The night of 22 of November 1963, Alan Taylor sits astride his Triumph 21 motorbike waiting for an old friend from a life time ago to return home from his work. Although he was on his way to Warwick for a much anticipated meeting, he decided to make a short detour to see if he could save the life of his old friend, John Cooper. To his certain knowledge John wouldn't die for another 23 years.
Alan knew it would be difficult to make anybody believe the story he was about to tell, but he had one hard fact that no one could refute by the end of the evening.
As John Cooper drove up the road he noticed a young man sitting astride a motorbike under the street lamp outside his house. Although John didn't recognise the man he had a strange feeling of knowing him and knowing him well. As John got out of his car, Alan greeted him by saying. I see your've bought your Heinkel bubble car then? Having bought the Heinkel only 4 days earlier John was taken aback, and replied, I'm sorry! do I know you? Alan replied well no, but I know you, that's to say I once knew you. John looking into the eye's of Alan and felt slightly ill at ease and said, look I haven't really got time for this I'm off out tonight and I want a bite to eat and get changed so if you don't mind I'm going in.... And with that John turns and starts to walk up the path to his house.
Alan calls out saying. Off out with Pat tonight are you? John turns and says, do you know Pat then? Well I know her in the same way as I know you replies Alan, I have never met her, but yes I know her. John walks back down the path and up to Alan and says, your not making much sense mate so whats this all about? Well says Alan......look I can see this is going to be difficult..... Look it's half past five now, can we go for a drink down the pub it's only 50 yards away and I can explain whats this is all about. No! I don't think so says John I do need to get ready to go out. And with that he turns and makes his way up the path once more.
No wait ..... Alan calls out. Look if I tell you something about you, a secret, that only you know, and nobody else in the world could possibly know, then would you come and listen to what I have to say. And how could you know a secret of mine replies John, we've never met before now.....
I know because you told me , came Alan's reply. Oh yes says John, and when did I pass on this secret...In about 3 years time says Alan with a smile.
Alan sit's back on his bike and says. Your Granddad has a farm in Devon, and when you were about 11 you were down there on your summer holidays. One night you sneaked out of bed to go to a barn, you'd heard that one of the farm cats had given birth to some kittens and you wanted to see them.
So you took a box of matches with you and.......Well, you burnt the barn down.
You went back to bed and never said a word to anyone....One of the young lads in the village got the blame, apparently he was a bit backward and was known to like playing with matches.
John could hardly believe what he had just heard. It was all true. And he had never told anyone that secret, all he could say was, how the bloody hell do you know that? Alan kick-starts his bike and looking over his shoulder says. Because you told me that in 1966..... Now come on and jump on the back of me bike and I'll tell you something really important.
The pub a 100 yards away was call The Iron Horse. Alan remembers the first time he went there in his last life. That was also with John on the stag night of one of John's friend's, Mugsy Morgan.
He vaguely wonders if he will also see Mugsy there tonight, he hope's not as he knows to much about his life as well and he can't help everyone. Alan parked his bike by the bus terminal shelter and followed John into the pub. The pub was just as he remembered it, a little down at heel but still warm and friendly place. There was lots of familiar faces he remembered, the early doors regulars.
Doris in the corner drinking her half pint of milk stout, and the three old soldiers playing domino's and still talking of their life in the forces. Alan reflected on this, what they had gone through in the war would still be fairly recent history. At one point for Alan the war had been over for 47 years.
John asked Alan what he was drinking. Brown and mild please answered Alan. Alan watched John walk over to the bar stopping to have a word with one or two of the regulars.
He was the best dressed man in the place. Wearing his three piece suit among all the early door workers, the builders, factory worker, and various other who calling for a drink before going home.
John was one of those people who never seemed out of place, regardless of how he was dressed or where he was. He seemed to be followed around in his own spot-light, he was what Alan thought as over good looking, the type girls loved and men disliked. He looked like Engelbert Humpadinck who at this point in time was still Gerry Dorsey. At the bar John looked over to where Alan was sitting.
John thought Alan was trying the "rebel without a cause" look of James Dean, nearly there he thought. He paid for the drinks and made his way over to where Alan sat. Now said John, what's this all about? Well said Alan this is going to be difficult to explain....... You're not going to believe what I've come to tell you, and I've only come because we were really good friends once, and I want to save you from what will happen to you one day. And what's that? asked John...... Look says Alan, the best I can do is tell you about me, and how I've come to where we are today. Ok then, here we go....... I was born in 1945 and I went to Audley Road School and I left there when I was 15........
And then started work at Skinner's the engineering firm just up from the Swan. Yes I know were Skinner's is say's John, they pay real good money there and I'm thinking of applying for a job there myself. Yes says Alan that's where we meet. At the moment you're working in a tailors shop but the money's no good and you and Pat want to get married and buy a house so you come to Skinner's.
Well, says John, me and Pat quarrelled last night so we might not be seeing to much of each other in the future....... Alan looks at John and shaking his head says you do that for the next 16 years mate till you finally call it a day with her...... What do you mean by that? Asks John.
Alan takes a drink from his pint and sits backing his chair and says, look don't let's get sidetracked,
I'm telling you about me we'll come to you later...... Now where was I, oh yeah...... We meet at Skinner's and become good friends. Now I marry a girl that I've been going around with for a few year, her name is Jane. Jane Barker. God knows why we married, we argued more than you and Pat, but marry we do, or did. And buy a house in Lichfield. And so do you and Pat, you end up living just around the corner from us...... Anyway me and Jane have a couple of kids Peter and Ann.....
Alan stops and looking down says, I'm really sorry about them, I loved them both and I'll miss them a lot. John looks at Alan and tries to make sense of what he's being told... Why will you miss them?
he ask's. Because I will never have them replies Alan. I've decided not to meet Jane.....
Originally I met Jane in 1961 at a St Patricks Day dance. So this time around I don't go to the dance, so I never meet Jane, never marry hers we don't have the children. This time I'm going to live a different life.
John leans back in his seat and taking out a black box of cigarettes says to Alan is this a joke because I don't believe any of it. Lighting up his cigarette with his chrome Zippo lighter he add, did Mugsy put you up to this? Alan shaking his head says. So you've started smoking the Sobranie Black Russian fags have you? Hopefully you won't be on them for long......Once you're working at Skinners you take to a more manly cigarette, you smoke Marlboro at work with the lads and black cigarette with the gold tip of a night to impress the girls. In the end you end up smoking Players number 6.......
It's the fags that kill you John... I've come to tell you to stop smoking....
John smiles and says....And is that it?...... is that the best Mugsy can come up with? This isn't a joke John says Alan........And if you listen to my story in the end you will believe what I'm telling you.
Although if you do quit smoking it will put pay to one of the funniest things you do when you've had a bit too much to drink.... And what's that? asks John taking a drink from his beer and looking around the room to see if he can see Muggsy Morgan anywhere............... Well, says Alan in about 12 years from now on the way home from the pub one night you're out of fags and in your confused state you go in to the Chinese takeaway and ask for Ten number 6.........and you come out of there with Ten Spare Ribs with Syrup......... Look Alan, says John. It's been nice meeting you but I really do have to go, so tell Muggsy you tried and it didn't work......... John, you have to listen to what I have come to say! and when I've finished I will then tell you something that will convince you what I have said is all true....... Go on then. says John. Dragging on his Black Russian and says, just for the record I don't like syrup on my spare ribs......... Now as I was saying continued Alan. I was married to Jane and living out in Lichfield and working in a job I really hated. We were never really happy together me and Jane, how we stayed together for 18 years I'll never know....... Anyway we eventually get divorced and I move back to Brum and that's when I meet Bess.
At this point Jack the beer thief sneaks into the pub and both John and Alan watch him to see were he goes to sit.
Jack was a troubled soul who lived on the edge of society, the regulars were mostly indifferent towards him......... He would sit by some unsuspecting drinker and if he got the chance he would have a swig of their beer. The landlord would sometimes have him out of the pub but most of the early door regulars sort of tolerated him and left him alone.
The one man who did have a bit of time for him was a man they called Potter the Totter.
Potter had an old van and collected scrap iron which he sold on down at the scrap yard. Potter and Jack looked a right pair of characters when together. Potter was a big man and wore an old brown baggy suit that was more than likely his demob suit from the war. Jack was small and thin and wore an old army greatcoat which would have been given to him because it was warm.
Alan then remembered that sometime in the future Potter would be given a job to move some furniture in his van. It was to be a Sunday morning job so he took Jack along with him to help.
Once there Jack had a bit of a turn and collapsed and spent all his time sitting in the van while Potter did all the work by himself. When he finished Jack still looked pretty ill so Potter decided to take him for a drink to steady him. ( In the past or future ... Alan could remember seeing Jack that steady from drink he couldn't move) They went into an Irish pub in Summer Lane. Now this wasn't an Irish pub of the 1990s that Alan had come to know and love, but an Irish pub of the 1960s and full of Irish men straight of the building sites. ....... Potter ordered half a mild for himself and a brandy for Jack.
Then a big Irish man come and stood by Potter and said, What's he drinking? Brandy said Potter he doesn't feel very well. The Irish man put his arm around Potter and says, I don't feel very well, you better buy me a brandy as well. Potter more or less bought everyone in the pub a drink before he managed to get out of there, he never took Jack to help again.
Alan thought the curse of this second time around was that he knew the fate of a lot of the people he met. He knew that Jack would die in about 3 years time by slipping on ice one night and not be found until the following morning. And Potter the Totter would be savaged by scrap yard dogs that escaped from their compound while he was in their scrap yard.
Alan's still thinking of Potter and Jack when he realizes John is taping him on his chest and saying. Who's this Bess then?
She the love of my life replies Alan...... And adds, she's everything a man could want... John leaning back in his chair says. What's that then, a big muscular body and a moustache. Alan just smiles at John and says, you've always had an answer for everything that's why I always liked you.
No, but she is the love of my life. She's beautiful and very clever, artistic and very funny. She's one of the few women I've met that made me laugh.... I met her at night school. I was there on a photography course, she was one of the tutors teaching ceramics. She was divorced, she has a daughter and was...... is very very beautiful. We got on right from the start, it was like we were meant for each other. We started going out and fell in love........ Oh my God! said John covering his face with his hands. What's this all about? How have you managed to travel back in time?
I don't know. replied Alan, but what I'm telling you is true and you will believe me before the night's out...... John stands up and picking up both glasses and says, If I'm going to listen to this I need more drink. You want the same again? Best not to says Alan. We don't drink and drive in the future.
Well we do here and now so I'll get you the same again says John, as he turns and walks over to the bar......Alan thinks. This is harder than I thought, and I need to be in Warwick in the next hour.
John returns with the drinks sits and lights up another black paper gold tipped cigarette and says, right lead on McDuff. Now where was I ...... Oh yeah. I fall in love with Bess and I know at our age now it sounds soppy. But when you've been as old as I have you get sentimental over certain things...... Anyway we are together for 5 years before we decide to get married....... Why so long?
asks John. I mean, if she meant that much to you why not jump right into the deep end straight away. I mean at the age you were then...... Well you never know how much time you have left do you?
That's true replies Alan taking a drink from his pint, but when I split from Jane I was left with nothing. As you will be when you divorce Pat. Blimey you've got me divorced from Pat and I haven't married her yet........ Yeah I know, but I'll get to you and all your mistakes in a minute......
I need to be at the university bar in Warwick by eight so we need to get on..
As I was saying I was left with nothing after the divorce so I needed to work and get some money behind me before I married Bess. She had her own house but I wanted to be the provider in our relationship so that's why it took 5 years. Anyway, the night before I was to marry I went out for a drink with some friends. Not you, you were dead by then, and we got talking about how we would change our lives if we had a second chance. When I left school I left without any qualification, we all did from there, secondary education has a lot to answer for. Anyway, I said I'd like to start again from the day I left school. I was 15 years old and within reason had the pick of virtually any trade I fancied. It's not like that in the future you know, you have to have a O level in English literature just to fill supermarket shelves......Anyway I had a good night out with my friends, not you, you were dead, and went back to my flat for the last time. When I was in bed I got to thinking how nice it would be if we could have a second chance in life. I wouldn't become a welder or marry Jane, I'd have a job that I enjoyed doing and find Bess before she married and have my life with her.
And how do you plan to find her interrupted John?...... Ah, the thing is, says Alan everybody of our generation knows were they was on this Friday night....Why? asks John..If you let me finish the story you will know why replies Alan. I really really wished that this could happen, and all of a sudden I felt my whole body shake and my head filled up with all the questions in the universe and for a split second I knew all the answers. Then it all disappeared again and a voice in my head said something, and for the life of me I can't remember what it was.What Alan heard was. (SOMETHING UNKNOWN IS DOING SOMETHING NO ONE IS AWARE OF.)
And I really felt peaceful and just fell asleep. ...John took a drink from his pint and once again looked around the pub for Mugsy, and holding up his hand said. No don't tell me you woke up and you were 15 again and you knew what you was going to do with the rest of your life....... Yes replied Alan. That's exactly what happened. I went to sleep in 1992 and I woke up in my old bedroom in 1960. Mon calling to me saying come on you don't want to be late for your last day at school. At first I thought I was dreaming I just couldn't believe it, I kept trying to wake myself up. Then I thought I'd had a heart attack and was in some sort of coma...... And how do you know you're not? says John. Well you tell me.......replies Alan. are you real, or are you a figment of my imagination? Well if I am a figment of your imagination imagine me a better life with a lot more money say's John......
Alan checks his watch and looks at John and say, I can't explain what's happened to me all I know is that I'm living my life over again......... Now some scientist believe that there are multi-universes or a parallel universe so perhaps I've jumped in to one of them. All I know is I'm living my life over again so I'm changing it for the better........ So you know the future says John... I have memories of what I did and some of the things that happened in and around the world so yes I do know some of the future....So why don't you win the Pools next week? asks John. I don't remember everything says Alan while looking over John's shoulder and watching Jack the beer thief sneak a drink out of someone's glass.........I know the names of the next 6 Prime Ministers,and the fact that Cassius Clay knocks seven bells out of Sonny Liston. And all the words to the Beatles songs John and Paul write in the next seven years......... Although I did consider buying a Bass Guitar and joining Mick and Keith in the Rolling Stones before Bill Wyman does........ The who? says John.......No not The Who
laughs Alan The Rolling Stones....... John looks perplexed at Alan not understanding what he's talking about. It's alright you'll get that joke in about 3 years time....... I did buy a bass, they might have only four strings but it's harder to learn than you think, so I give up on that. What are you talking about? asks John.. Quite right John, I must get on with the story.......... If I am in a coma it's lasted over 3 years. So I left school and went up to A.T.V. television centre and got myself a job as a........ well as a glorified tea boy in the production office. And I've worked my way up to an assistant cameraman...... Ohoooooo! says John, an assistant cameraman! that sounds good.... Listen mate, you can laugh, but in about 3 years time when I'm qualified, I'll be filming the likes of Judith Charmers and the Alan Wickers of this world walking up and down the beaches of the Caribbean, and saying what a wonderful holiday you can have out there. And you'll be here in Brum welding, and burning holes in your socks at Skinners......... So what happens to me? asks John. You die from lung cancer when your 42..... I'm here to tell you to stop smoking...........This is a joke says John shaking his head. Mugsy Morgans put you up to this....... No what I've told you John is true.... And now I'm going to tell you something that will prove to you that everything I've told you tonight is true. And looking at his watch he says, the time now is quarter past six and in about fifteen minutes John F Kennedy the President of United States of America will be assassinated in Dallas. John takes a long hard look at Alan. He was looking for any sign that might help him make any sense of what he was being told. In the end all he can say was, I don't believe you.. I don't suppose you do came the reply,,,but you will before the night's out. Kennedy is shot by a man named Lee Harvey Oswald. And Oswald himself gets shot this Sunday by a man named Jack Ruby....... Now these events haven't happened yet but when they do, you'll know by implication that everything else I've told you will also happen.
John for the first time starts to think if this is a joke where is the funny side of it. So why don't you tell someone...... Somebody who could stop it, I mean you've known for three years? And who'd believe me? replies Alan. And if I could that would change world history and I only want to change mine..... and of course , if you stop smoking I've changed yours as well, and I think that's enough, don't you......... So your going to Warwick to meet Bess, how do you know she's there? Alan checking his watch again says. As I've said of everyone of our generation knows exactly where they were when they heard the news. Bess was at a fancy dress party in the student bar dressed as Cleopatra when she heard, so that's how I know where to find her.
Sitting back in his chair and finishing his drink Alan now feels more relaxed. He can see that John is starting to believe in what he has been told..... Do you fancy another drink John? asks Alan standing up and collecting both glasses and adding, I'm sure the brown and mild tastes better now than it does in the future, the same again for you? John looks up at Alan and says yes please I think I need one. At the bar Doris has just paid for her second half pint of milk stout and Alan thinks, well that's her second one so she'll be off home soon. Then Doris turns to him and says. back again are ya you're like a bad penny you are. And with that she turns and goes to her seat in the corner. Feeling a little disconcerted Alan wonders if to go and ask what she meant by that, but she was old and always a bit strange so he let it go. When he got back to his seat John was still looking a bit bewildered and says. This still feels a bit like a Mugsy Morgan trick.......I know what you mean says Alan adding, the best one he does is in about a years time. He takes one of the beer mats home with him and splits it in half, and then puts a ten shilling note inside and glues it together again. The next night he brings it into the pub buys himself a drink and puts his glass on it. Then a bit later on in the evening when we've all had a few he says. I hear the Brewery are running a advertising gimmick and hiding a ten shilling note inside some of their beer mats. And with that he picks up a mat and splits it in half, well nothing in that one he says, and then he does another, and another, and another. and finally the one under his own glass. And out pops a ten shilling note....Well a ten shilling , you can get five pints so as you can imagine there wasn't a mat that wasn't split in half within ten minutes in this place. And it didn't stop here, within half an hour they were all split open at the Fat Ox as well...... I live in Glebe Farm that's five miles way, and three days later I go into the Bull Head and all their mats are in half as well.....I know Mugsy's a bit of a case but this isn't one of his.......
And you'll know it's true in the next half hour or so..........So I die of cancer do I...... Yes mate you do..It's the cigarettes. I'm at the hospital when you do. You were as thin as a rake, you looked really awful. We were good friends John, and I don't want you to end like that again.. So stop smoking now and you'll be alright. And what about you,are you going to capitalise on some of the things you know. Well in small ways I will replies Alan. For instance I was always a fan of the Rolling Stones. I know you haven't heard of them, you always preferred jazz, but I knew a lot about them. As I told you in my last life I took a course in photography, so I got myself a Rolleiflex camera and went down to Dartford railway station on the 17 of October 1961 and took some candid photos of Mick and Keith when they first meet. I had the camera strapped around my neck and hanging to my chest. No one was a wear I was taking photos. I'm going to wait a few years before I release them but I know I'll make good money on them. I've done the same with the Beatles two years ago in the Cavern Club, I go some great candid shots of them all. Ringo was a bit hard to find but I got him as well. I'll carry on taking photos of small things that I know are going to happen but nothing to big...
Although I've got a dilemma concerning John Lennon and I really don't know what to do, but that's for me to sort out in the future.........Come on say's Alan, lets finish our drinks I've got a date.....
Getting up they walk out the bar and Alan says I won't keep in touch with you John, in the past or was it the future, you always had the pick of any good looking woman you fancied so I'm not giving you a chance with this one.. And also you'll only keep asking questions and I won't want to answer them. If I can give you one more piece of advice. Don't marry Pat, you two were never happy, find someone else. Outside it was misty with a chill in the air and as Alan wraps a scarf around his neck and mouth. Looking at Alan's bike John says, have you had it long? About a year replies Alan, I bought the same model when I was having my midlife crisis when I was forty. But I'm enjoying it much more this time around.... I like the speed more and the fact that the law doesn't make you wear a crash hat, it's more exhilarating to hear noise and feel the wind. Climbing on to his bike Alan kick-starts it up and looking over his shoulder he nods at John and says have a good life.
And with that he roars off at high speed around the bus..........Alan didn't see the lorry over taking the bus..... The lorry driver didn't see Alan until he crashed through his windshield.............. and in that moment. Alan Taylor's universe disappeared.............
John cries out to Alan and rushes over to him and helps get him off the front of the lorry. Lying him on the path John can see he's gone. He stumbles back to the kerb and sits down shaken.
Looking up he sees Doris looking on. She shrugs her shoulders and says he'll be back and then walks off. The bus driver approaches John and says, was he a friend of your? I saw him talking to you just before it happened. Standing up John replies, his name was Alan, I didn't really know him, but he seemed to know me. He reckoned he knew a lot of things..... Well he didn't know that lorry was going to come from behind that bus did he? Said the driver....... No, he said he didn't know everything, just the next half dozen Prime Ministers and the odd assassination.
Within ten minutes the Police and Ambulance arrived. John told the police Alan's name and that he thought he lived in the Glebe Farm area. The Police took John's address and said they would be in touch if he was needed.......... John walked back down the road to where he lived slowly, still shaken from what he had just witnessed. As he opened his front door he was met by his mother who said John!... I've just heard the new...... isn't it awful. Yes it was, but I didn't really know him. How did you find out about it? From the television of course, that's all there is on the moment. What is! asked John... What are you going on about? Kennedy's assassination of course, what else, cried his mother........ John stared at his mother hardly able to comprehend what he was hearing. Then he turned and said I'm going to get changed, I'm going out......Where to? Cried his mother. To Warwick he says, I'm off to meet Bess.
John Cooper goes to the Student Bar that night and meets Bess, she was dressed as Cleopatra and just as Alan said she was beautiful, and John fell in love there and then. He gave up smoking never went to work at Skinners, he finished with Pat and starts a relationship with Bess.....
Bess was an artist and designer and loved ceramics. John took a course in pottery and found he had a natural talent for it. In 1966 John and Bess marry and with a legacy from his Grandfather's Will bough a small property in Cornwall overlooking the sea at Trebarwith Strand. Bess had a vision of their pottery as art and their studio thrown vases and lamp bases with their rough textured finish that reflected the Cornish sea and countryside soon became rapidly successful. They had one child a son they called Alan. One sunny day in 1986 at the age of 42 John goes for his morning walk, high on the cliffs overlooking the sea he stops and sits in his usual place. Looking out over the sea he watches the colours change, and thinks of Alan's last words to him, "have a good life". He wonders how Alan's life would have turned out if he'd left the pub just twenty seconds later, he'd have missed that lorry. He wishes he could have done something for the friend he really didn't know. the all of a sudden John felt his whole body shake and his head filled with all the questions in the universe, and he had all the answers. Then a voice in his head speaking not in English but in a language he didn't understand yet he still understood said.
(SOMETHING UNKNOWN IS DOING SOMETHING NO ONE IS AWARE OF.)
And with that John fell peacefully to sleep.
John Cooper felt pleased with himself, four days earlier he'd sold his scooter and was now driving home in his new Heinkel Trojan Bubble car, he was warm on this cold November night.
As he turned into his road he noticed a young man sitting astride a Triumph 21 Motorbike under the streetlamp outside his house. Although he didn't recognise the man he had a strange feeling of knowing him and knowing him well.
The End or The Beginning?
