void.

♫ It's all because... ♫

The voice fades away, and the screen is filled with the title of the documentary: Now and Then, on a dark, turquoise-tinted record. The show has begun.

___________________________________________

The footage on the screen develops: Paul, sitting in that same white room, wearing an outfit suggesting that the weather is quite fair. The offscreen voice calls out to him, "Testing, Paul McCartney, Now and Then. Take one." Paul smiles a bit, his head cocked to one side, his smile lines etched deeply into his weathered face. "Happy Easter to you, Paul, and we hope you've had a pleasant break."

Paul shifts in his chair, his fingers tapping mindlessly on his propped-up knee. "Thank you, Michael, and I must say that I'm pleased to see you again. Yes, I've had a nice break, and very relaxing: ehm, it's certainly allowed me to gather my thoughts for today, and all tha'."

"We're glad to hear that, sir. And to you, also, it's nice to finally work with you so closely, again." Michael pauses, then proceeds to the true order of business: "Now, Paul, would you mind me asking what exactly your intentions are for the filming of this documentary?"

Paul feigns annoyance, saying, "Yes, I do mind," then laughing as he shifts again so that his leg is no longer propped up on the other. "No, it's completely alri', Michael. See, my idea for this documentary was to, essentially, cover all of my bases, right: to tell my full life story, from the early days right up to the present. Talk about the Now, and Then: a clever little play-on-words that I'd come up with in reference, of course, to our final Beatles song that came out a couple o' years ago in 2023."

"Clever, indeed. And am I to assume from this reference that your main talking points during this documentary will be centered around your career as a Beatle?"

"Not necessarily my career, if I'm being honest. Moreso, all that came with being famous, and the core relationships I had during those years. And, of course, all the things I've failed to mention abou' those aforementioned relationships." Paul pauses, shifting in his seat again. "You know, I... I really don't feel as though I'll be offending anyone with all that I'll be saying... I might be, who knows. But I want to put on the record that offending people or gaining publicity is not my intention in doing this, and that my only intention is to... speak truthfully about everything, as I should 'ave done many years ago."

"Do you think that after watching this film, people's opinions on you might change?" Michael asks, to which Paul smiles nervously.

"Oh, I think it's almost inevitable. I mean, they're bound to, and I hope they do, because I'm publicly revealing a part of myself that's never been seen by most people before, and I think that it's a rather beautiful thing." He rests his chin on his fist as he continues with a laugh, "And you know, it won't really matter what they all think after this, because this documentary isn't set to release until after I'm already dead!"

The two laugh for several moments, and then Michael says, "Well, it's not as if a tough Scouser like yourself ever truly cared much about how you were perceived by others, right?"

Paul cocks his head to the side, his eyes widening slightly. "Oh, gee, I wish that were the case. If I'm being truly honest, I was never as tough as I let on: um, none of us were, really. Especially John, y'know, he always had this big front." Paul smiles, making a grand gesture with his hands. "So for us it was that we'd behave a certain way while the cameras were goin', then, all the other times, we could just be us." Paul pauses again, then saying, "That's part of the reason that I haven't talked abou' this subject matter, until now: because of the front we had. But I feel as though I owe it to, well, to everyone involved, I suppose."

"I'm gathering that this subject matter, then, is relatively heavy, or quite personal stuff?"

Paul nods, "Yeah, I'd say that. It might be a bit complicated at times, but I'll try to be as concise as possible, without leaving any great details out."

"Of course. And, during the intro, when asked, you mentioned one person in particular that you wish to speak about." Michael commented, and Paul smiles softly. "Is there any reason in particular that you wish to dedicate this documentary to John Lennon?"

"Yes, my... my dear friend." Paul says slowly, with reminisce. "Yes, well, I'd like to, ehm, clear the air abou' all that's happened between us. There's quite a bit, and... I feel I owe it to 'im." His smile has faded completely, now, and is replaced with an expression of regret. "He was the one thing... the one person, the one relationship that I have never been completely honest about."

"So, would you conclude that this documentary could be seen as a tribute to the relationship of Lennon-McCartney?"

Paul bites back a smile and says, "I suppose it could be taken that way, yes. It must be, I suppose, when I've spent all these years debating whether I should share all this or not. And now I finally feel as though I can freely speak about everything, regardless of Yoko, or the others, or whoever else is listening. You get to my age, and it's like, who the hell cares, man?"

Michael laughs. "Of course. And do you think that John would be pleased with this documentary, had he been here to watch it?"

"Oh, I know he would." Says Paul, proudly, with confidence. "I know he would, because I speak with him all the time. He comes to me in my dreams, he does. Sometimes I'll even be wide awake, and I'll see him," He snaps his fingers briskly, "Right in front of me, or I'll feel him touching me, and it all... it all feels very real to me."

Paul stops speaking and looks down at his lap. He sniffs once, and looks up at Michael, who says, "Now, Paul, where would you like to begin?"

Paul straightens up, his face brightening ever so slightly as he says, "I'd like to begin in the spring of 1957."