We've been watching a TV series called 11.22.63, based on a book by Stephen King. It's about a fellow who travels back in time hoping to prevent the assassination of John F Kennedy. The premise is a bit flimsy but the interest is in re-visiting the story which has become so much a part of our shared history.
Like many people, I remember where I was when we heard the news and, like many other people, I followed the story as it unfolded. My aunt was obsessed with the various theories and bought every book she could find on the subject. Every time we visited her, she had another conspiracy theory to share with us.
We've lived through the Warren Report and the Oliver Stone movie, and the name Abe Zapruder has cemented its place in history.
One thing which has always stuck in my mind is the reaction of an American friend of my mother who commented after the assassination: President Kennedy might be more popular, but Lyndon Johnson is a better man. At the time, it was almost heresy to suggest that JFK was less than perfect.
Since then, of course, we've had all the stories of his philandering and have come to realise he was human like the rest of us.
By the way, my favourite theory is that Lee Harvey Oswald was not interested in JFK; his target was Texas Governor Connally who happened to be riding in the same car as the President. JFK was killed by a stray shot intended for Connally. But, of course, that's not as interesting as the saga which has become one of the defining moments of the 20th century .
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