The Night I "Ran Into" Paul McCartney!
| It was 20 years ago today... (well, actually a bit longer than that -- July 25,
1968, to be exact), and I was just 17 (that much is right on). I was a Beatles fan from America visiting England with my family. I spent an afternoon outside Paul's house with a small group of "regulars" from London, and met his housekeeper Rosie, who appeared at the gate with a little dog named Eddie in her arms. She seemed to enjoy being in the spotlight, such as it was. |
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Rosie (Paul's housekeeper) and Eddie (Paul's dog) |
Paul's house and car |
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Rosie and "the regulars" |
Rosie and Eddie |
| Later that evening I went to EMI studios just around the corner. I had been told that the Beatles were recording that night and might stop and talk to those who were gathered (as always) outside. I recognized George Martin, and he very graciously autographed the back of my father's business card. I had not thought to bring anything else. |
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| A big white car pulled up with George Harrison at the wheel. Paul sat in the front seat on the passenger side. Ringo, John, and Yoko were in the back seat. (In the photo below, the boy in the tan sweater and light-colored slacks is my brother.) |
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| Suddenly lacking basic reasoning skills and any recollection of the meaning of common courtesy, I rushed to Paul's side of the car and took his picture as he emerged. Momentarily blinded, he stepped on my foot. Neither of us apologized. |
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| "There's too many of you," muttered John as they all dashed into the studio -- but not before my brother captured him on film... |
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I snapped George's picture as he paused to talk to a girl (lucky her).
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See the girl back there with the camera in front of her face? That would be me. (Below is the picture I was taking.)
My brother
stood in the doorway and snapped George as he walked into the studio
(below).
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| I still have the pictures and the business card with George Martin's signature on it. My given name is Susan and I was called "Sue" at the time. A few people called me "Scotti" but I didn't start using that nickname routinely until I went away to college. |
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| Although I never did "run into" Paul again, I saw him in concert in Columbia, South Carolina in the 1990s and again
on October 18, 2005 in Chicago. So that's my story. Just one more long and winding road that leads to his door... |
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Scotti (Susan) Cohn October 25, 2005
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