Once in a lifetime something unexpected and "special" comes along. I have been a lifelong Beatles' fan...ever since the 1960s explosion across the world when they bounded onto the rock scene. I bought all the teen mags with their photos, kept Paul's under my pillow to sleep with at night....smuggled my transistor radio to bed to listen to their songs before going to sleep....wearing "Beatle Buttons" on my clothes to school and church,....I even remember driving the family crazy one Sunday night to get home in time from church so I could watch them on the Ed Sullivan show.....and made it just in time! (one of those moments I'll always remember exactly where I was and how it felt!!)...As I grew older, and they began to edge more into the acid era, and their rock got harder-edged, I drifted away from following them.....was appropriately sad when they broke up, mourned John Lenon's death as tragic....however, I can still remember their birthdays (!)....and every word to their classic songs....
As I get farther on the other side of 50 now, I seem to be thinking about things I haven't yet done. Last Thursday, I read an article in the paper about Paul's tour this summer...and told Val that I really should have gotten tickets, because, I now realize that I'll probably never get to see him in concert (since I obviously missed seeing the Beatles live - my parents would have NEVER allowed that!).
The very next day at work, my boss came out of her office, holding 3 tickets in her hand, asking if anyone wanted to go to the concert the next night!!! I started to say yes, but then realized I was scheduled to work....but she said to get coverage and go! SO, that's exactly what happened...I got coverage.....called Steve and we made arrangements to drive to FedEx field in Maryland for the big night!
After waiting 2 hours in the upper deck (which, btw, is NOT a bad place in this particular stadium! Not too steep....and the view of the stage was great!)...Sir Paul finally took the stage with 4 extremely talented musicians and began what I can only describe as a miraculous feat - playing in extreme heat and humidity for 2 solid hours without a break for a drink.....leaping from one song directly to another, from guitar to ukelele to piano....fast to slow pace....only to return to not ONE but TWO encores! AND he still "skipped" off the stage like he had just started! Awesome vocals, even better music....old and new.....I loved it all. "Hey Jude"....transported me back to age 16....."I Saw Her Standing there", to when I was 14....."Yesterday".. back to my first love and breakup and tears..... "Live and Let Die" (complete with fireworks and explosions) to my 20s.....some really really amazing guitar riffs and jamming.....a drummer that rivaled ANY I've ever ever heard....and, of course, Sir Paul himself.....a little lined in the face.....but fit in body....and vocals to die for.
Can you tell I'm a happy camper right now???? What a blessing to get to do something on the "bucket list"....that brings such joy....such memories.....
And what a blessing that this person for 50 YEARS has touched lives in literally EVERY part of the world. Peace to Paul....and Peace to all...
