It was the night before Thansgiving.....

[billryan]

and I had just driven some eight hours home from college. I was looking forward to relaxing a bit before hitting the bars to see friends I' hadn't seen since school started. All of a sudden I am told I have to drive some fifty miles into Upper Manhattan to drop off some turkeys to my Aunts soup kitchen type place.
She's a nun and not particularly close to my family. My Dad left home to join the Marines in 1943 and never really went back so we weren't very tight with his side of the family.
Anyway, I load the car up right away, thinking I can be there and back and still have time to get dressed and go out by midnight.
I get there after fighting a bit of traffic, intent on saying hello and getting out of there as quick as possible. I'm actually hoping she might be busy and I can just drop them off with a helper and book out.
But no. She greets me at the door and tells me she has some friends in the next room I simply must meet. Seems like a local kid had had a birthday and had come to donate the extra toys he'd received. My Aunt says they aren't even Catholics but do all sorts of good works. Despite my protests, she insist I at least say hello.
So we walk in the room and I see a Asian lady sitting in a chair and on the floor is a young boy and John Lennon.
My Aunts friends are John and Yoko and the birthday boy was Sean.
For the next few hours, I sit spellbound while Yoko tell me story after story about my Aunt who evidently was one of the first nuns to come out against the war. They start laughing about my aunt being in some magazine in handcuffs when Yoko turns to me and says- I guess your Father mustn't have been too happy, him being in the military, or words to that effect.
Holy ****, I think, Yoko Ono knows about my father.

The whole time John is on the floor playing cars with his son and occasionally commenting on something.
Finally my aunt says it is after midnight and she needs to go to bed. I offer them a ride but John says he loves to walk around NYC, especially at Holiday time.

Two weeks later, he is shot down while walking around the city.


Happy Thanksgiving. One and all.

[Come Back Kid]

Wow Bill, what a story! Thanks for sharing, and Happy Thanksgiving to you as well...

[Casino Knight]

Amazing story and amazing family as well. Perfect story for this A/E sub.
Happy Thanksgiving.

CK

[Galeygoo]

Your story's end gave me "goose bumps" but I can't tell you how very much I enjoyed reading about your incredible time and the memory you have to cherish!!

You are a gifted storyteller, Billy; thank you for letting us in...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and all

[billryan]

This might sound strange but there are a few moments in my life that I literally can relive by retelling the story. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. Some are worth sharing.
I'm glad they were enjoyed.

[snoflak]

Thank you for sharing. You were blessed too see John and his family. A very memorable Thanksgiving.

[ecam]

what a great story! really enjoyed that

[advantage playe]

thank you for this great and inspirering story!!! billy.happy thanks giving and merry Christmas to every one!! I still cant spell.

[billryan]

Okay, Glad you are enjoying it. I'll go into a little more detail.
Lennon had just released his first record in five years, and the first single "Watching The Wheels?" was all over the radio. I loved it and must have heard it ten times on the eight hour drive, having to constantly find new stations.
So I'm sitting there in awe, as my Aunt introduces me and tells me that the couple are into arts and music as if I don't know who they are. John and his baby boy are sitting on the floor five feet away and I'm trying to politely listen to Yoko Ono, hoping John looks up and gives me an excuse to do something or say something. Is it cool to plop down and start playing cars with them? Then, almost in a fog, I hear Yoko say something about the two of them being arrested together. I thought she was talking about her husband when I realize she's talking about her and my aunt. That got my attention.
Incredibly, having a choice of watching John Lennon play on the floor in front of me or have a conversation with Yoko Ono about a Nun I hardly knew, I ended up spending most of the next hours spellbound by Ms. Ono. I cant stand her music, but that night she was the center of attention.

I got the impression there was an amazing love between the family.

[Carcounter]

Nice memory Bill. I remember the night John Lennon was shot outside the Dakota. I was watching Monday night football and Howard Cosell broke in with the news.