Paul St. John's Wood , Sept '77

 

Paul St. John's Wood, Sept. '77

Written by Pat Deese

With a Little Hep From my Friends

October 1977

We're going to see him September 23rd, I thought and we don't have to be there til noon. Crazy confidence of a McCartney Maniac or physic powers from beyond, I'll never know, but it happened.  For many weeks, seeing Paul in London on the 23rd was on my mind -- it was the 4th anniversary of the last time I met him, but I was sure it'd be a repeat, dejavu.  

We left for Paul's just before noon, as I had confidently told my friend Linda that we didn't have to be there before noon as we would see him after that, so to arrive there at 10 minutes to noon was plenty early. 

Around 12:10 a green car was coming down Cavendish. It had a blinking light, and I knew it was Paul.  "Here he comes," I informed Linda, who thought I was kidding. The rest of what happened is a daze as it was so sudden, so fast, and he was in a hurry.  He was out of the car in seconds.  We were about 30 feet from the gate, and he headed for us. 

Looking at my pictures now, I see he wore a print shirt, light blue jacket, and dark blue pants. He said right away that he was in a rush. I asked if we could have an autograph and he said "sure." He told us he didn't like us hanging around the house and we said sorry, but this was the first time (well, this year anyway...) He said it was all right this time. I reached into my purse to pull out my celebrity picture postcard of him, forgetting I had put my glasses in the side pouch so that I would be able to take a picture of him - can't with the glasses on.  Out fell my glasses and a pack of sugar. In a flash Paul bent down and retreived them.  "Your glasses....your sweet."  Highly embarrassed, I took them from him.  He sure is on the lookout for us fans. 

"Did you do this picture?" he asks as he examines the card I give him.  Linda informs him I got it in a store in Buffalo.  "Oh..." he says.  I ask if I can take pictures and he says "sure" so I snap a few, also looking him over.   He was really slim and he looked gorgeous! He could pass for a young lad again despite the patches of gray on the side of his hair.  

I finally realized that Linda is sitting patiently in the car and occasionally looking our way and she is holding James.  My God, that's the baby, I say to myself.  We both congratulate Paul on the baby and I comment on the lovely picture of him and his son in the paper the night before. He smiles at this and says "thanks." It strikes me that we must be the first fans to see the baby; then I feel guilty for interrupting him when he was bring his son home for the first time.  A few more words, and it's time to go.

I start off, having to round the car. Pau has gone around to the other side and gives us a final wave and goodbye.  His car is slightly in the street, so I have to step out to pass it. I kind of notice a car heading towards me. Next thing I know, Paul is yelling at me to mind the car and waving his arms about!  I jump back, thoroughly embarrassed for the second time in a few minutes -- one of those days.  I guess Paul is used to people losing their senses when he's around. It's amazing how he's always on the lookout for his fans, but then again, he's not meeting the most fascinating person in the world as he's that himself!

We watched the car pull in and we heard the children run down to greet him.  Mommy, daddy, baby and we see him go up the stairs.  WE take off, thanking our lucky stars that we had those few minutes with him.  As I look back on those hectic minutes, I realize he probably wondered how we happened to be there at that time.  He seemed anxious to get that child into the house before some swarm of people came down on him.  Yet despite his hurry, he had a few minutes for us.  He is the greatest - thank you, Paul!