31 years ago today, I was surfing the television channels in the early evening. A special bulletin appeared on NBC news. The second that I heard the words "former Beatle John Lennon...", I braced myself and knew it wasn't good news.
Lennon was not my favorite musician or Beatle. He could be arrogant and violent; he abandoned his first wife Cynthia and son Julian; and cheated on his second wife Yoko Ono. Musically as a Beatle, George could outplay him and Paul was better at writing, singing, and playing.
However, there was something about John- his wry humor and smirk; his striving for happiness after losing his mother and being raised by his Aunt Julia; his reconciliation with Julian; and a settled life with Yoko and second son Sean.
John seemed to be constantly chewing gum from the days of leather jacket and DA of the Cavern and Hamburg; the suits and mop top of Beatle mania; the robes and flowing hair of psychedelia; and to the final days. His marriage to Yoko was special to me because my mother is Japanese and my dad was white.
John Winston Lennon's life symbolized a whole generation world wide. The Sunday following his death, I went down to Tacoma's Wright Park for a candlelight memorial. Not a word was spoken just silence among the hundreds who gathered that cold and gloomy morning. This scene was replicated in thousands of cities by millions of people.
His death shattered the hope we had after going through the turbulent 1960s and 70s and "Starting Over" in the 80s. We miss and still have tears for you John!!!
