The Juncture

The beginning of the end

The date was Wednesday 23rd March 2016.
It was an alright day, the sun was out and four old friends had decided to reunite...one more time together, messing about and remembering the good old days. Maybe they would get all sentimental and remorse over their four other friends...who knows what would happen?

Roger sat there on his old, creaky rocking chair, flicking through the pages of a book he had been reading for the past week. He enjoyed books...he used to hate them when he was younger, never had time for them and found them boring...Things weren't like what they used to be though. He missed the sweet feeling of being young and energetic... not like now.

Times had changed.

There was a slow knock on the front door. Roger peered over his glasses at the hallway as if waiting for a face to appear. He sighed and laid a book mark on his page and closed his book, placing it on the glass table next to him and headed towards the front door. There was a tall, blurred figure stood calmly on the other side, shifting around slightly as the cold air blew. He knew who it was straight away. Roger placed his coarse, wrinkled hand upon the door knob and turned it slowly, pulling the door open to reveal a tired Pete Townshend staring down at him.

"Hello Roger!" Pete hunched over slightly, wrapping his arms around Roger, bringing him into a warm embrace.

"Hello Pete," Roger hugged him back before releasing the tall man from his grip. "You know you don't have to knock Pete."

"Oh well, at least it gets you up off your lazy ass," commented Pete managing to get a husky, deep laugh out of Roger.

They both walked through the hallway and took a seat each in the conservatory where there were four seats placed neatly around the area. Roger took a seat back where he was and looked down at his book as if making sure he still had his page.

"So how have you been Rog?" Pete leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, holding hands with himself and smiling.

"Well you know...I've been tired a lot and my back hurts...I think I pulled it doing the weeds in the garden."

As Roger told Pete about his back he reached his arm around himself, feeling the part that was hurting, trying to sooth it somehow.

"Yeah i know what you mean. Its more my neck that's stiffening. Hurts a lot when I'm in certain positions. Plus my hearing is going in my good ear too."

Pete laughed. Roger could never quite figure Pete out...he never wanted to grow old when they were younger but now he is old...it's like he doesn't care that much. Maybe he just knows he's gonna drift off into that eternal sleep at some point...just like anybody else.

"Have you been to the doc about your hearing and your neck?"

"No...there's no point really is there."

Roger didn't say anything he just got up and looked at Pete to change the mood.

"Do you wanna drink?" Just as Roger asked that question there was another knock at the door.

"I'll be back in a second," Roger quickly paced down the hallway to the front door, seeing another blurred figure stood outside.

Roger opened the door quickly and the man was facing away looking at the scenery. They turned around, holding their coat to their fac and shivering. Roger new that face straight away. Who wouldn't know those big doe eyes?

"Hello Roger," said a deep scouse voice.

"Hello Paul," Roger held his hand out and Paul did the same, shaking hands.

"Do come in," Paul nodded thanking him, walking inside and rubbing his feet along the door mat which had the words 'Welcome' written across them.

Roger took Paul's coat and hung it up on the old coat hook, showing him through into the conservatory where Pete was sat biting his nails.

"Fancy seeing you here Towny," Paul chuckled, taking a seat next to Pete and shaking his hand.

"It's been a while," Pete smiled a big smile and faced him more, getting into a conversation straight away about how they have both been and any recent news. Roger made them all a cup of tea, bringing them through on a tray.

"Thanks Roger," Paul and Pete both took their drinks off the tray, having another sip of the sweet drink they held in their shaking worn out hands...there was an axtra cup on the tray as they waited for the last person to turn up.

As they waited they all took it in turns, telling each other about funny things that had happened and asking each other about their kids and family etc.

"How's your Kids Paul?" Asked Pete.

"Oh they're alright, still asking for money," Paul joked.....there was another knock.

He was here. Roger got up from his chair holding his back as he did so. Once again he walked down the corridor to encounter a blurred figure behind the door, turning the door knob and opening it slowly. A man looked up from the floor and smiled a cheeky grin. He had a big pair of sunglasses placed perfectly on his nose even though it was raining. He was wearing all black with big rings on either of his hands. It could only be one person....Ringo Starr.

"Ya missed me?" Ringo asked with an excited voice.

"Come here Ya little idiot," Roger took him into a hug and smiled into his shoulder.

Ringo smiled too and hugged him tightly. They broke the hug and walked inside, heading to the conservatory as they spoke.

"RINGOOOOOO!" shouted Pete and Paul in a football fashion like they were chanting him on.

"Hello fellas!" Ringo hugged them both and took the seat that was left over, placing himself gently on the chair and sighing in pleasure as he was already beginning to warm up.

"I don't feel as old now Ringo 's here," Pete winked, teasing him and winding him up.

"Aye I've only just got here don't start," he laughed, only joking.

"I've missed you guys."