4:00 pm on February 24th

I walked into John’s room, dark, and smelling of him. I went towards the bed and poked his side “What time is it?” he mumbled. I reached over to open the blinds. The sunlight poured into the room, John shaded his eyes from the bright light.

“It’s four in the afternoon, time for you to get up.” patiently I waited for him to get going, but he did not move a muscle, “John, I really need you to get up and moving.”

“Why? What’s the point of it?”

“There is no real point to it, but for right now the point is to get a shower.” I sniffed the air, a nasty pungent odor. I got off the bed and opened the window to get some air circulating in the room “You have guests coming at five.”

“I don’t have to get clean for them. I didn’t even invite them over. They don’t own me and I don’t owe them anything.” he proudly announced.

“You have a point there. But would you like them to see you like this? A dirty man who smells like his own shit?” No reply came from John, I made my way towards the door. Turning around I expected some comment from him.“Come on. You’ve got to get a shower.” John got up, looking as haggard as ever, and stood in front of me.

“I don’t like showers.” his breath was hot and foul. I believe it could remove wallpaper, thick wallpaper that had been super-glued onto the wall.

Slightly distracted, I finally answered,“Get a bath then. It makes no difference to me.”

“Fine.”

“Good. There’s shampoo in there already, along with some scented bath salts and soap.” he gave me a strange look. “The salts smell like lavender, it’s the jar with the purplish salts in it. The pink ones smell like roses.” I explained, but he turned away from me. “It’ll make you smell like a decent human being.”

“It’ll make me smell like a fuckin’ fairy.” he cursed.

I turned him back around I gave him a pleading look. Actually it was more of a ‘use it or I will make you wear that jar and eat the goddamn salts’ kind of look.

“Lavender is fine.” he sighed.

“Would you like me to draw your bath too?” I said sarcastically.

“If you wouldn’t mind.” I shot him a look for that remark. “Never mind, I can do it.” After a long pause John started giggling for no apparent reason.

“Why are you giggling?”

“Never you mind.” he smiled and waged his finger at me, like I was a little kid with my hand in the cookie jar.

“Well in that case, you’d look better if you shaved too.” I added.

“Yes your majesty.” he made a low bow.

“You may have my royal permission to get a shower now Sir Lennon...” I said as queen-like as I could. I moved into the hall. John headed towards the bath and stopped a bit before me.

“Thanks luv...” he smiled. I guess he put his misery aside for a moment because it was definitely not a press smile.

“What for? Royal permission?” I was confused.

“No no no. Thank you for ev'rything. You didn’t have to go to all this trouble for me. I appreciate it.” I blushed somewhat. Feeling like the nervous teenager I was not, I quickly changed the subject.

“Hey, feel like eating something? I have some chicken soup in the fridge, I’ll heat it up if it sounds good to you.”

“Sounds great.” he said, almost closing the door. “You know, you’re really too nice to me.” he peeked his head out the door. “I don’t deserve all this.”

“Either do I.” I handed John a towel. “So get clean and later we’ll both not deserve things together.” he seemed slightly confused at my remark, then closed the door.

“This soup’s pretty good.” He took another spoonful. And looked at me through his wire-rimmed glasses. He had shaved, bathed and he looked beautiful. His shoulder length auburn hair had been brushed and washed. I could see why so many girls could fall for him, the real John Lennon. He was like one of the stars in the sky, he could light up the night.

Just as my thoughts began to wander he snapped his finger in front of my face. “Wake up Jayne.”

“Sorry Johnny, just spacing out.”

“It's alright. Just wanted to bring you back to earth, space cadet.” I grinned at this.

“Space Cadet Jayne V. Robinson, reporting for duty Captain.” I saluted him.

“At ease Cadet.” he saluted me back.

“What are your orders, sir?”

“Get the Captain a napkin.”

“Yes sir.” I got up and got one for him. That little distraction was over with, we could go back to being earth people.

“You know, there are some things that don’t make sense about Yoko’s death.” he casually remarked.

“Like what?”

“Well for instance they said she just ‘jumped’. If she had done that she quickly would have realized that there was no netting and scrambled to get on a ledge. Besides, someone would have tried to help her. Or at least they would have tried to stop her. That is, if she had just jumped. Which I’m almost positive she did not and would not do. And was the crew on break? If they were how come was someone filming it?” he paused a few seconds and had another spoonful of soup. He paused again then a look of horror came upon his face, “Maybe she committed suicide... I guess I’ll just have to see the film then.” he added.

“Would you really want to do that? I mean, you’ve been really upset. Wouldn’t seeing it be like putting salt on an open wound?”

“It might be, but I have to know.” he looked down at the soup, like he had revealed too much, then he tried changing the subject, “So... who’s comin’ over anyway?” Suddenly a knock came from the front door. Our heads turned in unison. He looked back to me “Are you gonna get the door? Or should I?”.

“I’ll get it, you finish your soup.” I got up from the table and crossed the flat to get to the door. With a breath of courage, I opened it. George was standing there, looking very jumpy. As if the very walls would come alive and eat him. I smiled at that weird thought and gave him a hug, “Thanks for coming,” I whispered in his ear.

“I’d do anything to help you,” his expression was like he just said his thoughts out loud, accidentally. “I mean, anything to help John and you.” he quickly added. He walked sheepishly past me, probably hoping I did not hear the first part of the sentence.

There was someone lurking behind George on the stairs. He was faced away, looking like he would leave at the first sign of trouble. I could tell who it was,thanks mainly to the haircut. It was none other than Paul McCartney. “Oh, hello there.” I said. He turned around. I greeted him with a friendly smile, he smiled back.“I’m Jayne,” I said shaking his hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please, come in.”

Paul walked by me into the living room. “Where’s John?” he asked. I recognized his voice as the one from the phone. So it was Paul who was over advising George.

Before I could get a syllable out to answer his question John interrupted, “Is that you Macca? I thought I told you that I never wanted to hear from you again.” John walked out from the kitchen. He had this mad look in his eyes. “Jayne? Why the hell did you let him in here?”

I tried to speak, but I could not get anything past my throat. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the whole situation.

Then John started pointing at me and shouting, “I should have known you were just like the rest of them. Just like the fuckin’ rest of ‘em!!” He was in front of me, eyes like flames, not backing down one bit.

Paul used this moment to get back into the conversation,“John .... Let me explain ... It’s not her fault ...” Paul was between us now, equivalent to a human shield, “Don’t blame her ... It was my own bloody idea ...” John’s eyes were now on Paul’s.

“I don’t bloody fuckin’ care!! Get the fuck out of here Macca! And NEVER come back or I’ll knock your bloody head off!!!”

“John...” Paul’s feet were rooted to the floor.

“I SAID GET OUT!!!!!!!” he pointed to the door.

“Fine!” he raised his hands in the air, submissively “When you see ev’ry person that you care about leave your life, I’ll just laugh because that’s what you deserve.” He walked out the door, “Thanks anyway Jayne, maybe we’ll see each other another time. Bye George, I’ll call a taxi to get home.” and the door was closed. Now I was to face the wrath of Lennon alone, well almost.

“Good riddance! I hope he dies in a fire!” John spat.

“There goes the peace keeper.” Geo said. He had remained quiet until that point, all the while he sat on the sofa watching the drama unfold. It looked like he would remain quiet for the rest of the night.

“It doesn’t matter. HE doesn’t matter. He is just a tiny insect compared to the importance of anyone else in the world. He will never matter in the end.” John was still in front of me. I was growing angrier by the moment. Finally, I snapped.

“Fuck you John!” I growled, “You just shined on one of your closest friends!” I screamed. The tears welled up in my eyes. I really hated being female at this point. Whenever I got too upset I started to cry, it was positively a feminine trait from my mother’s side of the family.

“We weren’t that close.” he snarled. He turned to me, “You ARE one of them!” He snapped.

That was it. That put me over the top,“Jesus Fucking Christ! I’m leaving! When I come back you’d better not be here! Have a nice life Asshole! And for your information I’m not like them! Never will be like them!” I grabbed my purse and slammed the door.

I ran down the stairs and onto the pavement. I sat down on the curb and started to sob uncontrollably. John did not know how much that comment scarred me. I knew I meant more to him than a regular fan did. He knew I meant more than that too. But when he said it, the friendship that we started was crushed.

When I felt a warm hand on my shoulder I knew it was not John. He would never apologize. Never. Looking up though my tear filled eyes I saw Paul. His eyes were red around the edges, as if he had been crying too. He sat down beside me, “Did he do this to you?” he asked. Then raised a fist and shook it, “I’ll cripple him if he did.”

“It’s alright, Paul.” I said between breaths, “It’s just... It’s just...” he moved the hair away that was obscuring my face. I gave him a weak smile then wiped away the tears on my face.

“You thought that you would never let him have the satisfaction of getting to you.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s it.” I mumbled. I buried my face in my hands and gave a sigh.

“I learned a long time ago that John will get under your skin no matter what.” he stopped. “He really hurt you, didn’t he?” Paul shook his head slightly.

“I can’t believe I was so foolish. I should have never believed that someone like John could ever be my friend.”

“There is always that sense of detachment between a celebrity and his or her fan. Like the fans never could possibly get that close to us. Like we’re invincible, like we’re gods or something. We rarely get to be around normal people. Fans are usually screaming, trying to do the silliest things to be near us. When we finally find someone that *is* normal, and just wants to be with you because you are *you*, and not some celebrity, we get paranoid.” he pulled out two wrapped pieces of chewing gum from his coat pocket and handed me a piece.

He unwrapped his piece and began chewing it, “Paranoid because someone finally sees though that thick skin, that veil of stardom. And it frightens many. It frightens me sometimes. Turns many people into raving lunatics. And it usually hurts the ones that you love the most.”

“Are you frightened of me?”

“Why? Should I be?”

“No. I have no hidden agenda.”

“Good, now I don’t have to call the police.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Just in case you were crazy.” he grinned. “George said you weren’t, but I had to see for myself. George holds a very high opinion of you.” he moved on to another topic “Well, it’s nearly six-thirty. Care to join me for dinner? I’m parched.”

“What about George? What’s he going to do while we’re gone? I really don’t feel right about leaving him there.”

“Forget about it. I’m sure he’ll calm down Lennon for us. George can take care of himself. Besides, he needed to talk to John about the next album.”

“So this isn’t the end of the Beatles.”

“Hardly. I had this idea about what to do next... I’ll tell you over dinner.” ---------------end bag 5------------