December 8, 1980 we lost John Lennon.
I remember the day well which is a rare event for me. I was 4 months pregnant with my first child, my daughter Sara. I remember going outside that winter day to see some strange man painting huge letters on the town garage that was kitty corner to my parents house. I didn't know who this man was or why he was defacing the barn but I remember being angry that he was doing it. I called the police and let them handle it.
Meanwhile after going back inside I heard on the news that John Lennon had been killed...shot to death. I was shocked and very upset. I didn't know what to do with myself so I grabbed a coat and went back outside. I stared at that barn for a long time. In huge red letters it said 'This is for you John...'. Now I felt bad for having called the police and gotten that man in trouble. Now I understood.
Later that week I found out the man was a boyfriend (Ray)of a friend of mine. He got community service for writing on the barn and he was supposed to also paint over what he had written. I don't know if he ever did his community service but I do know he came back and finished what he had started. The barn now read:
'This is for you John. Give peace a chance.'
Ray never painted over that message and no one ever tried to make him. That message remained on the barn until it was torn down many many years later. It became our own tribute to John Lennon.
I don't regret calling the police on Ray. The only thing I ever knew him to do right was to write that message on that barn. December 8, 1980 we lost John Lennon and the whole world cried for him.
Thanks, Ray.
