I Met the Walrus_ How One Day With John Lennon Changed My Life Forever - Jerry Levitan [31]
After spending a day with John, he treated me to a night on the town with popular recording star Mary Hopkin.
“Hi,” I said, as a fourteen-year-old would. “Hi,” she answered. “Have a seat.” “Sure thing,” I said, and with that plopped my tired body down beside her. “Great show,” I told her. “Especially your part. I’m not a big fan of you know who.” She smiled, thanked me, and shrugged her shoulders. I had never seen anyone like her. She was a natural blonde with a full body in a tight minidress. Her skin was translucent and she smiled in a naturally shy way that covered some uneven teeth. Her accent was Welsh and there was a real gentleness about her.
“What brings you here?” she enquired and I was glad to fill her in. “I just came from meeting John and Yoko. They’re here you know. Here in Toronto.” “That is so exciting,” she said and seemed rather happy for me until I took out the Two Virgins album. She had a pained look on her face and erupted into a nervous giggle. “He signed it over here, and Yoko did too. And look they gave me this new one. Life With the Lions they call it. That’s Yoko in the hospital.” Mary was the first person I could tell the story to and I gushed with details. She was polite and listened attentively.
The Capitol man came by with some industry people and Sam, and asked for some more photos. He motioned Mary to stand up and she obligingly posed with the group. I took out the Brownie camera once more and snapped away acting like a big shot in front of my new friend, “Would you like one too?” she asked, and I jumped at the chance. Someone took the camera and snapped. At the same time someone else called her name and she looked away. But I looked straight into the camera beaming and proud of that moment and the last sixteen hours of accomplishment.
Engelbert had left the room and it began to die down. It was 11:00 P.M. and I was ready to go. “Here is my card,” the Capitol man said. “When the photos are ready, give me a call. I’ll give you some records.” I threw my bag over my shoulder and told him I would call him right away. As I was about to say good-bye to Mary she burst out, “I’m being treated to a night out tomorrow at a posh nightclub. Would you like to come with me?” “For sure! Yeah, for sure!” She smiled shyly again and said, “Wonderful. It’s a place called the Electric Circus. Be there at 8:00.” “Electric Circus. Eight o’clock. I’ll be there. Thanks, Mary.” I waved, I smiled, I waved again, tripping on my own feet as I walked backwards. I made her giggle as I played up my clumsiness, bumping into tables and chairs.
I left the room and walked onto the plush carpet of the theater. Cleaning ladies were vacuuming and the place was empty. It was dark outside and I was alone on the streets of downtown Toronto on a warm spring night. Union Station was a ten-minute walk and luckily, I’d remembered to bring bus tickets. There were not too many people on the bus when I sat down in my favorite solitary window seat. It was, after all, late Monday night. There was work and school tomorrow for my fellow Torontonians. What was in store for me? I wondered. Would anyone believe me? I had no pictures or the tape yet, just autographed albums. Anyone could have signed them. I could have signed them. I began arguing with detractors in my mind.
The time went by quickly. I had replayed every moment. I remembered the way John smelled. The ashtray. How Yoko looked. “The Ballad of John and Yoko.” I embraced the albums. The caricature of John and Yoko was amazing. “I have a cartoon of John and Yoko, drawn by John!” Wondrous. Unbelievable. It was a day that was planned in heaven. I believed in God. I believed in the Beatles. And I believed in the greatest hero of them all, John Lennon. It was quite a few blocks to my home from the bus stop. Was it midnight yet? I did not bring a watch. Turning the corner onto