The Beatles in Action on stage at Shea Stadium

 

The Beatles in Action on Stage at Shea Stadium

By Linda Joy

5 Bites of the Apple

July/August 1972

 

I have loved The Beatles ever since ’64, especially Paul.  I always wished to see them in person, even though I came from a small town in Connecticut.  In July ’66, I was looking through the newspaper and saw “Beatles Appearing at Shea Stadium …. August 23^rd!”  I thought, “oh Christ, I Gotta go!”  I called up my cousin, Cassie, and she wanted to go too.  So, I asked my mother.  She said, “You can go, but you have to earn your money to see them.”  No one would believe what I did.  I always hated housework – I cleaned everything!  Then I got this brainy idea to sell soda bottles down at the store.  So, my cousin and I loaded up a wagon of bottles, and downtown we went.  Everybody thought we were weird, but I didn’t give a shit because I wanted to see them!   We earned $12.00.  I sent away for the tickets.  We were waiting for weeks, and my father made the wisecrack, “Oh, they’re probably all sold out.”  Well, it was at the end of July when we got the tickets.  I was jumping up and down with rapture, saying, “I’m gonna see Paul!”  Enclosed with the tickets was a letter saying, “Here are your tickets.  Hope you enjoy the show.”  I was so happy.  I was crying.  All my friends envied me.  Then my mother stated that she didn’t want me to go to New York alone, being that I was only 14 then.  (I guess she was afraid of me being mugged or something).  I explained to her that I had to go, begging that I got the tickets already.  She said, “I’ll drive you and Cassie to New York.”  I nearly fainted! 

 

Finally, August 23^rd came around, and of course, I couldn’t sleep at all.  I work my mother up at 6 am, telling her that we must get an early start.  We all left around 10 am since my mother didn’t know where Shea was (She had never driven into NYC before).  On the way in, I was listening to WMCA, and all they were playing were Beatle songs.  My cousin and I couldn’t believe we were gonna see the “Famous Four.”  When we finally got to Shea, I let out a big scream.  I thought for a moment that my mother was going to crawl underneath her seat.  My mother told us that she would wait in the car, and so she parked it near the Stadium.  Cassie and I walked around.  We talked to some girls, and they told us that they were sleeping at Shea overnight!  We went back to the car and then 3 buses pulled up…shit!  I’ve never seen so many cops in all my life.  My mother even took my binoculars and stared at them.  My cousin decided to go in – it was getting around that time.

 

We entered, and an usher showed us to our seats.  But there was an older woman and her daughter sitting in our seats.  I told her politely that they were sitting in our seats, and she said we were crazy.  So the usher told us to sit 2 rows behind them, and I was swearing and pissed.  Then two New York girls said we were sitting in their seats.  Cassie told them what happened.  So I called the usher over again.  He thought we were insane.  So he led us to section 9 and told us no matter what to stay there.  Well, these seats were better than our own!  I couldn’t believe the huge signs all over the place. Some said: We love Paul too, George wave to us, Happy anniversary John and Cyn, Paul don’t’ marry Jane Asher, and one sign said “Paul Is Sexy” but the “Y” fell off!  Then finally the show started at 8 pm, and my heart was pounding and pounding.  Bobby Hebb came on first, then the Remains and Murray the K.  He told us the Beatles couldn’t wait to see us fans, and they love us all.  Everyone screamed…including me!

Then the Ronettes came on.  Everyone said, “We want the Beatles – Get off!”  Then Murray came on, and everyone sang “Happy Anniversary John and Cyn,” “Yellow Submarine,” and “We Love You Beatles.”  Then Murray said, “HERE ARE THE BEATLES!”  Everyone stood up – screaming and jumping up and down.  George and Ringo came out first, and I screamed “George! George!” Then John and Paul came out.  Paul was skipping and waving, and I really yelled his name!  Christ, did my throat feel that scream.  I was wondering if it were all a dream.  A few seats down, this girl had a book and she was banging it over her father’s head, screaming “Paul, Paul!”  Everyone around me was in complete ecstasy.  I looked at my cousin, and she was just sitting there.  Saying nothing.  She was looking at me in a disgusted way when I was screaming, but I didn’t care.  Nothing mattered.

Then Paul said, “May I speak?”  These two asshole guys in the back of me yelled, “No!” And they were yelling, “McCartney sucks!”  My temper couldn’t take that anymore, so I yelled, “Shove I up your ass, you b-----!”  Then these two other girls told them to cram it -well, they kept quiet.  Then Paul said, “I want everyone to sing along with me and clap their hands.”  All of a sudden, these two girls went through the barricades.  Paul and George were staring at them, and everyone was yelling, “Go! Go!”  The cops caught them.  When I was staring at Paul and his body through my binoculars, I noticed that he was winking at a lady copy, and she just turned her head.  My throat was so hoarse.  I thought I wouldn’t be able to ever talk again.  It was then Paul noticed the sign that said “Paul Is Sex,” and he said into the mic, “Oh girls.  I’m a male.”  It was finally over, and John yelled, “Goodbye, fans!  We’ll be back next year, so save your money, and we love you all.”  I was in complete shock.  We had to leave, and so we found my mother in the car, shaking, and the door locked.  I asked her what was wrong, and she said, “Christ. I never saw so many crazy kids screaming over them.  They were jumping up and down on my car, and I got scared.”  I laughed.  I asked my cousin to come with me to stand near the gate once more for a minute, and I couldn’t stop thinking of Paul and what happened. I could feel the tears running down my cheeks. 

To this day, people still envy me.  Yes, I was very lucky to think that was their last New York appearance.  But lucky to see the four most beautiful people who brought happiness to me and whom I love very deeply.  

Day in the Life -- meeting Ringo

 I found this story in the 5 Bites of the Apple newsletters. (  I have had these somewhat blurry photos of some girls with Ringo that I THINK are the photos that are from this story.  What do you all think?   They seem to match up pretty well.   

Day in the Life

By Mirella Mariani (Rome, Italy)

5 Bites of the Apple Fan club newsletter

September/October 1971

 

It was Sunday of the 13^th of June and we found out Ringo had to come back here in Rome by plane at 4:05pm.  He was here at the end of May for a few days but we couldn’t find where he was staying, anyway, we were lucky because we met his Italian driver and he was really helpful.  He was the one who told us Ringo would come on that day.  We went to Leonardo De Vinci Airport and waited until five, but no trace of Ringo!  We were gonna despair when we thought it would have been much better to go to the hotel where he had to go.  We arrived at Residence Palace hotel at 6:30PM and waited until 8.  I wanted to see him but I was really losing hope when a blue Mercedes turned the corner.  Ringo!!!  We felt like jumping for joy but we did our best to be cool cos we were afraid to bother him (and Ringo can be very rude when he wants).  He came out of the car and smiled at us saying “Hi girls!”  The last time I saw him in London, he looked different, now he’s quite slim, black hair (dyed for the film), and always wearing black sunglasses.  He went into the hotel with Mal but after a while, he came toward us smiling.  He shook our hands saying, “Hi!  Are you foreigners?”  We said “No” and then he asked “Where are you from?  Rome?”  My friend Pattie, and I said yes, but the other girl who was with us, Angela, she said “No, I’m from Florence.”  Ringo said, “Florence?  Is that far?”  “Quite far!”  I said because Angela doesn’t speak English.  “I see, and you live here?” he said looking at Pattie and me.  “Yes, but far from the hotel,” we said.  “Must go, bye girls!” 

 

And he went in with Mal.  Luckily Mal knows me so he told me Ringo had to go to the riding ground the next morning.  We already knew where that was and so the next day, we go there at 10AM.  We were really surprised seeing Ringo had already arrived.  Anyway, he wasn’t riding yet cos he didn’t feel well and leant against the fence feeling sick.  Stomach, I think.  Afterward, he rode at first a white horse but then he changed with a fawn-colored one.  I’ve got to admit, he’s no good at riding but he was gorgeous with wind ruffling his hair, and every time he came near us (we were sitting on a form) he smiled.  Then he stopped and came to sit with us.  “The stirrups are too long for me,” he said.  As he was in a good mood, we gave him a little gift we bought before.  It was a colored belt and luckily, he liked it!  He then tanks us for it and soon wore it! 

His instructor asked him if we could have pictures with him, he said, “OK, sit here near me, and now smile…Cheese!”  His driver was taking pictures with my camera, and Ringo’s instructed tried to take other pics with Angela’s but it didn’t work.  He read the brand of the camera and was Rapid.  Ringo laughed and said, “very rapid.”  For another picture, Angela had her arm on Ringo’s leg so he said, “Just like friends.”  Then we talked together about Florence, other singers, and when someone asked Angela how old she was and she said “18” then Ringo said, “Grow up.”  He smoked a lot and then gave me one of his LARK.  He had to go back riding cos he needs to learn very soon for his next film, “Blindman.”  When he came back to us, he pretended to shoot at us.  It was nice talking to him but he went away at 12pm to a villa where he has lots of friends, and he wanted to get tanned. 

They came back to the hotel at 6PM, when we thought we saw Ringo with a red band around his head and short pants (hot pants?) we were gonna laugh but all of a sudden, we changed our minds when we saw with him a Swedish girl.  I saw the red!  He was sorry we saw him with her, I think, cos he came up to us and said “You are crazy hanging around here all the time.  Haven’t you got anything else to do?”  “No,” we all said together.  “Aren’t you tired?” he asked us.  “Yes, but we don’t mind,” I said and finally he smiled in such a sweet way.  For a while, I had thought he was cross, but he wasn’t.  Since then, we saw him almost every day and he’d smile and say hello and things like that. 

When Angela had to go back to Florence, Mal told Ringo and, in the afternoon, when he was coming back from the set, he put his hand on Angela’s shoulder and said, “So, you’re going home.”  “Yes, tonight, and I hope I’ll see you again,” she said.  “I’m leaving on Wednesday, so if you’ll be here before, you’ll see me.  Anyway, I hope you had a nice time.  Bye!”  Ringo said, and then he went into the hotel while Angela was standing there too happy for words and yet sad at the same time.  There’s one last funny thing to tell. Once when Ringo was in the villa, he got very cross with his driver.  The reason is he asked Tonino (the driver) to buy him a pair of underpants but Tonino didn’t understand so he came back with a pair of trousers!  You can imagine Ringo’s reaction! 

On Wednesday morning, my friend Pattie and I went to the hotel at 9AM cos we knew Ringo had to leave in the afternoon but when we arrived, he had gone!  “He left at 7AM,” a guy in the hotel told us.  I really felt miserable.  It was tremendous.  We felt we lost him forever, but believe me, it was terrible cos we were so sure to see him again.  We had the pics to show him and lots of things to tell.  He made us happy for those 10 days but he left us sad, very sad.  We miss him but luckily, he’ll be back in August!

An open letter to fans everywhere

As I have been going through my Beatles fanzines and news clippings the past few weeks to find items to share on the blog, I began to notice a theme as the material began to hit the early 1970's.   A very obvious rifted was seen among Beatle fans.    Some fans were feeling like other fans were treating the Beatles as they were their personal possessions.   From what I can tell, things got ugly between certain individuals.     

You can still see a little bit of this in fans today, although I would say that things aren't too bad.   It is mostly when the topic of what fans get pulled up on stage at Paul's concert gets discussed (why did so and so even make a sign?  She has been on stage three times now!  Give someone else a chance...etc).  But for the most part, I think we work together and no longer are against one another.    

I blame a lot of the issues among the fans in the early 1970's on the age of the fans at that time.   Late teens/early 20's can be a hard time for some--moving out of childhood and into adulthood.   

Ringo and George (and their wives) in May of 1972

An open letter to fans everywhere

By Mary Ellen

Published in the July/August 1972 issue of “5 Bites of the Apple”

Dear Members,

Monday June 5, 1972 is a day which I will remember for more than one reason.    For on this day, for anxious “Beatle fans” Lynn, Linda J., Ruth and myself set out from Connecticut for 1700 Broadway where it was expected that a meeting was to be held between Allen Klein and John, Paul, George and Ringo to discuss their partnership shares in Apple.   Since Linda J. was the only one who had ever seen the Beatles before at the Shea Stadium concert in 1966, you could imagine how excited we were that we might be able to see at least one of the boys.  What we didn’t know was that in order to get any information on what was going on or to be able to camp out right in front of the steps leading to the entrance without being told to get lost – you had to be a P.B.N.B.F:   A Phoney Brown Noseing Beatle Fan <sic>. 

  Those who were fortunate or unfortunate enough to hold this title were able to ride up and down elevators and go in and out of ABKCO without any questions since they were all “such good friends” with those working up at ABKCO.  They also felt that they had the right to shout orders like a marine sergeant and even to determine who was “worthy” of seeing an of the boys if they show up  They only bothered with you if they wanted to know if you saw any of the boys going in or coming out.  Ringo came out first, and believe me it was a moment I know I’ll never forget.  Maybe the rest of us would have had a longer glimpse of Ringo if those who were waiting on the steps had not made a mad surge towards him as he came out.  After having gotten over the shock that we had all see Ritch, we all patiently waited for George to come out.  As he came out walking quickly up the street we all looked at him in the quiet of the evening, some of us following after him in a half daze until we heard a loud scream from one of the “darlings” of the group, “DON’T FOLLOW GEORGE!!!!”  Well at that moment, even George was forced to turn and see where that command was coming from.  The person who was so quick to give all the orders was even quicker in hailing a cab.  I wonder what fire she was off to, I mean she couldn’t have been following George now could she? 

  Everyone showed disappointment over the fact that John (he was in Chicago) and Paul had not come as we had all hoped for.  But even sadder fact was the way many of you who were there on Monday chose to act.  Maybe some of you will say that I have been unfair in what I said.  But let me ask you this:  How would you have felt if you were the ones seeing them for the first time, and there were those who felt if you were the ones seeing the Beatles so many times, that they should be the only ones allowed to see them?     It’s funny that while the Beatles are singing “Come Together” and “All you need is love” their “loving” fans are trying to figure out who to stab in the back next so there is one less threat to their chances of getting to them.  Remember, no one owns a copyright to the Beatles.  They belong to anyone who has ever felt a little bit better knowing that such as a thing as “The Beatles” was a part of their lives.

Note from the president:  The most unfortunate thing about that letter (as Mary Ellen pointed out) is that this certain thing does go on in New York, London, and any big or small city where there are a lot of fans who are involved with them.  It is sad really.  I know, I’ve been through it all, and I must confess I was a bit possessive with Paul (when he was here for 5 months about 1 year ago), but I had a damn right to be.  You see there are two groups of fans.  I should really say a few groups:  first you get the distaste of groupies (eck!).  Then comes the little babies who pull their hair and scream at them, and then US.  The people who have been around for 8 ½ years now, and know “the score” on what is going on.  I thank George for writing that song, Apple Scruffs.  Thank God, that four of them know the difference. 

Babysitting Mary

So I have had photos of fans babysitting Mary McCartney for quite awhile and I always wondered what the story was behind the photos.   I found that story this week in the July/August 1972 issue of "5 Bites of the Apple" fanzine.    

Before I post the story, let me say that I do not think that Paul and Linda were bad parents.   Quite the opposite.   I think that Heather here at the age of 9 was acting like a pretty normal 9 year old (and I teach kids every day from the ages of 5-11, so 9 year olds are something I understand).    She was trying to act older to impress these girls (the "balls" conversation) and she was exaggerating things a bit. I do not believe that anyone hit her, however I am sure that she was disciplined if she did not do her chores.   I also think Heather was going through a difficult time adjusting to her new life and was acting out on some of her feelings.    All normal behaviors for a child her age.   

I left out the last part of the story because the writer really said some unkind things about Paul and Linda as parents.  While this is how this person felt in 1972,  it isn't really something I want out on the internet in 2014.    I felt a bit uncomfortable putting this story out there in the first place, but it is very interesting.   It also reminds us that we live in a different age and I do not think anyone would allow strangers from another country to take their children to the park.   I am sure that Bea is watched and guarded at all times.   

So read this story through the eyes of 1972 and remember that young Paul fans wrote it. 

Written by Goldie and Robin

5 Bites of the Apple

July-August 1972

The date was July 6^th (1972) and it was our 8^th day in London.  We were to meet Heather at the park near Cavendish on that day.  The day before we had been introduced to her by Pat Miller, where we went to Regents park and played games and got “beat up.”  It’s hard to believe that all this was happening.   Heather is a normal 9 year old brat whose main line was “gimmie Gimmie” and “do this and that for me.”  She thrived at being the center of attention.  She complained constantly about the way she was being treated at home and about all the responsibilities she had.  

The second day was the best so we’ll deal more into that.   We met Heather in the park with Mary.  Mary was a bit shy in the beginning and clung to Heather although she later became very close to us.  She is a very protective child Heather and Heather’s game is hard to retaliate with Mary crying, “don’t hurt my Heather.”  In order for Heather to wrestle with the girls she was only too happy to unload Mary on us and let us take her for a walk.  We took her to the High Street where the shops are and she would look in all the windows and comment about the dolls, rings and things.  She was very sweet and loved when we took photos of her.  She had the sweetest smile, big blue eyes, a cute little pug nose with freckles on it.  Every time she smiles she would wrinkle her nose and roll her top lip under her mouth.  Her hair was dark brown and all in different chopped up layers, and she had on side tucked behind her ear.  She wore a dirty blue pajama top and little playsuit panties, with suede brown shoes.  She had a mad passion about carrying one of the girls pocketbooks and loved to look like a “lady.”  

 I know a lot of you would be interested to know some of Heather’s comments about Paul and Linda.  Here are some scattered comments.  When we were playing in the grass the 1^st day she asked us if we smoked and we answered, yes and she said “not cigarettes, grass (She picked up some grass from the ground) You know, pot.”  So then we said, “No.  do you?”  And she said yes!  So we said, “come on, get out of here.”  “Alright, I don’t’. But I know 5 people that do.  Promise not to tell, they’ll get arrested.  Mommy, Daddy, and the rest of the band.”  “They don’t give you any?”  “No….”    Then she also complained that she had too many chores to do and she would get “hit” if she didn’t do them.  “It’s not fair.  I get hit at least once a day.”  She had to be by 5 so that she could feed the babies, clean the dogs and feed them and make dinner.  She would imitate her mom yelling at her in a slang nasal American accent.  Once she said she liked the band except for her mommy and daddy.  At one point, Goldie commented that it was  a shame that they didn’t have a ball to play with.  Heather said, “Ball?  Do you know what balls are?”  Goldie said, “Yes, but you shouldn’t because you don’t’ have any brothers.”    “But I have fathers….” She complained about not being able go to the movies because “Rosie’s children go and they’re much poorer than we are.”  She said Ruth, Paul’s step sister was in love with David Cassidy and her favorite idol was Mick Jagger.  Someone asked if she ever saw him, and she said, “Are you kidding?  Mommy and I knew him real well in New York.  She photographed him.”   

Back to Mary.  She was the average 3 year old that loved to watch the budgies (pigeons) and follow them around in the park.  We were all very thirsty and went to the nearest bake shop to get something to eat and drink.  At first Mary said that she wasn’t hungry b ut after offering her a big doughnut, she agreed.  There were little flowers on the table which she picked up and had everyone smell.  When the owner told her not to play with them she just smiled and said, “they’re the ladies.”  She ate the doughnut and got the sugar all over her hair and face.  She was very polite and offered pieces to everyone.  Then Heather came looking for us because we were gone for so long.  We went back to the park to the little bathroom there to clean Mary up.  She had a little cut on her face and screamed and cried when we washed near it. 

 We met Heather the next day and she said that she would be gone tomorrow.  She said that she hated touring, it was very boring and she had to sit in the hotel room all the time.  We saw Mary again and she was half naked (no bottoms on) and she waved at us and smiled.  Mary is a very sweet, kind and pleasant baby.  She was reserved and friendly.  Heather on the other hand, was very aggressive, clever and bratty.  But she enjoyed us as friends and seemed upset when she knew we had to leave. 

 

Halloween 1970

Nothing like being spooked on Halloween by the McCartney family!   I have been holding onto this little story written by some NewYork fans from 1970 for several months just to post it at Halloween.  

Halloween 1970

By Joanne DiFilippe and Linda Rabe

5 Bites of the Apple Sept/October 1972

There will never be another Halloween like this Halloween!  As you all know, Paul had arrived in New York on October 8, 1970.  We spent three desperate weeks looking for the man.  Well on October 30^th, we went down to CBS Recording Studios where Paul was recording.  After not seeing him for over a year we were quite happy.  The next day, we were sitting by John Eastman's  still trying to find out where he was staying.  That afternoon we were sitting by John’s and watching the little children dressed up for Halloween.  We then decided to go around to the store and buy candy to give to them.  After doing our good deed for the day, we decided to continue with our search.  After having no luck for most of the day, we decided to try 5^th avenue.  As we crossed 81^st street, we saw two women and a man coming up toward 5^th.  They were dressed in yellow sheets with masks and the man was carrying a baby.  As they were approaching us at the corner, the man hid the baby’s face under the sheet and one of the women’s hands reached over to grab the man’s arm (which looked quite familiar!).  And as they came around the corner they were making these ghostly sounds.  We stopped dead in our tracks and figured we play along.  Suddenly thinking, “Oh no!” the guy with the baby came to each of us individually and made ghost sounds in our faces, coming so close he could have knocked us over.  It seemed funny that out of the 5 of us, who were there he came up to only the 4 who had been at the studio the night before.  As they turned to go into the Stanhope Hotel, which we were about to check, we noticed the groovy argyle socks (it was the socks!).  Which after a while, became a well-known trade mark, convinced us that we were right.  After realizing that our search for Paul was ended we realized that if during the course of the day we had been off by one minute in anything, we would not have been this lucky.  Not only had our search been over but we realized we had been put on by a Beatle  But yet, we got our reward for treating instead of tricking on Halloween.  That was the first of many events that followed! 

John on the streets of New York City

When John and Yoko came to New York to stay in 1971, the fans in the area were in for a treat.   Suddenly they were able to see John frequently.    It amazes me that the writer of this short encounter with John was sad that it had been "10 weeks" since she had last seen John.  That is nothing!   It must have been so amazing to just see John and Yoko out on the streets of New York like this.    This story comes from a fanzine called "5 Bites of the Apple" and it is one of the fan clubs that was connected through the offical Beatles fan club at the end.   It is actually a pretty interesting fan magazine and has a lot of insight into the world of Beatle fans in 1971.

There weren't any photos that went along with this story, so I took the liberty of finding some John photos from the fall of 1971 just to add to it. 

John Lennon Story

By Linda Woods

From  5 Bites of the Apple

Issue #4 (November/December 1971)

I must tell you a very funny story on what happened October 17^th.  Marie, Anna, Emma, Barbara, Linda and I were patiently waiting for John and Yoko to come out of the hotel.   After about a half hour of waiting, John and Yoko did come and it was MY turn to talk to John.   I must say, John was in a fantastic mood that day!  I went up to him (it had been 10 weeks since I last saw him!) and said, “Hi John, hi Yoko, how are you?”  John said to me, “Hi there….”  I said to Yoko, “Yoko are you going to watch Ed Sullivan tonight?”  Yoko completely ignored me!  John said to me, “Oh is that roobish about us going to be on again?”  I laughed nervously and said, “John, it isn’t roobish…” imitating him.  He looked at me and laughed hysterically. 

Meanwhile Marie, Ann and Emma were filming so John made those “famous” dance steps from “A Hard Day’s Night.” (I couldn’t stop laughing myself).   We all walked John to the limo, and by this time a crowd was gathering and I was getting a bit uptight because I had so much to say to John.  But I didn’t give up.   By this time I was on John’s side of the window along with Emma so I decided to talk to him now since so many people were pushing me.  I said to John, “John, I must tell you about channel 13 show…well I was lying there on my bed, minding my own business when all of a sudden Yoko started that screaming and I fell off the bed!”   He cracked up again.  I then at this point had my head all the way into the car window.  No, not purposely, but with all these other people were pushing me, John saw that I was getting a bit annoyed but still kept my cool.  I then told John that I was happy for him that the Syracuse event went over well and that I was sorry to have missed it.  With this, Emma whispered to me jokingly, “Yeah, I bet he missed you.”   With that, I said to John, “Did you miss me??” (Mimicking him in a “funny John voice.” )  He looked at Yoko, she giggled, and John turned to me and said (in the same voice) “Yes, we both missed ya.”  (His nose was touching mine when he said that!) 

  Then, these two Spanish guys pushed their way over to the car and singled to John that they wanted an autograph, so one of them pulled out a dollar bill. With this, John, still looked at me, put the dollar bill in his pocket!  (jokingly).  I said to John, “John, don’t do that…..give it to me!”  He laughed again.  I said to him, “John, I’d like to introduce you to two friends of mine.”  At this point, John saw that I was putting him on a bit so lifting his eyebrow he said, “Do you know them?”  I said, “No!”  Laughing, he gave me a look, so of to say, “Are you all right them.”  This one sweet old lady came over and said to John, “John Lennon how are you love?”    To everyone’s surprise, John yelled out to the lady, Ka Pasa Ka Pasa!”   Everyone roared!  The car was being delayed because of a parade on fifth avenue.   Finally the car was slowly pulling away and I said to John, “See ya John.”  He said, “See ya luv.”  I waved, smiling because I know him, yet I am sorry to see him go.