Just Like Old Times

Part 4

Life at the McCartney household took on a whole new dynamic. They had a live in ghost, who just happened to be one the most creative minds of the twentieth century. And who wanted to continue being creative in the twenty-first century.

With a great deal of help from Heather John got into what he called his "people suit". Together they had refined the transformation process of ghost to pseudo-human from hours to just a few minutes. The dark glasses stayed, as did the coloring for the skin and hands. The hair coloring was discarded as it took up a great deal of time. John had decided that he liked white hair. And to avoid the possibility of him being recognized he gave himself a limp by simply shrinking one leg by a quarter of an inch. No one would recognize John as John Lennon. Not with snow white hair and an obvious limp.

He puttered about Pauls house helping out when and where he could. An unused room near the recording studio was converted for Johns use. In it he kept some make up supplies, an extra pair of glasses, and a small bed. John discovered that whenever he took human form he got tired after 8-10 hours, just like living people. Paul and Heather found they also had a live-in baby sitter. Bea was just wild about John, and John was wild about Bea. The two got on famously.

The dishwasher was a constant source of agony and amusement. One day when Heather was unloading it from the previous nights dishes she dropped a potato peeler which fell into the inner workings of the machine.

"Oh nuts" said Heather.

John calmly walked into the kitchen and asked what was the matter.

"I dropped the blasted potato peeler, and now it's somewhere in the machine" said a frazzled Heather.

"This machine hates me. This is the third one we've had this year - and it's only March !".

John could hear the frustration and fatigue in Heathers voice, and got on his hands and knees, and stuck his head into the innards of the offending machine. His head simply disappeared into the door of the machine. To anyone else he looked like a very beheaded person on all fours.

"I see the little bugger"

John stuck a hand through the side of the machine and extracted the peeler.

"Thank you" said Heather.

As a bonus she gave John a peck on the cheek.

Paul came bounding through the front door only to see John shoot every dish, frisbee style, onto the correct shelf. "Was that a demonstration of what you learned in the afterlife" asked Paul.

"Sure was. Tossing dishes is an art ya know" replied John.

Now Heather spoke up. "Have you reconsidered about seeing Yoko ? I mean she was your wife".

"No can do Legs".

"Legs" was Johns nickname for Heather. "Every time I try and contact her I wind up some place else".

Paul leaned against a doorway and spoke directly to John.

"Sir George called me up today. He's been approached by a number of people to produce another album. Its to be called Afterlife. After he agreed to come out retirement he rang me. He thinks it might just the thing to get your feet wet. Plus he apologizes for giving you hell the other day. So what do you think ?".

For a while, a very short period of time, John was speechless.

"Afterlife...sounds interesting. You don't suppose some the people contributing are kinda dead too".

Paul shook his head.

"I know everybody else that’s doing this thing, and I can assure you everybody’s very much alive. A few might be sorta dead from the neck up, but that’s as close as you're going to get".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During dinner time John banged away on the piano. Paul soon joined him. After a short while Heather appeared at the door.

"Mind if I watch while you two boys play ?" asked Heather.

Paul said he didn't have a problem with it. John answered it would be nice to have an audience after so long.

" I planned to retire for a short bit to help raise Sean, but not this long".

Throughout the evening Paul and John worked on a number of songs, one in particular called "I Been Gone, But Now I'm Back". They played parodies of songs from albums past. John particularly liked "He Came In Through The Bedroom Mirror". But nothing was as pleasant as good old rock n' roll to John.

"Sir George asked me something rather interesting. He wanted to know how you would feel about doing an album with Ringo, and George". John stopped playing.

"Do you mean all four of us... like the old days ?".

Heather looked at Paul with concern.

"I'm pretty sure that’s what he meant".

"But what if what happened before happens again" said John with concern.

"You mean those ego trips ?. I think those happened because we were young, and we needed some space. We were together for too long. We all needed to live a normal life. I think if we hadn't broken up we'd have gone loony" replied Paul.

"Could you contact George while I contact Ringo ?" asked Paul.

"Sure thing mate. Getting together to have a civil chin wag will be a real pleasure".

John went upstairs and stood in front of the mirror that was the entry exit point for all ghosts. Suddenly George appeared. Like John he was white. And the guitar he carried was white.

"How did you know I was here ?" asked George.

"I've always known. Word gets around. When you died you made world news".

"Wow. Did you want anything in particular ?".

"Sir George Martin wants to know if you'd be interested in doing another album. You know like the old days".

"You mean this isn't one of Pauls daft ideas like Magical Mystery Tour or Let It Be ? . If it is you can count me out. I'm not going to be bossed me about. And if anybody tries I'll be history".

John sorted humphed, and crossed his arms.

"I have news for you son. You already are history".

"How does Sir George know about me ?"asked George.

"Well when he took one look at me he figured you had to somewhere about" said John.

"Are you saying you let him see you ?".

"Sure sounds like it, doesn't it".

Now it was Georges turn to cross his arms.

"Ok. Count me in. When do you want me to show up ?".

"You'll know George. You won't know how you'll know, but you'll know everything". The mirror fogged up and John could see his reflection again.

Paul contacted Ringo. "There are some people I'd like you to meet. I think you'll like them". Ringo said he'd be over in a couple of hours.

When the front door bell rang Ringo was curious. John, was nervous. And George, he was just George. He was quiet and sat on an amplifier, while he played a tune. Heather answered the door, and asked Ringo to go to Pauls studio. When Ringo got the doorway of the studio he heard the tune George was playing.

"Not bad. You sound like a friend of mine".

"I sure hope so" said George who looked up.

Ringo passed out, and slid down the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few minutes later Ringo was being served a glass of water. An agitated Ringo sat up.

"I could swear I heard and saw George. And I think I saw John too."

"You did old friend" said Paul.

"But they're dead !" yelled Ringo.

Just then John entered the den.

"You did you old reprobate. How the hell are you" he said.

Ringos mouth went slack again.

"Pauls mouth did the same thing. What's with you guys ?. Don't think of me as a ghost. Just think of me as an ordinary guy" pleaded John.

Ringo was just starting to come around when George entered the den and Ringo passed out again.

When Ringo awoke again he was staring at George and John, but talked to Paul.

"Ah Paul, I think I must be going nuts. I think I see John and George" said a Ringo fearful of his grip on reality.

"I see them too" said Paul.

"Great. Now two of us see and hear them. Now we're both nuts. It's the funny farm for us boyo".

John leaned down till he was nose to nose with Ringo. "Just calm down. George and I just want to talk to you".

"Its talking to me. And its got really bad breath".

George snickered.

"I had chinese food the night I died you little nit !. Now listen up or I'll let the metropolitan scuffers have their way with you. Sir George Martin wants to know if yer interested in doing a bloody great album. And if you say another word about my breath I'm going to get really nasty".

Not quite sure what to say Ringo looked at Paul. "I think I just heard John. He muttered something about doing an album".

"Thats it. I'm going to pop him. I didn't mutter you little twerp ! I spoke as clear as bleeding day" said an angry John.

Before fists started flying Heather spoke up. "Would anybody like anything to drink. Soda water ?".

John spoke first. "I'd really like a Brandy Alexander right about now, but a ghost can't drink".

It was George who spoke now."Its a good thing too. Do you remember the last time you had a drink. You got the ol' heave ho in Los Angeles".

Ringo spoke now. "That's right Johnny. You got hammered with Harry Nillson. But you couldn't hold your liquor".

"That does it oh mighty shnoz" said John

The Paul said "Don't you mean Oz ?".

"Look at the size of that great bloody hooter. That's a certifiable shnoz if I've ever saw one"

Heather attempted to act as peace keeper.

"Boys, boys. Lets act like civil human beings. Please remember the baby is sleeping".

"And if any of you geniuses wake her" John pointed at himself "you'll have me to answer to. I spent all afternoon getting her to sleep".

"Oh great ....... a ghost as a babysitter" said Ringo. "Do you trust him ?" looking at Paul.

"John is fantastic, and he's a damn better than Irma the Anteater" said Paul.

Almost as soon as the words left his lips Heather pounced. "You promised you weren't going to call her that".

"Well it's true. Irma just doesn't have the knack. John does" said Paul

John asked " Why do call her Irma the anteater".

"Her nose. Its enormous".

"It's an infection" said Heather

"Infection my fat Antie May" said Paul

A few hours later Ringo was convinced he wasn't going insane. The suggestion from Sir George was put to him in greater detail. "Sounds ok to me. Plus it'll be a first playing drums for a ghost too". All four ex-Beatles entered Pauls recording studio. It was rather a special moment. For the very first time since August 20 1969 all four were in a studio together. What made it even better is there was no bitterness. All four made contributions to "I Been Gone, But Now I'm Back". It was just one song, but it paved the way for others to come. When it came time to suggest the name of the band Heather suggested "L4"with the L standing for Liverpool. But there was also a slight alteration in the title. It was changed to "We Been Gone, But Now We're Back".