The Adventure of a first generation fan part 1

Adventures of a first generation fan

Part 1

By Sue Bujnovsky

As with all “first-generation” fans, I began on February 9 with the Ed Sullivan Show.  I laughed at first, having been brought up on Mitch Miller and Lawrence Welk; but by the end of the show I was totally won over.  I knew then that I would get to England someday.  I started high school that September and met Pat, our common obsession making us “best friends.”  Our motto was “Wait Till ’68” (the year we would graduate) and go to England.

As luck (or fate) would have it, the Modern Language League of Chicago came to our school in December of 1967 to recruit students for their 7-week tour of Europe in the summer of 1968, which included a month in Britain.  After a lot of nail-biting and praying on both sides, our parents gave Paul and me permission to go.

We arrived in London on a sunny day in July of 1968, checked into our hotel and jumped on the first double-decker bus we saw.  We got off in Piccadilly Circus, where we had to wade through the hippies around the Fountain of Eros.  The next stop was Carnaby Street,  a narrow alley actually, but full of mini-skirts and bell bottoms.  We went for a walk that evening along the Thames, and listened to Big Ben Chime.  We were ready!

Pat, who adored Paul, had gotten his Cavendish Avenue address out of a fan magazine.  Cavendish Avenue runs next to the Lord’s Cricket Grounds, one of the most famous in the U.K.  One Sunday evening, we asked the doorman of our hotel to get us a cab to cricket ground.  He explained that it was closed on Sunday.  We said we didn't care, we just wanted to see it.  He said we couldn't see anything., there was a wall around it.  We insisted.  He persisted.  Finally, after almost coming to blows, he decided that we were just more “Crazy Yanks” and got the cab.  Cavendish Avenue turned out to be a short, narrow street in St. John’s Wood.  It was easy to pick out Paul’s house.  There were about 15 girls standing outside the tall black gates.  We approached cautiously; the girls eyed us as definitely unwanted competition.  It didn't take long to become friendly, however, and we learned that the girls were from about five different counties, including the U.S..

It finally happened about three visits later.  We had just come from Madame Tussaud’s where we had seen their wax figures, in the new “Sgt. Pepper” outfits.    A small, white car pulled up outside Paul’s gates.  John got out, with Yoko right behind him.  Pat and I were in shock, or ecstasy (we weren't sure which).  He rang the intercom.  Paul, apparently thinking it was just girls fooling around, didn't answer or open the electronic gates.  John, getting aggravated, grabbed the grating and climbed over the wall.  When he landed on the other side, he opened the gates and pulled in Yoko, who never said a single word.

It all happened so fast, we just stared at each other.  We couldn't believe we’d actually seen a Beatle less than a foot away after waiting for years, much less have him perform acrobatics!  A few minutes later, Paul came out with John and Yoko.  Everyone crowded around for autographs.  He insisted that he didn't have time, but after a little coaxing he agreed.  George has always been my favorite, but I have to admit that Paul was one of the best-looking men I have ever seen (those big brown eyes!).  John on the other hand – when I asked for his autograph – gave me an unprintable reply.  In fact, most of what he said to everybody was unfit for print.  At the time, we were a little shocked, but looking back on it; he must have been so tired of us invading his privacy by then.  I think I can understand.  John wherever you are now, it was a privilege just to have met you.  After we all got our autographs, Paul got in his car and they drove off to Abbey Road, a very short distance away.

That was my first experience with one or more of the Beatles, that summer and in the summer of 1969.  The photos here are of John and Yoko with fans outside Paul’s London home in July 1968 and Paul entering Abbey Road gates in his Aston-Martin also in July 1968.