A Story from 1960

 I was reading the January 2012 issue of the British Beatles Fan Club Magazine and this letter to the editor from "As I Write This Letter" caught my attention and I thought I'd share it here. 

Now aged 70, I have been advised by family to tell this anecdote of when I met John Lennon and Paul McCartney in May 1960.  I was finishing off basic army training in Inverness (Fort George). When allowed out of camp, I went to a couple of concerts, one at the Northern Meeting Room, Inverness, and one at the Regal Ballroom, Nairn. We were looking for girls then, and the best place to find them was at dance halls. Anyway, after the second concert, I was out having a ciggie when I was approached by this scruffy individual carrying a guitar. He asked me for a light for his ciggie, then told me his name was Paul. I dont' think he said McCartney, it was more like Morano or something (Paul Ramon - ED).

We chatted for a while when we were then approached by a tall skinny guy who also placed a guitar in this scruffy old van. He asked Paul for a ciggie, was told there was none left so he asked me. I gave him one and he asked why we were in uniform and was it true that Jocks don't wear anything under their skirts???? I told John it was a Kilt, and no, we were not allowed to wear anything. John then bend down and attempted to lift my kilt! I pushed his hand away and told him to bugger off. He just laughed and asked me if I had seen the show and what I thought? I told John I thought they were terrible and that Johnny Gentle was better than them (The Silver Beatles, I think they called themselves then). I gave John a few ciggies and a box of matches and told them they would be better off going home to where they belong and joining the army or getting a real job as they would never make it in the rock n roll world!

I really felt sorry for them as they looked in need of a good feed and also seemed short of cash. John prophetically said something like, "Never mind, Jock, you will hear a lot more of us sooner than you think." Now you know something only my family and grandchildren knew about.

Kind regards,

Bill Munnoch, Falkirk