The Lennon family in Boston

Here is a wonderful story written by Harold Montgomy and found here


On Friday, 17 Sept.1976, my friend in Boston, "Blue," caught wind (from her friend, Tempy) that John, Yoko, and Sean had been "sighted" in Boston at the Copley Plaza Hotel. The Lennons were up there visiting friends in Brookline, Massachusetts. She called me to ask if I wanted to come up and try to catch a glimpse of John on Saturday. Did I? Of course.

I called my other friends, Patti and Jennie, in Hartford, Connecticut, to tell them the news and to see if they to wanted to come along! I suggested we all go together to the Copley Plaza. Naturally, they did want to participate and drove up to my house in Springfield that afternoon.

My then 14-year-old "mega Beatle fan" nephew, Gene, Patti, Jennie, and I piled into my buddy Jimi's trusty white Ford and the five of us drove off. We arrived in Boston around 10 p.m. and immediately checked into the Copley Square Hotel for the night. Although the clerks weren't too happy that two guys, two girls all in their 20's and a 14-year-old boy were checking in ­ with not much luggage to speak of ­ they only exchanged glances and gave us a suite anyway. Thank God!

We quickly unpacked the little we brought and began making plans for the following day and trying not to be distracted by our environment. The once elegant Copley Square Hotel had clearly seen better days, and Patti even encountered a few roaches there. I think that was the first time she had ever seen a roach (the six legged kind, not the smoking kind). Another landmark experience on our "Magical Boston Tour!"


John, Yoko and baby Sean were staying at the Copley Plaza. Our hotel was just a few blocks away. So bright and early the next day, we all walked down to the Copley Plaza to wait. "Blue" eventually met up with us in front of the hotel.

At long last, someone spotted a Japanese man who worked as a occasional driver for John and Yoko. He had gone to fetch their car, an old green Town and Country Chrysler Plymouth Station wagon. (Later, the Lennons purchased a green Mercedes station wagon.) They primarily used the Plymouth for long trips like treks out to their house in Cold Spring Harbor. In the City, they always used Esquire Limo Service or cabs.

Anyway, the Japanese man first parked at a side entrance across from the John Hancock Tower, and of course, all of us rushed over there! Blue, who had studied Japanese said "hello" to him in Japanese, which pleasantly surprised him. She also asked him (in Japanese) what his name was, and he said it was 'Nishi'.

Nishi knew that he would have to trick the fans somehow by parking the Lennon's car some place else. Then, he would try to get the Lennons into it before we could find the car again. But I don't think Nishi had any idea how persistent (and very clever) John's fans could be. For quite some time, Nishi kept moving the car, then he'd disappear for awhile but we always found him again. After a while, I think he just gave up!

So eventually, Nishi pulled the car up to the side entrance facing the expressway entrance ramp where the Lennons could drive directly onto the expressway heading west to New York.

When the time came, John and Yoko walked into the hotel restaurant first and peered out the window to scope out the situation. I don't recall any police, doormen, or any other kind of security present. No one was assisting them in keeping the fans at bay.

First the Nanny, Misako, came out of the hotel. Then John, wearing a t-shirt which read, "This Is Not Here," a Bolero tie, and a denim jacket and jeans emerged. He was carrying Sean. Yoko followed right behind him.

What a moment! I was able to get one cool photo of John through the window of the car.