#Aunt Mimi Smith

[handfetis]

"John tried to smooth the way for George by telling Mimi what a great guy he was before she ever met him, but once Mimi got a look at his pink shirt, she threw him out the door," reads TLYM.

[eppysboys]

5 September 1960, John Lennon sent his Aunt Mimi a postcard from Hamburg. 

Dear Mimi,

Sorry I haven't written much but we're terribly busy and don't finish playing 'till about 2 in the morning and by the time we've eaten we're "dead beats."

This is the street we playing (the little yellow bit at the end). I'll write a proper letter soon as I get time. I hope you're well and everything  and don't worry about me I'm eating and sleeping well and keeping out of trouble (Scribbled out writing)

 Ok and no trouble. I'll be home in 5 weeks I think (we might be going to Berlin).

Cheerio,

Love John

[harrisonsbabygirl]

John & His Aunt Mimi

[beatle-stories333]

john playing at the cavern club and mimi telling him to get off the stage is so pink pony club

[ilovedig]

How do you know Mimi was abusive?

You must be joking. Please say you're joking.

Um okay, on the off chance you're not joking.

Here are a few of the things I remember off the top of my head

She didn't let John have friends for most of his childhood. He had to play alone in the backyard. She was more okay with him playing pretend as Alice than seeing other boys his age.

She also only let him go to the pictures once a year, on easter, that was it. Uncle George took him more, but once he died it was only once a year.

She put his dog down

She frequently told him he was fat

According to John's sister she literally kidnapped him at 5 because she really really didn't like her sister and thought she was a bad infuence

There's more, that's just off the top of my head.

[beatleshistoryblog]

LECTURE 6: MEET THE BEATLES (PART 1): Here is a brief mini-documentary about Mendips (251 Menlove Avenue, Liverpool), where Aunt Mimi (Mimi Smith) and her husband, George, raised John Lennon from age 5 to when he moved out eighteen years later, at age 23 (George passed away on June 5, 1955). Along with 20 Forthlin Road (Paul’s childhood home), Mendips is owned by the National Trust, a preservation group that restores and protects historic places. The Trust has preserved Mendips beautifully over the years, capturing its exact look from when John lived there.

[tavolgisvist]

Another big crawly thing!

(gif by kayingmyess)

Also about spiders and Paul:

'Do I like spiders? Yeah.' 'Oh��' 'I do, yeah! What's wrong with spiders? Nice little fellas.'

Paul & Linda ❤

[kichisaburo3]

Aunt MIMI of John Lennon To Interview in 1970 from reddit com

The Below is BLOCKQUOTE of reditt com https://www.reddit.com/r/beatles/comments/14njs8t/interview_with_aunt_mimi_1970/?rdt=53135

QUESTION: What do you really think of the Beatles?

MIMI SMITH: The boys had talent, yes, but they also had a lot of luck as well. When they first played “Love Me Do” I didn’t think much of it.

QUESTION: How did you view the troubles the Beatles have been going through these last few years?

SMITH: I don’t know all this business between John and Paul is about and I don’t dare ask John. I did ring Paul about it, and he told me things would straighten up. The boys have been friends so long. I remember them coming home from school together on their bikes, begging biscuits. I’m sure they’ll get back together soon. This is just a phase they’re passing through.

QUESTION: These days your nephew is very involved in a variety of social, political, and avant-garde causes. How do you feel about that?

SMITH: I’ve just quit reading the papers these days. Apple sends me his records, but I won’t play them. And I’ve asked my friends not to tell me about them. The shameful album cover and that [erotic] art show of his. He’s been naughty and the public doesn’t like it, and he’s sorry for it. Now he wants sympathy. That’s why he’s come out with all these fantastic stories about an unhappy childhood. It’s true that his mother wasn’t there and there was no father around, but my husband and I gave him a wonderful home. John didn’t buy me these furnishings, my husband did. John, Paul, and George wrote many songs together sitting on the sofa you’re sitting on now, long before you’d ever heard of the Beatles. Why, John even had a pony when he was a little boy! He certainly didn’t come from a slum! None of the boys did. The Harrisons weren’t as well off as the other families, perhaps, but George wasn’t from a slum, either, the way the press had it. And that’s why you never saw photographs of John’s boyhood home. We certainly weren’t imperished, the way John’s talking now ?

QUESTION: What do you think changed John so much from his early days as a carefree kid?

SMITH: She’s responsible for all this, Yoko. She changed him, and I’m sure she and Linda are behind the split between John and Paul. Cynthia was such a nice girl. When she and John were in art college, she’d come to my house and say, “Oh, Mimi, what am I going to do about John?” She’d sit there until he came home. Cynthia really pursued him. He’d walk up the road and back until she got tired of waiting and went home. I think he was afraid of her, actually.

QUESTION: You realize, of course, that to many people John is something of a political leader with such songs as, “Power to the People,” for example …

SMITH: Don’t talk to me about such things! I know that boy. He doesn’t know what he’s saying! It’s all an act. If there were a revolution, John would be the first in the queue to run! Why, he’s scared to death of things like that! That’s Yoko talking, not John! Yoko is not exactly right in the head. Everytime John does something bad and gets his picture in the papers he rings up to smooth me over. See that new color television? It was a Christmas present, but he had it delivered early. A big present arrives every time he’s been naughty. I usually have a huge photograph of John hanging in the lounge. When he’s a good boy, it’ll go back up again!

TAG of BEATLES in my Tumblr https://kichisaburo3.tumblr.com/tagged/BEATLES

12 NOV 2024 Tuesday

[laytonnpcbracket]

Welcome to the Layton NPC Showdown!

This is a bracket to determine which of the many memorable NPCs from across the Professor Layton games are the greatest.

GAMES INCLUDED: Every game except LBMR. Eternal Diva characters are also not included here.

WHAT COUNTS AS AN NPC?: Anyone who doesn't have a puzzle animation. Characters excluded are Layton, Luke, Flora, Clive, Emmy, Randall, Aurora, Des, Espella, Phoenix, Maya, Katrielle, Ernest, Sherl, Hastings, and Emiliana.

WILL THERE BE NOMINATIONS?: Nope! Every NPC will be included.

WHAT ABOUT THE LAYTONMOBILE/MOLENTARY EXPRESS?: No vehicles. Not characters.

WHAT ABOUT THE PUZZLE LADS/LASSES?: I only plan on including characters that we can speak to in-game, so no Puzzle Lads or Lasses. Sorry to the people who like them 😔

WHICH CHARACTERS ARE INCLUDED, THEN?: Anyone who isn't an exception listed above that is in the profiles of the game! A full list is enclosed below.

WHEN WILL THE TOURNAMENT START?: More information forthcoming on that! I have to seed the bracket first :)

WHY IS NAIYA YOUR ICON?: In my opinion, she's one of the more underrated NPCs of the series. I'll probably cycle through some of the ones I have available to me right now.

WHAT CRITERIA SHOULD I VOTE ON?: Whatever makes you happy :)

ARE ALTER EGOS SEPERATE CHARACTERS?: No. For instance, Ratman is not included because his secret identity is in the tournament.

US OR UK NAMES?: I will try to make available as many names for the NPCs as possible! Which includes their Japanese names and as many names in the localizations as I am able to obtain from the wiki and my own sources. I'll probably reliably have the English (both versions where applicable), Japanese, and French names for every character when I do the bracket rounds. The list below however is entirely in English.

And now for a list of the entries! I didn't check all of these for inconsistencies, but I attempted to ascertain that I used the US versions. Some of them might be UK versions though because that's the version of the game I have (specifically Diabolical Box NPCs and Last Specter NPCs -- I know some of their US names but not all).

Franco

Stachenscarfen

Ingrid

Percy

Marco

Ramon

Matthew

Lady Dahlia Reinhold

Gordon Reinhold

Simon Reinhold

Claudia

Beatrice

Deke

Agnes

Pauly

Crouton

Flick

Rodney

Chelmey

Lucy

Zappone

Gerard

Jarvis

Adrea

Pavel

Crumm

Prosciutto

Archibald

Sylvain

Martha

Giuseppe

Augustus Reinhold

Granny Riddleton

Don Paolo

Bruno

Andrew Schrader

Anton Herzen

Katia Anderson

Sophia

Mr. Anderson

Beluga

Sammy Thunder

Macaroon

Chester

Babette

Tom

Ilyana

Geoff

Garland

Nigel

Jacques

Barton

Grousley

Steve

Capone

Mitzi

Lili

Sally

Marjorie

Conrad

Karla

Romie

Dorothea

Clabber

Oscar

Nick

Gabe

Balsa

Wurtzer

Lopez

Laurel

Parcelle

Lulu

Albert

Madeline

Remy

Angus

Kostya

Dylan

Joseph

Rory

Lila

Damon

Felix

Niles

Duke

Hopper

Olson

Derby

Dawson

Joanie

Krantz

Grinko

Marina

Opal

Ray

Gregorio

Narice

Gertie

Hamster

Precious

Winston

Claire

Dimitri Allen

Bill Hawks

Spring

Cogg

Dean Delmona

Shipley

Puzzlette

Beasley

Parrot

Subject 3

Bostro

Family Goon

Lockjaw

Splinters

Marzano

Layman

Fisheye

Silky

Shmelmey

Shmarton

Ward

Smith

Florence

Vito

Art

Niklaus

Anita

Alfie

Hazel (UF)

Adeline

Max

Becky

Margaret

Pallard

Dupree

Natalia

Harold

Horace

Hardy

Cuthbert

Segal

Catanova

Rosetta

Colby

Rudolph

Misha

Dylan

Viv

Pepper

Checker

Avogadro

Maya (UF)

Myrtle

Belle

Graham

Slate

Ernest (UF)

Berta

Minnie

Paige

Raleigh

Beacon

Mark

Rosa

Grosky

Keats

Clark Triton

Brenda Triton

Arianna Barde

Tony Barde

Doland Noble

Levin Jakes

Loosha

Toppy

Crow

Marilyn

Roddy

Scraps

Tweeds

Wren

Socket

Louis

Badger

Aldus

Charlie

Jasmine

Bucky

Fische

Beth

Mido

Clarence

Joe

Molly

Marion

Browne

Hugo

Dominica

Paddy

Brock

Aunt Taffy

Shackwell

Greppe

Goosey

Mimi

Hans Jakes

Maggie

Yamada

Sean

Olga

Finch

Sebastian

Cornelius

Chappy

Hannah

Mick

Colby

Monica

Thomas

Nate

Ewan

Chief Engineer

Naiya

Chippe

Bram

Ghent

Nordic

Gilbert

Roland Layton

Lucille Layton

Henry Ledore

Angela Ledore

Alphonse Dalston

Leonard Bloom

Sheffield

Billson

Mrs Ascot

Pascal

Guy

Lapushka

Gustav

Gonzales

Drake

Tyrone

Sterling

Mordy

Collette

Maurice

Juggles

Puck

Yukkles

Murphy

Cookie

Tanya

Firth

Madelaine

Stumble

Artie

Michelle

Nils

Frankie

Conner

Humbert

Policeman (MM)

Yuming

Esther

Lionel

Doug

Mr. Collins

Leon Bronev

Raymond

Prima

Harald

Donna

Mascha

Georg

Mackintosh

Solveig

Erik

Hazel (AL)

Igor

Sonya

Moos

Larisa

Karpin

Boris

Dariya

Pavlova

Carmichael

Amelie Chelmey

Policeman (AL)

Tommy

Morel

Chestnut

Amanita

Blewitt

Chanterelle

Button

Lepidella

Bud

Javier

Benny

Miranda

Martine

Barbara

Ruby

Scarlett

Flint

Old Red

Jesse

Derringer

Julien

Romilda

Sheppard

Piet

Felicia

Rik

Beatrix

Umid

Banu

Dana

Temir

Mehri

Nassir

Adler

Robin

Macaw

Plover

Grouse

Gannet

Swift

Carmine Accidenti

Olivia Aldente

Allan

Bardly

Zacharias Barnham

Newton Belduke

Birdly

Boistrum

Cecil

Cinderellia

Constantine

Cracker

Cutter

Darklaw

Dewey

Dzibilchaltunchunchucmil

Patty Eclaire

Eve (cat)

Flynch

Foxy

Jean Greyerl

Hoot

Judge

Kira

Knight Captain

Knightle

Lottalance

Lyewood

Lettie Mailer

Balmung

Mary

Muffet

Muggs

Ridelle Mystere

Nozey

Petal

Petter

Ms Primstone

Emeer Punchenbaug

Robbs

Old Rootie

Rouge

Servius

Shakey

Johnny Smiles

Snowy

Storyteller

Tuggit

Price

Wordsmith

Pipper Lowonida

Phineas Barnone

Madame Doublée

Liza Wight

Grant Sloans

Cesar Chance

Mustafa Fulhold

Hans Lipski

Aleks Lipski

Maverick D. Rector

Seymore Fraymes

The Major

Eddie Torre

Hayes

Maid

Wooooster

Bianca Teller

Security Guard

Shadee

Taboras Lloyd

Douglas Dert

Ratboy

Mo Heecan

Mrs Slow the Tailor

Midas Pullman

Declan Swabber

Abel Seamon

Felicity Hastings

Gene Ohm

Billy Kidd

Royall Britannias

Clover Pryce

PC Beate

DC Booker

Waiter

Séan Butchin

Bo Bells

Hessie Tate

Benjy

Bess

Keane Fisher

Bob Bracket

Stripey

Patch

Cat

Yapper

Gudrun Weldon

[winstonhenderson]

𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟗.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓔𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻

𝙎𝘼𝘾𝙍𝙄𝙁𝘼𝙈𝙀 𝙎𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙎

Julia’s Diary

Today was wild.

So, I was doing my chem homework, organic chemistry (drawing all those silly hexagons) when I hear the doorbell.

“Julia, get the door please, I’m in the bathroom washing the clothes.”, Mimi ordered. I sigh.

“Fine.”, I ran downstairs to the door. Opening the door I see… Paul!

“What are you doing here?”, I ask him.

“Have I come at the wrong time? I wanted to surprise John, I had a great idea for a song.”

Well, he surprised him.

“You appeared so suddenly.”

“John does that to me so much.”, Paul remarked with a soft smile. I blushed.

“What’s that song like? I ask John about your songs, but he always wants to finish something to the end so I never get the feel of your process.”

“Johnny being secretive, of course.”, Paul giggled, “I have listened to Elvis recently and I decided to move his chords down on me guitar and I liked the melody… I wish I could show ya, but I forgot the dumb thing, not thinking. I just wanted to get to John’s as fast as possible.”

“The melody just dawns on ya?”, I asked him for fun… As John I never got to talk with Paul about this in a more formal way, “I know the feeling, I write poetry in my freetime, the text just appears before me. Don’t worry about the guitar. You could always play on John’s.”

Paul was staring at me.

“You’re right, Julia.”, he smiled wide, “And you write too? Maybe you could help us two with rhymes or somethin’?”

“No, I trust you two can get the job done.”, I wanted to disappear.

Paul frowned.

“Will you at least give me some advice? Or critique?”

I cackled, “Of course, you git!”

I mentally facepalm myself for this, because John usually says that.

Paul took it well. He entertained me with some more topics and I didn’t notice when Mimi put a hand on my shoulder.

“Oh, it’s your-young man himself, John’s little friend.”, it was the most effective save.

“Hello, Mrs. Smith.”, Paul politely greeted my aunt. 

“I should go get John.”, I said.

I went to John’s room and saw his clothes on the heater. Wet. 

“Okay.”, I thought, “Second solution; get bandages and some of my clothes that can pass as masculine. I feel sorry for John.“

And half of my masculine clothes were dirty and the other was wet like John’s clothes!

“Fucking hell.”, I swore.

It looked like I would be spending most of the day at home and without Paul. My thoughts were “God fucking damn it! I need to be more careful! I was reckless as John and Julia. I failed twice. And now I have to send Paul home.”

I go down the stairs with sadness. I somehow got myself together and told Paul, “Paul, John is not here currently.”

“What? He is always home at this time!”, Paul panicked because he liked when his plans go exactly how he imagined, “God. Mrs. Smith, do you know where John went?”

Mimi’s eyes widened.

“I don’t know… He didn’t tell me where he went.”

“Oh, he could be anywhere! I have to find him!”, Paul decided.

Why must he complicate things!

“Paul, he is fine really, trust me, I’m his twin!”, I told him.

“No, I have to check some places, and that fact makes me think you should go with me!”, Paul smiled.

“No, I’ll wait for him.”, I rejected his offer. But his offer couldn’t be rejected.

“Mrs. Smith, us two are going to search for him!”, he dragged me off.

“Paul, Paul, what do you think you’re doing?”, I asked him, while he didn’t slow down.

“I am taking another person with me to balance out my panic? Smart, huh!”

“Yeah, you’re smart but you’re mostly cute.”, I regret that compliment.

He turned his head toward me.

“John could be at the Cavern Club so we’ll go there first.”, he slowed down to a walking pace.

That’s when I knew this was going to be a long day. I wanted to escape that situation and tell Paul I’m John. But John would be compromised so… A long day was the better choice. 

“Wait here, I ask them if John has appeared.”

I waited for Paul. Paul calmly asked for John and the owner answered he hadn’t seen any of the Beatles since the last gig they played. Paul was sad.

“John wasn’t here.”

“Of course, it’s day, it would make more sense if he’d gone to Cyn’s.”, I mumbled.

“Julia, you’re a genius!”, he took my hand in preparation to run like a madman again.

And that’s when I furiously blushed.

“Let’s go to Cynthia’s.”, he began running and made a hard stop, “Wait, I don’t know where Cynthia lives.”

“It’s lucky you got her best friend by your side.”, I told him, letting go of his hand and leading him.

“How does it feel to have your brother date your best friend?”, this question made me laugh inside but I decided to be serious and make up a story about jealousy.

“I dunno, I think he could be brash with you and I’m afraid it will affect Cyn.”, I answered.

“I think he is quite sweet with her!”, Paul stepping into John’s defence was cute as hell, “I know he could be violent and agressive, but he always defends Cynthia and honours her desicions, privacy and time. Though I admit, he is possessive. But Cynthia could be clingy and possessive too.”

“You can’t say that against her!”, I defended Cyn, “Cyn barely sees him because of your practices.”

“You have a point, but sticking around during that time could be distracting for Johnny.”

“Well, John making a mess in front of her parents could be distracting for Cyn.”

I made a reminder to write in here that I shouldn’t be that overreactive to Cyn because it makes her look bad, even though it solidifies our “relationship”.

We arrived at Cyn’s.

I rang the doorbell, and her highness, Cynthia Powell, or Lennon if we continue doing this forever, came out with her hair full of curlers.

“Jules! What is the occassion?”, she noticed me first, “I didn’t think we were going out today?”

“Hi, Cyn, have you perhaps seen John?”, I asked.

Cynthia began laughing because I just asked where I was.

“I wish I had… We haven’t gone out in a while…”

I gave Paul the look of  “See?”

“Perhaps you could give us some more information where he could be?”, Paul asked with a scoff.

“He isn’t at Jules’ so… Because Paul’s here you checked the Tavern… You could check the record store!”

Paul lit up. Cyn did me a favour. At least I could see some new records.

“Bye, Cynthia!”, Paul dragged me again.

“Hey! Cyn, bye!”, I shouted for Cyn to hear me, “Why are you leading again!”

“Too slow.”, he said, “We were just fast walking! He could’ve got to the end of Liverpool by now!”

“Paul! Don’t worry your pretty head about it!”, I made a hard stop!

“Why’d ya stop!”

“John wouldn’t run anywhere. He’s lazy about stuff.”

“I’ll slow down then.”, he still held me by my hand, “But we are faster walking!”

I chuckled at his behaviour. I love him so much, my dear diary, I do.

“So, Cynthia calls you Jules?”

“Yeah… Almost all of my friends call me that. Even though my name isn’t shortened in anyway.”

“But it is cooler.”, god, my heart melted for that boy right then.

“Right on the mark, fella’”, my John was showing through.

We entered NEMS, a music store which began selling new records. I wanted to check it out for a while. Inside were two people, an older gentleman and a younger man who was becoming an intern I guess? The fresh intern went to the staff room. I was starry eyed! Records upon records upon more records! Paul felt like home too by his expression. 

“John and I have to check it out together! I could even bring George here.”

“Yeah, I’d love to look at this too.”, I sighed.

“You can come with us!”, Paul looked into my eyes.

“I dunno.”

Paul used the “puppy dog eyes” on me.

“You think we aren’t cool enough? Or maybe that we’re boring! Or… small?”

I remembered I was two years older than him.

“You are a bunch of nerds, and I am, so deal.”, I made an unfulfillable promise.

He happily leads me to the counter to ask for John.

“Hi!”

“Hello.”, the older gentleman said.

“Um, have you seen about this high-”, he pointed to me, “boy with a quiff like me and similar outfit enter today?”

The older gentleman gently smiled.

“No. I’d remember a teddy boy if I saw one. My son, Brian, always points them out, today is the day he becomes the director, so you’ll see him more. It’s a shame he isn’t working at the cash register today, he is great with this new record craze.”

So, that younger man is his son.

“Oh congrats.”, I politely congratulate him.

“I hope you find your friend soon.”, he wished us luck.

“I hope too.”, Paul said, “And thank you, good luck to your son.”

Paul is always so polite. It was already lunchtime, and I think Paul is hungry. Paul and I would usually go for a snack right about now so I knew where Paul was heading. Our favourite restaurant spot wasn't far from NEMS. I wanted to curse Paul for pulling me everywhere, but I didn’t have time. Paul headed to our favourite waitress which John relentlessly teased. Paul was intelligent, of course he’d head for her! 

“I didn’t spot any Lennon.”, she infeciously giggled, “Except his sister behind ya.”

Another fooled woman. Just how charming was my illusion?

Paul came close to me grabbing my hand.

“John’s not here, time to go.”

“Paul, you need to eat something!”, I said sternly, “You’re hungry!”

“No, I’m not!”, he was angry.

His stomach grumbled.

“Your digestive system says otherwise.”, I made a medical pun! A medical pun. So uncool.

Paul sighed, “Then we’ll grab some grub and continue searching. I hope John’s okay…”

He cares about me so much…

We sat on our… John’s and his favourite spot. Usually John would make some unnecessary puns at the waitress so I decided to do the absolute opposite.

“So, what’ll it be for you and Lennon?”, she was joking.

“I would like the usual.”

I would love to say the usual, but.

“I would like a burger, no fries, with a Coke. That’s it.”, I was straightforward with listing my favourite order.

“Siblings have similar taste.”, she chuckled and then she gasped.

“What?”, I panicked.

“Nothing nothing, just a funny little thought.”, she looked at Paul, “I mean you even share friends.”

“This is just pure coincidence, your Johnny went missing.”, I explained.

“He went missing!”

“Yes, why would I, his best friend, be asking if he was here?”

“Then we will hurry up with your orders, lovebirds.”, she’s done it.

“What?”, Paul was pink from embarrassment.

I facepalmed myself.

“At least our food will come faster without a prolonged battle of wits.”

“You really are something, Jules. Never seen a girl be this direct in my life.”

I raised my eyebrow.

“You haven’t met enough of us lad.”, I pat him on the head unconsciously.

I realized it when he said, “Haven’t had a good chance to talk with you.”

I quickly got my hand off, “Oh.”

“Usually I look at birds, I mean girls as people who like cute clothes, organizing themselves, having fun, following trends, wearing makeup, doing their hair… Geo would describe a typical girl as “Cynthia”.”

“George isn’t right. Cynthia is a great girlie, she loves art and enrolled into a great college and is doing gear.”

“Not in that right, but like… What I said before that. You are not like that. You are… A girl's girl, though, hum, you’re into records like John and dress more casually. You don’t draw attention.”

“Are you saying I’m not feminine enough?”, I got angry.

Paul got more pink.

“I-I jus-just think you being different is cool, because you-you aren’t interested in men, um, noticing you. You are just you.”, he calmed down. I didn’t see him mutter so much, except when he lied to Dot and when a cute girl approaches him.

“You are lying.”

He got pink.

“No. I mean it! Cross my heart. Which girl has such a cool nickname? Only you.”

My dreams came true, I could’ve died at that moment. I was red for sure.

“That’s enough. You need to hang out with more women.”

Our food arrived hot from the oven. We take it out.

“Bye!”, Paul and I say.

“When you find Johnny, tell him he shouldn’t disappear on you like that ever again!”

“I will teach him a lesson.”, I told her.

“Oh, Paulie, you should watch out! The stories are true! While Johnny is too intelligent for his own good, she is too intelligent for our good.”

I roll my eyes, while Paul laughed. I couldn’t help but smile.

“I know where we should go! You were right, this literally was food for thought!”

“Where?”

“Strawberry Fields!”, Paul took my hand and blushed…

“I won’t drag ya this time… Just keep up.”

“Alright, Paul.”, he led and I trailed behind him, quickly catching up. 

Strawberry Fields was further than any spot we visited so far. Paul wasn’t up for a talk now, I could see by his focused face and huffing. He was really worried for John. 

We arrived in record time for us two, just ten minutes of  “faster walking”.

“JOHN!!!”, Paul shouted scaring people in the park, “Julia, you take the left side of the park and I’ll take the right, we’ll meet at the fountain okay?”

God, I will have to scream an imaginary person’s name to convince Paul and the others. This seems so fucking funny.

“John!”, I shouted everytime before entering another part of the park.

I asked around for myself. I wanted to die of embarassment and laughter everytime. I had to go to some bush to laugh it out. My search was of course fruitless and I gave up pretending and went to the bench. I got my worried face on. I had to act. Because this really was the last place I would think of going. Paul came with a deathly afraid face without hope.

“Where is John, where the hell is he?”, Paul loudly elaborated.

“I know he’s fine. I’m sure of it. He is home surely, we just didn’t have any luck to run into him-”

“HOW COULD YOU KNOW! YOU HAVEN’T HAD A REAL CONVERSATION WITH HIM FOR MONTHS, JULIA!”, Paul screamed, “WHO KNOWS WHERE HE COULD BE! MAYBE HE WAS SADDENED BY YOUR NONCHANLANT ACTING!”

Paul put his hands on his mouth. I sold the image about Julia and John’s relationship too well.

“Paul… I didn’t know he felt that way. I could be naggy and too logical sometimes…”

“We are emotional too! We’re not queer for being that way.”, Paul got upset real fast.

“Paul, Paul…”, I pat him on the shoulder. I made my angel upset. I did that. My lack of planning made this day awful. Paul felt insecure for being called queer.

“People call you that?”

“My eyes… My eyelashes to be exact.”, he pointed, “My "pigeon" chest. My dainty figure.”

“You are not dainty.”, I defended him, “You are a man like any other!”

“I don't think I'm like John.”, oh Paulie…

“He is so brave and strong. He can stand up to anyone… Don’t tell him, but I really think he’s my coolest and my biggest idol. He is George’s too.”

I’m an idol? I’m like Elvis already. Jokes on me.

“That’s why he is fine, Paul. I won’t tell him, I promise.”

You told him yourself Paul.

A small pause.

“You know.”

He looks into my eyes.

“He respects you a lot too. He told me last time we spoke. His words were “Macca can play so well he could best any Liverpool player.”. I trust him on that McCartney.”

“He even in private calls me Macca…”, his words wandered off, “I’m glad you told me.”

He hugged me. It was late afternoon.

“If you want, we can go to my house and check if John’s back? If not, we could ask aunt Mimi to make us some tea. John bought a tin of Digestives for when you and George come by.”

“That’s nice of him.”, Paul smiled, “I’m sorry for dragging you so suddenly… I was so drawn in by my best friend going missing that I didn't even want to listen to reason.”

“It’s alright. I should’ve gone with you and searched, you did the right thing. And I had fun. Though it was stressful. I have seen the new NEMS record selection and had time to talk with John’s little friend.”

Paul blushed profusely. 

“Not so little aren’t I?”

I wanted to kiss him on the lips at that moment but I held myself together.

“Yeah. You aren’t. You're a big boy now.”

He looked at my chin.

“Yeah, yeah.”, he let me lead the way.

“What a gentleman.”, I chuckled.

“Only for a lady like you, Julia.”, he smiled sadly. His day did go to waste. John’s clothes are dry for sure so he will see his Johnny today. Now I was speeding up.

“Oi! Now, you are going too fast! Aren’t you tired?”

“Exactly why I am “faster walking”.”, I lied.

“I follow.”, he giggled.

“I love your smile, Paul.”, I regret that too.

“I love yours too, Julia, it’s beautiful. It suits you as it suits John.”

He called our smiles beautiful! Paul loves us! And respects us!

We ran and arrived at my house at sunset. I rang the doorbell.

Aunt Mimi didn’t get the door and we heard some shouting.

“JOHN WINSTON LENNON! YOU ARE GROUNDED! GOING TO STRAWBERRY FIELDS THEN COMING BACK DIRTY AS A PIG! AND TO THINK MY INNOCENT LITTLE NEPHEW WOULD DO THIS!”

Aunt Mimi was smart.

“Looks like we found Johnny.”, I sighed full of relief.

“You were correct about him being fine! Oh, Jules, you’re so cool!”

Wow, now that I write that down, I can’t believe that happened, but it did.

We heard some steps and aunt Mimi opened the door.

“No need to explain, auntie!”, I said.

“I’m glad you don’t cause so much stress, Jules.”, she patted me on the head, “My innocent little niece. Your poor little friend can sit down. John will come down, Julia will go and help him clean himself up.”

I hug her. I sent her a “thank you” look.

“Yes, auntie!”, I tried to go upstairs.

“Julia, I had fun!”, he said without reason. Maybe he knew I wouldn’t come down. So. I did the unthinkable.

“Me too, thank you for this day Paul.”, I hugged him and ran upstairs.

I knew my aunt was going to pester him about this.

I went to John’s room again and the clothes were dry. I got some already dirty towels and clothes on the floor. I put on my bandages, dressed up, fixed up my hair and put on makeup. And I was done! Great! Just great. I didn’t get to spend the whole day working with Paul! I haven't heard his idea yet! Maybe he lost it by now. Just because of mine and Julia’s poor planning.

I left my room and went downstairs just to be greeted with Paul’s hug.

“JOHN! YOU GIT!”, he squeezed me hard.

“I missed ya too lad.”, I said.

“YOU WENT OUT WITHOUT ANYONE KNOWING! YOU IMBECILE!”

“I went outside for a ciggy and inspiration, and everyone gets their knickers in a twist? Though outside meant some bushes in Strawberry Fields.”

“Where’s Jules? Can you ask her to come down with the guitar?”, he got pink again.

“You want her or the guitar?”, I joked.

“Um, I want both!”, he got defensive.

“You like my sister?”, I am a special kind of cunt.

“NO. I was wondering where she is…”

“She has become one with the bed, bloody tired from runnin’ after ya. Literally heard ya dragged her to find me, knight in shining armour.”

He blushed again.

“I apologized.”

“I know.”, I let off, “I’ll get the guitar. I hope Mimi isn’t too mad.”

“From what I’ve heard, she is.”

I get my guitar quickly. I’m back to see that Mimi is letting me hang out with Paul.

“I convinced her to let us work.”

“You are still grounded.”, Mimi stated.

“I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Until you’re 21, you are a child, John.”

I sighed. Thank you for looking out for me.

“I have this melody I have to show ya.”, that was the reason he came.

“Great. I have some text and melodies to show ya too.”

“We could combine them. Oh, do you know your sister writes poetry? It’s similar to you. Both of you start with text.”

“Oh… She didn’t tell me.”, I faked being disappointed.

“And she has some mannerisms like you, and she speaks her mind, and she has a good taste in music, her smile is similar and”

He paused for a second laughing.

He knows too much! Distraction, fast, distraction!

“You indeed like her.”, I spouted not thinking. Though this would be so nice if it were true.

“I wanted to say, that that makes you siblings for sure and shows how much time you spend together.”, Paul rolled his eyes, “Do you want me to get with your sister? You think people like your sister are my type?”

“They aren’t…”, I sighed, “I’m joking Macca. You know me.”

“It isn’t a very nice joke.”, he pouted.

“Oh, now jokes have to be nice?”, I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Jokes have to offend somebody otherwise they aren’t funny.”, a nugget of knowledge from John Winston Lennon.

“What’s next? It’s okay because the means justify the ends.”, Paul made a great joke worth a laugh.

We went to my room and sat on my bed discussing the melodies and text… We had a blast.

“You sure we aren’t too loud for Jules?”, he was worried.

“Oh, no… She sleeps like a log.”, I made up some new story on the spot.

He chuckles.

“I know now why you can’t stand each other!”, he thought to himself.

“Why Macca dear?”, I came closer.

He closed in, a hair away from my nose.

“Because you are too similar.”, he turned around, making me jump! God, I was being queer again! Stop!

“Yeah.”

Late night. Meaning Paulie has to go home. 

“I must head out.”, he poshly elaborated.

“I’ll see ya to the door, Mr. McCartney.”

“You know, your aunt has been making eyes at my behaviour because your sister thanked me for a great day.”

“So, I’m not the only one. Mimi is a queen.”

“Mr. Lennon, you drive me crazy.”

“Crazy? I drive you mad huh?”, I played with the word.

Paul rolled his eyes.

“Wanted to say mad with love?”

“Mad with power! God, Paulie, you and your love stuff. And you have to stop setting yourself up for queer jokes.”, I ruffled his hair.

“Thanks Lenny, now I have less ruffling to do.”

“Always at your service, Macca.”

“See ya, Johnny.”

“Goodbye, Paulie.”

I closed the door and was relieved.

“Julia Victoria Lennon, I trust you won’t be going out as John for two weeks?”, Mimi was washing the dishes.

“I promise, Mimi, I’m so glad you exist. How did you know we were coming?”, I went to the kitchen.

“Oh, I was watching every couple of minutes to check if you are near. When I saw you in the distance, I began screaming a bit earlier and repeated the whole sequence in a circle.”

“Auntie, you are very smart and I promise you as your smart niece that I won’t get into this mess again.”

“John is still grounded!”, Mimi was difficult.

“That sucks!”

“Your little friend understands. He respects John and respects me, so he’ll wait out.”, she put down the sponge.

“And my gigs?”

“Go and cancel them.”, she looked me straight into the eyes.

“Not even the gigs?”

“Not even them. Learn your lesson.”

“I’ll help ya around the house, just don’t make it two weeks.”

“Maybe I’ll look over next week's gigs, but this week no.”

“Oh! Great. Good night, Mimi.”, I put the chairs in their places and went upstairs to tidy up my room. I got out of my outfit. Always a nice feeling when I get off of bandages, almost as good as when I get in them. I take off my makeup. I wash and dress fresh. 

And now I’m here writing this down. What did I think of this day? Exactly what I wrote at the beginning plus…

I’m not letting myself make the same mistake ever again.

Rest of Sacrifame

[ilovedig]

most of the hashtags really piss me off. Mimi was abusive and this is a great example of that.

John is almost 30 and she's acting like he needs to do things she approves of, if he doesn't it can't possibly be something he legit thinks or feels.

Not to mention she basically said John didn't come from a "slum" so he was a very happy child.

Contrary to popular belief, Mimi, you can in fact be an abusive guardian regardless of the amount of money you have.

Interview with [Aunt] Mimi Smith (Bournemouth,1970)

QUESTION: What do you really think of the Beatles?

MIMI SMITH: The boys had talent, yes, but they also had a lot of luck as well. When they first played “Love Me Do” I didn’t think much of it.

QUESTION: How did you view the troubles the Beatles have been going through these last few years?

SMITH: I don’t know all this business between John and Paul is about and I don’t dare ask John. I did ring Paul about it, and he told me things would straighten up. The boys have been friends so long. I remember them coming home from school together on their bikes, begging biscuits. I’m sure they’ll get back together soon. This uis just a phase they’re passing through.

QUESTION: These days your nephew is very involved in a variety of social, political, and avant-garde causes. How do you feel about that?

SMITH: I’ve just quit reading the papers these days. Apple sends me his records, but I won’t play them. And I’ve asked my friends not to tell me about them. The shameful album cover and that [erotic] art show of his. He’s been naughty and the public doesn’t like it, and he’s sorry for it. Now he wants sympathy. That’s why he’s come out with all these fantastic stories about an unhappy childhood. It’s true that his mother wasn’t there and there was no father around, but my husband and I gave him a wonderful home. John didn’t buy me these furnishings, my husband did. John, Paul, and George wrote many songs together sitting on the sofa you’re sitting on now, long before you’d ever heard of the Beatles. Why, John even had a pony when he was a little boy! He certainly didn’t come from a slum! None of the boys did. The Harrisons weren’t as well off as the other families, perhaps, but George wasn’t from a slum, either, the way the press had it. And that’s why you never saw photographs of John’s boyhood home. We certainly weren’t imperished, the way John’s talking now?

QUESTION: What do you think changed John so much from his early days as a carefree kid?

SMITH: She’s responsible for all this, Yoko. She changed him, and I’m sure she and Linda are behind the split between John and Paul. Cynthia was such a nice girl. When she and John were in art college, she’d come to my house and say, “Oh, Mimi, what am I going to do about John?” She’d sit there until he came home. Cynthia really pursued him. He’d walk up the road and back until she got tired of waiting and went home. I think he was afraid of her, actually.

QUESTION: You realize, of course, that to many people John is something of a political leader with such songs as, “Power to the People,” for example …

SMITH: Don’t talk to me about such things! I know that boy. He doesn’t know what he’s saying! It’s all an act. If there were a revolution, John would be the first in the queue to run! Why, he’s scared to death of things like that! That’s Yoko talking, not John! Yoko is not exactly right in the head. Everytime John does something bad and gets his picture in the papers he rings up to smooth me over. See that new color television? It was a Christmas present, but he had it delivered early. A big present arrives every time he’s been naughty. I usually have a huge photograph of John hanging in the lounge. When he’s a good boy, it’ll go back up again!

[guitars-and-kaleidoscope-eyes]

Here Today

Chapter Two: We Can Work It Out

In case you missed previous chapters:

May, 1950

"I'm gonna get you, Julia!" John yelled as he chased his three year old sister around his mother's house, with one year old Jackie trying her best to keep up as she crawled.

"Noho!" Julia giggled as she tried to get away. She hid under a table, but John found her soon enough and pulled her into his lap and began tickling her.

"Nohoho! Stop it John!" Julia screamed as John ticked her.

Meanwhile, John's aunt Mary (who preferred to go by Mimi) and his mother, Julia, were standing out in the backyard, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it raised. It had just been raining the night before, so the grass was still wet. John had asked to spend the night at his mother's house, which Mimi had agreed to let John do. (Which was very unlike Mimi.)

John had come out to greet Mimi when she had pulled in the driveway the next morning, but wouldn't get in the car. Julia and Mimi had been fighting when Mimi took John away five years ago. They adventully put an end to it just before John turned eight, but there was still a bit of awkwardness between the sisters. John had had enough. He told Mimi he wouldn't get in the car unless Mimi and his mum had a talk and ended this once and for all.

"The roses turned out very nice this year." Mimi said, looking at Julia's flower beds.

"Thankyou Mary." Julia said.

"Mimi." The sister corrected.

"Right, Mimi." Julia said.

There was a bit of awkward silence amongst the sisters. Then Mimi decided to break it.

"Look Julia, John wanted me to talk to you and end this fude between us." Mimi said.

"You took my son away. What's there to talk about?" Julia asked stubbornly.

"Julia, you have to realize I only did that to protect John. When I saw the way you were-" Mimi was cut off.

"Well you could have at least let me see him more! For God's sake, John practically has to beg you to let him come over!" Julia said.

"Well with the way you are!" Mimi explained, "You went running off and getting married to Alf, and now you're with that Dykins man while still married to the first one!"

"His name is Bobby." Julia said.

"Look Julia." Mimi said, rubbing her forehead, "This is what I was trying to avoid. When I took John away, I was only trying to protect him. I didn't want him to grow up to be a failure because of the way that you were jumping from one man to the next. I wanted him to have a real chance. Your life was a common mess and the boy was too young to be living between that."

"Well you could have let me visit him more. You took him away completely." Julia said, arms crossed.

"Yes, and that part I admit was wrong of me." Mimi said.

"Oh! Mary Smith, Ms. Proper admits something! Well, someone call the papers, this is big news!" Julia teased, causing both Mimi and Julia and laugh.

"Alright! I can be a bit of a prune at times, but I wanted to make sure John would grow up well, and not be influenced by you during that period." Mimi said, "So yes. I'm sorry for not allowing you to see John as much as I should have."

"And I'm sorry was the way I behaved. I was quite a mess then and wasn't ready to be a mother." Julia apologized.

"Oh Julia, I'm so glad we got this through with! I was so upset that we weren't speaking!" Mimi said.

"Mimi, I was upset to. I hated what this was doing to our relationship. We were always so close, and then my stupid self had to go and ruin it." Julia said.

"Well enough of that." Mimi said. "What do you say, next weekend we go have lunch together and try and work out this relationship more.

"Yes, we should do that. There's a new diner over on 14th Street we could check out." Julia suggested.

"That sounds lovely!" Mimi said. "Well I better be leaving with John. When should we meet."

"How about noon on Saturday?" Julia asked.

"That's great!" Mimi said as she began walking towards the house to fetch John.

"Oh, Mimi?" Julia asked.

"Yes?" Mimi asked turning around when she was suddenly embraced in a hug by her sister.

"It's great to have you back." Julia said.

"It's great to have you back too, Julia."

[thecoleopterawithana]

[Mendips] was a very catty household; John liked cats. They had pedigree Siamese cats, which again is slightly middle-class, if you think about it, rather than a puppy. There was always this slight feeling. His was Aunt Mimi, ours were all called Aunty: Aunty Edie, Aunty Jin, Aunty Milly, Aunty Flo. John had an Aunt Harriet, and Harriet was not a name we came across, especially when they called her Harrie! We never knew women called Mimi, she would have been called Mary. But Aunt Mary became Mimi, which is very sophisticated, very twenties and thirties, very jazz era. So it was Harriet and Mimi: I can imagine them with long cigarette holders. It was like Richmal Crompton's Just William books to me. You read Just William books because you like that world. I'm not ashamed of it, I'm attracted by that. I think it's a rich world, the world of Varsity, the Racquet Club sort of thing. So John was a particularly attractive character in that kind of world. And John was the all-important year and a half older than me.

Paul McCartney, in Barry Miles’ Many Years From Now (1997).

See also:

John was from a very middle-class family, which really impressed me because everyone else was from working-class families. To us, John was upper class. His relatives were teachers, dentists, even someone up in Edinburgh in the BBC. It’s ironic, he was always very ‘fuck you!’ and he wrote the song Working Class Hero – in fact, he wasn’t at all working class.

— Paul McCartney, in The Beatles Anthology (1995).

John’s family was rather sort of middle-class— there was a lot of his appeal to me. I still am attracted to… hum, that type of person. Particularly the British type of person. My auntie Jin used to say: “Son, see, there’s nothing nicer than an educated Scot’s voice.” And I know what she means! [Scottish accent] You know, that rather nice Scottish purr… And John had relatives up in Edinburgh, and one of them was a dentist and somebody worked in the BBC! After all, now, come on! None of us knew people like that! So I was kind of attracted to that. It wasn’t a social climbing thing, it’s just that I do find it attractive. I like intelligent people, I like talented people.

— Paul McCartney [Audio]

-

As per the Just William book series’ Wikipedia page:

“The Just William series is a sequence of thirty-nine books written by English author Richmal Crompton. The books chronicle the adventures of the unruly schoolboy William Brown. [...]

“William Brown is a middle-class schoolboy of 11, who lives in a country village in Southern England. [...] William is the leader of his band of friends, who call themselves the Outlaws, with his best friend Ginger and his other friends Henry and Douglas. His scruffy mongrel is called Jumble. [...]

“Leader of the Outlaws, William is unique in schoolboy literature – confident, strong-willed, independent-minded with original world-views, a born leader who is keen to be chief in any undertaking of the Outlaws. He does not care about his clothes or appearance, wears a scowl as his best "company manners" and hates small talk. [...] William usually has a withering contempt for girls and women (except his mother) but can occasionally be chivalrous. He has a soft spot for the neighbour, Joan, who admires him enormously. A rebel and die-hard optimist, William often shows a strong sense of responsibility when the situation demands, an unwillingness to back out of challenges and a bulldog-like determination to overcome hurdles. His imagination and love of adventure constantly get him into strange and difficult situations. Peculiar complications often arise when he tries to "help" others, but as fortune favours the brave, William usually wins.”

[eppysboys]

As John slowly developed a capacity for self-reliance, his arguments with Mimi grew. There were painful consequences. John's emerging self-assurance was closely matched to his confidence in his writing, but this would often be frustrated and criticised by Mimi: "I used to say, 'Don't you destroy my papers.' I'd come home when I was 14 and she'd rooted through all my things and threw all away my poetry out. I was saying, 'One day I'll be famous and you're going to regret it."

The Making of John Lennon by Francis Kenny

[beatle-stories333]

miss mimi giving georgie a smooch 💋

[huntbeatlesblog]

LECTURE 6: MEET THE BEATLES (PART 1): Here is a brief mini-documentary about Mendips (251 Menlove Avenue, Liverpool), where Aunt Mimi raised John Lennon from age 5 to when he moved out eighteen years later, at age 23. Along with 20 Forthlin Road (Paul’s childhood home), Mendips is owned by the National Trust, a preservation group that restores and protects historic places.