Bob Marley was dead to begin with, dead as a doornail. In life Bob Marley had been a very popular reggae musician and he was a big influence for many artists that came after him. One of them was Johnny Borrell, the lead singer of a band called Razorlight. Johnny didn’t like talking to his fans, or journalists, he just wanted to make loads of records and make loads of money. He didn’t like his band mates; Carl, Bjorn and Andy, Andy Burrows, either. They where just necessary for him to make the music, cause they just cost him money.

Once upon a time, it was the day before Christmas eve, Razorlight sat in their tour bus and it was cold as the band from one venue to the other. “Please, can the heat be turned higher?” Andy, Andy Burrows dared asking Johnny. “Would you like to walk to London, Burrows?” Johnny replied. The band arrived at the venue and there were a few fans waiting. Carl, Bjorn and Andy, Andy Burrows went over to them, to have a little talk, maybe take a picture, give out an autograph. Johnny however never did and as one of the girls who had been standing outside for a long time asked him for an autograph he just pushed her of. “I’m sorry, he’s just not…” Carl started to apologize. “It’s okay, you’re just my favourite band ever and I adore Johnny and I would just really like a picture or an autograph.” The girl explained. “You see I’m sick, I might die and that’s my last wish on this earth!” She went on. Carl felt really bad and when he saw Johnny inside he tried to tell him about her. “Let her die, and decrease the surplus population.” Carl looked up at his band mate, shocked. “You don’t mean that do you, Johnny?” Johnny nodded. “It’s not my business.” He said “It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Now bugger of go tune your bass or something! Stop wasting precious time!” Seeing clearly that it would be useless to pursue his point, Carl withdrew.

Later the band played their last show of the tour and of the year, it was a great gig and Johnny was pleased, the other guys were pleased too. Christmas eve and back home, it couldn’t be any better. As Carl, Bjorn and Andy, Andy Burrows packed their stuff to go home, Johnny came in. “I want you in the studio tomorrow, we’ll start recording the new album right away!” The guys looked at each other. “But Johnny, tomorrows Christmas! We want to go to our families!” Bjorn said. “Humbug!” Johnny replied. “Christmas a humbug?” Bjorn shook his head. “Christmas is the most merry time of the year! It should be spent with family and feats!” Andy, Andy Burrows and Carl nodded in agreement. “So I guess you want the day of?” Johnny asked, not very willing. “That is customary!” Carl said, getting a growl in response from Johnny. “Okay, but you be there all to earlier the next day!” He said. Carl, Bjorn and Andy, Andy Burrows all gave Johnny a big hug and told him to have a Merry Christmas. All Johnny could say was; “Humbug!” They cheered as they all went there own way home.

The band had been away from home for a full two months and as Johnny Borrell came home, he was happy to see his own blue front door with the familiar knocker. Now, it is a fact, that there was nothing at all particular about the knocker on the door, except that it was very large. Yet somehow as Johnny put his key in the lock, he didn’t see the knocker but Bob Marley’s face. As Johnny shook his head and looked fixedly at this phenomenon, it was a knocker again.

To say that he was not startled, or that his blood was not conscious of a terrible sensation to which it had been a stranger from infancy, would be untrue. But he put his hand upon the key he had relinquished, turned it sturdily, walked in, and turned on the lights. Before he closed the door, he looked behind it half expecting to see the rest of Bob Marley. But there was nothing except a few nails and paint. “Humbug!” He growled.

As Johnny sat down on his chair and wanted to start playing a bit of guitar, he heard a weird sound. All the lights in his room started to flicker and Johnny felt a bit scared, but decided to ignore it. Then he heard a voice behind him. “Johnny.”

lessons. There sat a little blonde boy, struggling to hold a guitar. “That’s me!” Johnny looked at himself and two boys came into the room. “Johnny, it’s Christmas! Aren’t you going home?” One of them asked. “He doesn’t like Christmas!” The other one yelled. The Old Johnny sighed. “Christmas vacation was merely a chance to practice my musical talent. I never really celebrated Christmas.” Johnny saw his childhood go by and himself grow up. “You met two important people on this school didn’t you, Johnny?” George Michael-ghost asked. “Yes, Pete ‘n Carl!” Johnny answered.

The George Michael-ghost brought Johnny to the house of Pete Doherty and Carl Barât, where they were having a great Christmas party. “Oh it’s the Libertines annual Christmas party! It was always so much fun!” Johnny and the ghost watched as Pete and Carl where singing sons together, loads of fans around. “And who is that young lad?” The ghost asked, pointing at a bass-playing youngster sitting in the corner. “That’s me!” He said as he saw Carl approaching him. “Come on John! Don’t sit here in the corner, come on and party with us!” Johnny smiled up at his friend and followed him to the group. He bumped into a young woman and she smiled at him as he apologized. This was a case of love at first sight. “Do you know that woman?” George Michael-ghost asked Johnny. “Oh yes, I do! That’s Belle! Beautiful Belle!” He watched as young Johnny and Belle started dancing and flirting together. “I recall there was another Christmas with this woman.” Johnny nodded. “Please do not show me that one!” He pleaded, but the George Michael-ghost did not listen and took him over to a scene at a backstage area. Young Johnny was tuning his bass as the beautiful woman from earlier entered. “You promised to be home this Christmas Johnny!” She yelled. The older Johnny fell down on his knees in the pain of reliving this moment over again. “But Belle!” Young Johnny started to explain. “If I make it in the music business, we’ll be rich! I do this for you!” Belle shook her head. “You said your own band would be the goal, you got your own band now Johnny!” Johnny tried to grab her and kiss her. “When we have our big break! Just wait a little longer!” Belle pulled free. “I won’t wait any longer.” She turned around to walk away. “But Belle, I love you!” Johnny called and Belle turned around. “You did once!” With that she walked away. The older Johnny went over to his young self. “Go after her you fool!” But young Johnny turned around and went into the dressing room. “Oh please, George Michael-ghost, don’t show me more!” Johnny pleaded. “These were shadows of the things that have been," said the George Michael-ghost. "That they are what they are, do not blame me!" With those words Johnny was alone in his bed again.

The End