The Henley Standard

The Henley Standard

By Miho Yoshida

Miyuki, my good friend, and I went to England on 12^thJuly last year (1982).  It was our first trip to England since we began to love the Beatles eight years ago.

We stayed in London.  The 20^th of July was my most unforgettable and important day of my life:  I saw Paul, who has been my idol and hero for seven years.  He was so kind, friendly and lovely!  I’m a Paul fan, so I was very happy.  But Miyuki is a George fan, and we decided both of us should be happy, both our dream should some true!

So a couple days later, 22 July, we went to Friar Park for the first time.  At that time we didn’t think George was there, because people at Friar Park said they thought he was abroad.

We went back there on 31^st July and realized he was in.  Our friend Angela had advised that if we wanted to see George for sure, we should go to Friar Park on August 1^st, Dhani’s birthday, and wait for his appearance by the gate every day.  We decided to go to Henley from London every morning and keep waiting for him all day long. 

People in Henley were all so kind to us.  They always asked us, “Did you see George?” and sometimes advised, for example, “You should call him.”  As we sat by the gate, drivers would wave their hands and say hi.  And a family ever offered their room to us – people who were complete strangers to us.  George’s wife Olivia was kind and friendly too whenever we’d see her.

Sometimes I went back to London to wait for Paul.  Miyuki stayed in Henley.

One day, a reporter of the local paper came to us sitting by the gate in order to do a story on us.

On 9^th August at about half past two, we were waiting for George as usual. A black Porsche was approaching the gate slowly.  We couldn’t believe it was his car…but that car was different from the many cars usually going in and out of Friar Park.

The car stopped in front of the gate.  George leaned out and smiled sweetly to us, saying, “Hello! Nice to meet you!”  before we said a thing.  We went into shock an can hardly remember his words.  We just saw his face and heard our heartbeats.  He said, “I read the newspaper story about you!  You shouldn’t waste your holiday standing around here.”  Perhaps he came out to let us meet him and gently admonish us.  He was so kind and a wonderful person.

About seven years ago, George invited a Japanese fan who had kept sending letters to him from Japan once a month for twelve years to tea at Friar Park.  And this time, he came out of his private life to allow two girls who were waiting for his appearance patiently, giving up their European trip or going to famous places in England, to fulfill a dream and meeting him.  George is such a warm-hearted person!