John Lennon

True Story: In eighth grade, I was short, had glasses, and a squeaky-ass voice that refused to change. Two things dominated my thoughts: James Cartino and John Lennon. Cartino I came in contact with daily, in gym class where he pounded the shit out of me at every opportunity. Lennon I came in contact with wildest dreams.
In 1971 John Lennon spent a week in my hometown of Syracuse, NY
Yoko gave an exhibit at a museum there. Some friends of mine skipped school and got hired to do odd jobs for her. I'd tell them of my day of Cartino-poundings, they'd tell me of their day with John and Yoko, I was envious as hell.
My friends told me there was to be a private party, and I begged them to sneak me in.They were skeptical but agreed. I waited outside the museum for about eight hours, I had to piss real bad but I didn't dare leave. At about midnight the back door opened and I snuck in, I couldn't believe my luck, I'd be invisible, I'd watch. I'd wait.
The room was dark and crowded. I saw Allen Ginsberg and some others I recognized, but no John and Yoko. After an hour I felt I could risk a much-needed trip to the men's room. I made my way through the crowd, entered a hallway, took a few steps and looked up to see Lennon approaching. A group from the party had targeted him, from behind me they rushed. I was carried, on a path straight as a bullet, closer... closer... closer... closer... closer... till my chest slammed into John Lennon's. Lennon looked down at me and barked: "Fuck off!" It sucked to be me, I hit the men's room.
The hometown buzz from Lennon's visit lasted a month.
For me, of course, it lasted longer. Cartino thrashed me the following Monday, but it didn't seem to hurt as much. Something had changed for all my life.
I didn't cry when Lennon was murdered, I was angry and bewildered. I respected him so much, I may even have felt guilty. Last year, while getting my baggage at LaGuardia Airport, I found myself standing next to Lennon's son, Sean. Tall, handsome like his father, with his mother's beautiful eyes, the son Lennon never got to see become a man. It was then that I noticed I was crying.