NEW YORK—A tour bus pulled up on the 72nd Street near Central Park West. A man wielding a yellow baton guided a group of elders across the street to stand in front of the Dakota apartment building, where John Lennon was shot to death 30 years ago to the day on Dec. 8, 1980.
“This is where John Lennon lived with Yoko Ono and was shot by Mark Chapman 30 years ago. Chapman is now in prison at Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York,” explained the tour guide.
A crowd of about 20 stood before the building, snapping photos. As one group left, another quickly replaced it. The guards chatted, occasionally telling onlookers to back away from the entrance a bit.
A woman in a trench coat stood on a street corner near Dakota and handed out little slips of paper. The sheets described a dream she had, in which Lennon brought her a message calling for peace in the Middle East. A man handed out fliers claiming Chapman was a CIA agent.
Across the street at the entrance to Strawberry Fields, vendors sold Lennon and Beatles photos. The commemorative pins sold rapidly at one for three dollars or two for five dollars.
As one drew nearer to the Imagine monument in Strawberry Fields, snatches of different Lennon songs filled the air. Hundreds of fans and mourners gathered to pay tribute to the rock icon. Although several hands held guitars or flowers, most held cameras.
“She’s got a ticket to ride, she’s got a ticket to ride, but she don’t care,” came from one end.
Drifting from another group nearby came, “I’ve got everything that you want, like a heart that’s oh so true, just call on me and I'll send it along, with love from me to you.”
“This is where John Lennon lived with Yoko Ono and was shot by Mark Chapman 30 years ago. Chapman is now in prison at Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York,” explained the tour guide.
A crowd of about 20 stood before the building, snapping photos. As one group left, another quickly replaced it. The guards chatted, occasionally telling onlookers to back away from the entrance a bit.
A woman in a trench coat stood on a street corner near Dakota and handed out little slips of paper. The sheets described a dream she had, in which Lennon brought her a message calling for peace in the Middle East. A man handed out fliers claiming Chapman was a CIA agent.
Across the street at the entrance to Strawberry Fields, vendors sold Lennon and Beatles photos. The commemorative pins sold rapidly at one for three dollars or two for five dollars.
As one drew nearer to the Imagine monument in Strawberry Fields, snatches of different Lennon songs filled the air. Hundreds of fans and mourners gathered to pay tribute to the rock icon. Although several hands held guitars or flowers, most held cameras.
“She’s got a ticket to ride, she’s got a ticket to ride, but she don’t care,” came from one end.
Drifting from another group nearby came, “I’ve got everything that you want, like a heart that’s oh so true, just call on me and I'll send it along, with love from me to you.”
