Nowhere Boy Page #4

Abracadabra eh, John?

Gorgeous, isn't he?

I need to calm down now.

I'm embarrassing myself.

- That was brilliant.

- Wasn't bad, was it?

It was so good.

We need to celebrate... everything.

It's John's birthday soon so let's have

a party, at mine, Saturday. OK?

- Can we get boozed up?

- Only if I can.

- What about birds, Mrs Lennon?

- Let's just keep them in their cages.

What do you reckon then, Johnny boy?

I think... I need a piss.

Who has got a light for a lady?

Have you got a ticket?

If you don't want her hanging

around the band, do something about it.

It's my f***ing band.

John, the driver's not stopping.

Thanks for that. Give us a ciggie.

Excuse me. That's very cosy.

He said it's the police or the navy.

My old man's giving me no other choice.

Imagine me in a copper's uniform,

nicking people.

Nicking you.

I sometimes wish I had tits, you know?

Not in a weird way,

just to have a little mess around with.

- Hey, Winston?

- What?

- This party.

- Yeah.

We don't have to go.

# You ain't nothing but a hound dog

# Been snooping round my door

# You ain't nothing but a hound dog

# Been snooping round my door

- # You can wag your tail

- Alright, John?

# But I ain't gonna feed you no more

Hi, John. How's it going, mate?

# Love me true

# All my dreams fulfil

# For my darling, I love you

# And I always will

That was for her, wasn't it? Your mum.

It was awful. Taken away from you...

It's not fair.

She had cancer.

What's your excuse?

Nice.

# You wag your tail

# But I ain't gonna feed you no more

# When a man has a son

# Like my son John

# He's a man who can smile

# When he talks

# And his eyes have a sparkle

Can someone turn that bloody record off

before I start crying... in pain?

Give us a few words, Johnny boy.

Cock, balls, f***.

- Is that allowed?

- Speech! Speech!

Well, ta, for turning up.

You're very special to me...

...in that I hate you all equally.

Apart from you, Mum, obviously.

Thanks for all this.

Well, big clap, folks,

you know, for Julia.

And my band. What can I say?

You really are there for me. Never

on time, usually looking like shite,

but, nevertheless,

you're there or thereabouts.

Speak for yourself, eh, Lennon!

- So, where are we going, boys?

- To the toppity top, Johnny.

That's right.

To the toppity of one's topness.

Except the boy Shotton wants out.

I know. Apparently, washboard players

don't get enough chicks

and he feels like a pansy

in his mum's sewing thimbles.

- Come here, spunkhead.

- Ow!

Ooh!

Worth a few bob when we're famous.

He's alright.

For f***'s sake!

- Where are you going?

- I'm going for a ciggie.

Have one here.

I wonder if someone's up there on Mars,

having a quick cigarette like me.

Where's Dad?

They're called dads, right?

Most people I know have got one.

- I don't think...

- Oh, don't you, Mum? Well, I do.

Think, think, think. That's all I do.

Where's Daddy, Mummy?

Alf, that's his name, right?

- Where's f***ing Alf?

- Please don't swear, John.

Make you feel uncomfortable?

Try being me for 17 years when everyone

asks why your auntie is your mum.

Now, that's uncomfortable.

Oh, here we go.

Who turned the taps on?

- Please don't be horrible to me, John.

- Oh! Me being horrible to you?

Oh, I see. Horrible John,

naughty John, poor Julia.

No, no. No walking away. I know

you're good at it, but not tonight.

- Where is he?

- Oh!

- New Zealand, maybe. I don't know.

- Not round the corner, like you?

He was in the merchant navy.

No letters, no money. He abandoned us.

Then you abandoned me!

It was a temporary thing. Mimi agreed.

Temporary? I'm still living with her.

- I always wanted you back.

- Oh, I believe you. Honest.

She never gave you back.

But surely I'm not Mimi's to give.

You're my mum.

She... She loves you so much.

Yeah, more than you.

Mummy? I'm tired now.

- Are you sad again?

- Mummy's not sad. Look.

I'm coming in now, honey.

Go on.

I do love you. Believe me.

Believe me, I would love to.

- John, where are you going?

- Away from you.

Mimi.

You said you'd be back.

I think I'll just...

I've got some work to finish.

It was meant to be a surprise.

A Hoffner!

Mimi.

Ooh, you stink of alcohol.

Mum threw a party for me.

Oh.

That's a waste, isn't it?

Tell your friends the party's over.

No, thanks.

- We've got a gatecrasher.

- I need to talk to John.

Oh, more talking? Wow!

You see, me and Mum

have had a bit of a heart-to-heart.

Yes, she told me things about...

Oh, what's his name...? Alf.

Oh, and about you, funnily enough.

Yeah, she said you stole me.

- What do you reckon, Mimi?

- I never said that.

You said, quote, "She," as in you,

Mimi, "never gave you back."

When I don't give things back,

I've got to admit, I'm usually stealing.

What on earth have you

been telling him, Julia?

Did she say why I stole you?

Well, there she is. Ask her yourself.

Did she mention having another man's

child to deal with? A daughter?

Mimi, please.

Please what? Stop? Look at him.

Do you think we can stop now?

Whose child?

Go on, tell him, as you're

so keen for him to know the truth.

What daughter?

Your mother has always needed company.

Do you understand what I mean?

Rock'n'roll, eh, Mum?

And she found it, with a young soldier

whilst your father was away at sea.

You have another sister. Victoria.

Where is she? Where?

We don't know. Salvation Army took her.

Then, after that,

your mother decides to shack up

with another fancy man, Bobby.

Still married to your father,

I might add,

and then bring you up as if that was

acceptable, as if that was normal.

When your father came home

after the war,

he wanted to try and save the marriage,

but she'd have none of it.

She told him to get lost.

But Alf wasn't giving up that easily.

Was he, Julia?

Hmm? Oh, feel free

to join the conversation.

No, I didn't think she would.

You were staying here with me

at Mendips

when Alf turned up out of the blue.

He said he wanted to take you

into Liverpool.

I thought he was genuine but he took you

to Blackpool instead. He kidnapped you.

Turned out he'd organised

a passage to New Zealand.

Got himself a job out there.

Wanted to take you with him.

We hadn't a clue where you were.

I was distraught!

The Seaman's Mission had an address

for a relative in Blackpool

so we went to find you,

to bring you back.

Alf wouldn't let me in. Said

it was between him and your mother.

He pleaded with her

to give the marriage another chance,

to keep the family together,

but, again, it was of no use.

But what to do with you?

So, in all their great wisdom...

Who do you want to be with,

me or your mum?

...they decided to ask you,

a five-year-old boy,

who you wanted to spend

the rest of your life with.

And you said...

My daddy.

Daddy.

So knowing that Alf was planning

to take you to New Zealand

and knowing she

would probably never see you again,

your mother walked out.

Mum! Please! Stop.

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