Imagine

Chapter 25

(I love this photo!)

"So, where are we going?" Julian asked.

"Don't ye wanna see yer brother?"

"Yeh but why didn't you bring him with you?"

"The wife didn't want me to."

"Ah. Okay. So, it only makes since that yer taking me over there right?"

"Right. She can't prevent that and she won't leave. She has no where to go."

"Okay." Julian wasn't sure how to continue the conversation. 

John took out a cigarette and lit it. 

"So, how have you been?" John asked.

"I've been better."

"So, what's up  with yer friend?"

"Why do you ask?"

"He seemed to be in shock when I walked up."

Julian just smiled. "Oh, I met him at school about a month ago. He thought I was lying when I told him I was related to you. All he kept saying was I was a 'Lennon Wannabe'. When you walked up, it just proved him wrong."

John just shook his head. "Kids."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That's what kids think."

"Dad, I'm not a kid. I'm practically and adult."

"Yer my kid. You will always be my kid. You can't grow up."

"You can't prevent me. I've already grown up."

"How?"

Julian reached over and stole John's cigarette. 

"Ey! Yer too young for that!"

"Yeh. So were you when you picked up the bad habit."

"Yeh but yer my son. I can't have you smoking at the age of 17."

"So sue me." 

"Does yer muther know?"

"Yeh."

"Does she?"

"Well, probably not."

"That's what I thought. You need to break the habit."

"Says the one who's literally been smoking for over 30 years."

"Hey, I'm not the one on trial here."

"You are now."

After Julian took a couple drags of the cigarette, he handed it back to John.

"Stop that. Yer too young."

"So were you."

"Stop saying that."

"Its the truth."

"Are you rebelling against me?"

"Yeh. So? What of it?"

"Stop it. You can't act like me when I was yer age."

"Too bad."

"Okay. Change of subject."

Julian stole the cigarette again and John sighed.  "What do I have to do to make you quit?"

"You can't do anything. I can take care of meself."

"Until you get lung cancer."

"I already know the risks."

"And you do it anyways?"

"Remember how long ye've been doing it."

John finally shut up about it. 

"Okay Mr. Grown Up. Are you hungry?"

"Yeh. What, are you buying food?"

"I can."

"If yer buying.........."

"Paul, when we get back to town, you know where to go."

"Yeh, yeh." Paul said.

John pulled out another cigarette and looked over at Julian, who continued to finish off his first one. 

"Whatever happened to that little boy I knew?"

"You didn't know him. Remember?"

"Oh yeh. Well, I'm trying to make it up. How am I doing?"

"I would say, since you moved back here and yer now two hours away, yer doing an okay job."

"Just okay?"

"You still have some things to work on. Once you work on them, then, we'll see if the 'okay' goes to 'good' or 'great'."

John nodded. "Fair enough."

"How long do you plan to have me?"

"I was hoping for the next few days."

"I have school."

"You should have winter break coming soon, right?"

"Yeh."

"Okay. How about during the winter break."

"How long?"

"Well, how long is the break normally?"

"Uh, about two or three weeks." (Its been a long time since I've been in school so I don't remember how long Christmas break is)

"Okay. We can plan yer stay then. How's that sound?"

"Sounds okay. Will you have a place to stay?"

"I don't right now. But I'll be looking within the next few days. I might move into another apartment."

"Why not a house? You can afford it."

"I know. But I don't really need anything big unlike George who's house looks like a mansion."

"My house has everything though John." George said. "It's just like Paul's."

"No. Not like Paul's. He lives on a farm. He doesn't live in a mansion. I would get lost if I was you."

George laughed. "I'll help ye look for a house."

Yesterday, Let it Be was playing on the car radio. The volume was very low and, of course, being a Beatle fan, I heard it. My mom reaches over and changes the channel!! 😭😭)