Hey John || The Beatles

The Night Before || 1

Dec. 9. 1980

Hey John.
I got a call this morning telling me about what happened yesterday. Yeh, just after we got ourselves back together again you had to get yourself shot.
And now as tears are subsiding one finds himself struggling to write this letter in which you'll never have the opportunity to read.
But I hope that you know John Lennon, I do think about you every now and then. And I always will. You were such a strange man, and if I hadn't known and loved you as a person I'd be quoting our song 'I heard the news today oh boy.." but because you're like a brother to me I guess I can't quite write down the words to describe my emotions, never mind do it humorously- you were always the funny one. I wrote a song for you: it's called 'Here today' you wouldn't like it. It's just for the public so they know that I actually care about you. Although you'd be flattered by the lyrics- I say 'I love you' in it, isn't that just ironic? We spent the last ten-odd-years having indifferent lyrical quarrels but we couldn't just stand up and face each other because we knew that if we did we'd just start laughing again like kids.
And now I'm telling myself, 'Hey Paul, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better.' But you see I can't, I'm not Jude, you are. I can't make this better. You were a brother to me and I can't explain how much I miss you.

Fourteen Years Earlier..

"Hey Paul what you looking at?" John called, plucking my bass. "I think he's gone into a dream."
"-Ey, get your hands off my guitar!" I fought, yanking my bass away from him and clipping his acoustic out of tune.
"It's not a guitar, it's a bass, you amateur- and you've just knocked my acoustic out!" He laughed, tuning up again. I released a toothy grin before Ringo took a step over to the piano and played an A.
"Thanks Richard."  John laughed, winking at me as Ringo started smoking again.
"So Paul, how's Jane?" George called at me (Jane Asher was my girlfriend at the time), Ringo and John started to laugh.
"She's.. fine.. what are you all laughing about?" I asked feeling intimidated... they didn't hear about last night did they?
"Someone forgot to look in the mirror this morning!" John intruded,
"How do you mean?"
"Well.. Paul's been going out with the posh girls." George laughed, pointing at me.
"She wasn't wearing that.. lipstick stuff was she.. " I sighed out loud, I've got it all over my mouth don't i.. oh boy how do I talk myself out of this one..?
"And Miss Asher doesn't wear lipstick.. so.. what's her name?" George asked,
"How d' you know that Jane doesn't wear lipstick?" I asked,
"-because 'e snogged her." Ringo intruded.
"I didn't snog her- I'm just very observant." George argued,
"Don't be offended Paul, he snogs everyone, he gave me a smooch when we were on acid- he thought I was Pattie." John added,
"Never thought I'd hear this from two married men." I laughed, before counting in Strawberry Fields Forever.

"Ringo you messed up." I said just after we finished,
"Well if anyone was gonna say that it would be Paulie- what did I do wrong?"
"I didn't think he did anything wrong." John intruded with George laughing in the background,
"Oh shut up then!" I laughed, "just a little less hi hat on the last couple lines. And I need the loo."
"Alright ya' player." John laughed, rolling his eyes they started to do some improvisation with the lyrics, It's been a hard day's night,
And Paul's been lovin' with a dog, it's been a hard day's night,
Paul should be sleepin' in the bog.
I walked back in and they stopped singing and laughed,
"This is what happens when The Beatles write a song without McCartney." I announced, sitting back down with a clean face,
"Yeah, if Paul doesn't write the song, the song is about Paul." Ringo laughed,
"But if Paul does write a love song, it's probably not about Jane." George laughed.
"Oh don't be harsh now George I love her very much but unlike you three I'm single." I explained,
"Single?! You've got a girlfriend!" John complained,
"Yeah but we aren't married! We aren't even engaged."
"Is Jane alright with you sleeping with other girls while you two are together?" George asked, plucking his guitar.
"Well I don't sleep with them both at the same time." I assured,
"Well I'd hope not- have you ever slept with any of our wives?" George asked intrigued,
"No of course not lads.. well.. actually there was that time with Cyn.." I joked, John laughed, rolling his silly slim little eyes. 

It was 7pm and very dark out. We finished up from the studio and I drove home.
That was the end of the beginning. Tomorrow was the beginning of the end.

**

I stayed on my own that night. Staring out at the street lights which dimmed a deep orange. I couldn't sleep in silence, even in my head I kept making up songs and tunes.  I rolled over and tried to sleep but before I knew it the sun had rose. I was moving into Ringo's insomniac sleeping regime.
"Excuse me?!" I heard someone say outside my door. I rolled my eyes, sliding on my slippers and dressing gown.
I walked downstairs to see, through the window, a tall tanned lady with long black hair and Asian eyes. I answered the door,
"Hello." I greeted, hoping to God that she wasn't some fan who found out my personal address.
"Greetings Paul McCartney, my name is Yoko Ono." She began.
"What a lovely name, Yoko, and how may I help you?" I asked, not completely focusing on this conversation.
"As it is John Cage's birthday I was hoping to give him manuscripts from various composers such as you and Mr Lennon."
"That's fine with me but you'll have to speak to John." I said, "have you got his address?"
"I do, thank you very much sir."
"Not a problem Yoko Ono." I replied before she left.
I didn't realise what a big part of my life that she would soon be.