Chapter 3


"Well," my Aunt Janice said, "this is it. This is the Cavern Club."

"Wow," I said. "Never thought I'd get to see it. Can we go in?"

"You don't want to go in, it's just not the same anymore."

"How do you mean?"

"They've redone the whole place. It's called the Cavern, but it's not THE Cavern." She paused. "Am I making any sense?"

"Perfectly. You're right, it's not the Beatles Cavern anymore, is it?"

She shook her head, and we continued walking down Matthews Street. I had heard and read the the Cavern was in a nothing of a location, a warehouse district that made it ideal for the jazzy beatniks who had chartered the place. Now, though the neighborhood did not strike me as very wealthy, cafes and shops had sprung up, many of which offered some kind of Beatle-related merchandise or memorabelia.

"This is actually a good shop," Aunt Janice said as we passed by one. "Do you want to go in?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure, why not?" We walked in, and my first impression was that it was nothing more than a nicknack gift shop type of place. Then I noticed the cases near the back, almost hidded from view, and went back to them.

The proprieter came out of the back room then. "Hello, what have we here?"

Aunt Janice said, "Hi, Mark!"

"Well, Janice! I haven't seen you in a while!"

"Well, I got a new job," she answered him. "Can't come by as often as I'd like. Mark, I'd like you to meet my neice and namesake, Janice. She'll be staying the summer. Jan, this is Mark, who has a bigger collection of Beatle stuff than anyone I can think of, possibly more than the Beatles themselves!"

"Well, I don't think the Beatles would buy their own lunchboxes, do you? They just get the money, though!" We laughed and he turned to me. "Pleased to meet you," he said.

I nodded. "I was just making my way towards what appears to be a case of records," I said, motioning my head in that direction.

"Go right ahead. Pick any one out, on me. Happy Graduation!"

"Far out!" I said. "Aunt Jan, you really know how to pick 'em!" I said with a laugh and a teasing note in my voice as I moved toward my quarry. I saw her blush -- just a bit -- and I knew that I'd receive no mercy if she found occasion to rib me about anything.

I started going through the records. Most of them were either ones that I truly didn't care for or I already had. I had found a few that I might want, though. "Mark, who is this?" I said, holding a record aloft. I found the cover with its depiction of the Hindenburg disaster interesting, at least. Mostly, I was wondering who had the gall to use something like that as a record cover.

"New group," Mark answered. "The critics have slammed them, but I happen to like that record very much. The guitarist is the guy from the Yardbirds."

"Jeff Beck?"

"No, the other one. Jimmy Page. I'm surprised you're not going for any of the Beatles records in there, though."

"I have them all."

"The British pressings?"

"Advantages of having a relative in Britain."

"You never wondered why I bought two of every album?" Aunt Janice said.

"I shoulda known," he said with a laugh.

"This one's good, you say?" I said, half to myself.

"I think so. Great, bluesy rock."

"Haven't had any of that for awhile."

"Exactly. It's pretty much just been the Stones out for that, and even they went psychedelic for awhile."

"Watch it, I love psychedelia. Dandelion is one of my favorite songs!"

"What a nut! Okay, you can have your psychedelia. I'm now ordering you to take that album and listen to it twice a day for two weeks."

Aunt Jan and I started laughing, and I said, "What, this is my prescription? What are you, Doctor Mark? Liverpool's version of Doctor Robert?"

"Just a little more legal!" He said.

"Led Zeppelin one," I said as we walked out of the store. "Have you heard it?"

"A little bit. One of my friends has it. And Two."

"Two?"

"They've released two albums, which they've called One and Two."

"Not very creative, are they?" I laughed. "Why have I not heard of them?"

"Good question. Maybe because they were both around much Beatle activity. You'd probably have been paying more attention to that. But I think my friend mentioned that they've played in California."

"Hm. Well, I dunno. I know someone came through awhile ago to mediocre reception and lukewarm reviews, but I seriously didn't pay much attention."

"Well, it's been like, a year since they released the second album. I haven't really heard anything about them lately. Maybe they've broken up."

"Seems to be the season for it," I muttered. "My friends would seriously not believe this," I then said to change the subject.

"Believe what?"

"That my aunt took me to look at Beatle-y places in England and that it was her idea!"

"Ah, you haven't told them about the black sheep of the family?"

"I just haven't told them that you're the youngest! And I also thought you were more simply tolerant of my 'evil ways,' as dear old Grandad puts it. I suppose I could've guessed... I mean, my dad was in high school when you were born, right?"

"Right, but let's not get into age too much!"

"Don't worry, I'll try not to remind you too often of how old you've gotten."

"Twenty-eight, man! I'm almost thirty!"

"Oh, don't get all 'lost youth' on me! I know darn well that you made the most of your early years!"

"Yeah, and I'll be old and gray before I tell you about so much as half of it!"

We laughed and walked on. We ended up eating at a restaurant a few blocks away, but since Aunt Janice had to be at work in London the next morning, we left right after that. We had driven up to Liverpool the previous day and stayed at her old college roommate's place for the night.

"So, what are you doing for college?" She asked me along the way.

I sighed. "I dunno, really. I was accepted at Berkely and Boston University, but I truly am not looking forward to four more years in school. Naturally, mom and dad are pressuring me to go to Boston. I think, though, that I'll end up going to the junior college for a couple years. Unless I can get away with moving out and working."

"What do you want to do?"

"Actually, I'm not sure. That's one reason I think that I ought to wait a year before pursuing higher education. It would give me a little more time to decide what my life sentence is going to be."

"Do you want my opinion?"

"Let's have it."

"Okay. I think that college is very important. I think that it opens a door to better opportunities, not to mention higher pay. However," she said as she saw the look I was giving her, "it's not for everyone, especially not right away. I think that you'll know if you're ready."

"Thank you," I said. "I think I needed to hear something other than 'you have to go to college'."

"I cringe to think of what your parents would say if they head me now. I also want to say that I know that you want to leave home, and that you need to get away from there. If you decide not to go to college, I'd like to invite you to move in with me."

I stared at her, aghast. "You mean it?" I finally said. "Honest?"

"Yes. You will be expected to work, you know. My roommate just moved out, and I'm running negative, so I need another roommate. I make a fair amount of money, so it's not as if you need to get a really good paying job right away. There's not much of a difference that needs to be made up with rent. You'll naturally pay your own phone bills, though."

"Naturally. I like this idea, though. It intrigues me. I'd like to think about it for awhile. Do I need anything to work in England?"

"Either proof of citizenship or an international work permit. We can see about getting you either, if you so choose."

"Wow, okay, cool... Yes, I'll think on that for awhile."


Chapter 2 - - - - Chapter 4

Dream Away