To John.....

***Today marks the 27th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. Here is my open letter to John, who was shot 4 times in the back, severing all the major blood vessels
leading to and from his heart. There was nothing the
doctors could do on that night 27 years ago, December 8th, 1980. He was 40 years old. Too young. Far too young.***

Dear John. Wow, it's been 27 years. Hard to
believe, huh? You were walking into your apartment at
the Dakota in New York City when a crazed idiot
stepped out behind you, and while you were walking
away from him, shot at you five times using a two handed "shooter's" grip, hitting you four
times in the back. At point blank range. I hope you didn't feel much pain,
but I know better. When the two policeman put you in
their car (an ambulance would have made no difference...
the damage was done even if the shooting had happened INSIDE a
21st century trauma room), one of them asked you if
you knew who you were, and you nodded and sputtered
out the word yes, with blood pouring out of your mouth. You suffered and died quickly.
In fact, the last word you ever said was YES in response to the cop's question.

John, oh how you meant so much to me. I was mesmerized by the Beatles'
music. You gave me so much joy. It was always the music that helped me
through my awkward years of 11-16, and some of them
were not happy ones. And then in the 70's, at least
the first 5 years, your music still flowed, while it
seemed everyone clamored for a Beatles reunion. And
then in late '79, when your newly born son Sean was a
little older and your doting period ended, you came
back to your music, music more alive and vibrant than
it had been in the past decade. And then THAT night.
It was a Monday. I remember because I was watching
Monday night football, and Howard Cosell said that he had
just learned of a terrible thing, and he announced to
the country, and the world, the few facts known about your violent
death. I cried. I called my parents and friends, and was
stunned. As I write this, I feel exactly the same way. The tears will always be too close.
As they are right now, rolling down my cheeks.

But your music will live forever. You said, in a
song named INSTANT KARMA...
"And we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Yes we all shine on,
On and on and on and on."

When I looked up at the sky tonight, I knew you
were right. You were so right about so many things. The
world would have been a different place with you, at
67, still demanding peace. Insisting on it. I miss you John. I love
you. As you said, "Come together, give peace a chance,
all you need is love." We should have listened. We should have listened.
We're still waiting for your voice to shine on. And I'll keep on waiting.

Peter Naboicheck. I'll never forget you.