Sunday, August 5, 2007

The Wayback Machine -- "An old Beatle's Romance"

In the year 2000, just two years after the death of his beloved Linda, Paul McCartney found love again. Of course, we know how that relationship turned into a sour mess, and Sir Paul's name was dragged through the mud by the media, but there are many of us who believe he is a true gentleman, as well as a legend.

I grew up in the 60's feasting on each new Beatle album, and listening to their music today still transports me to a magical place. When Paul found a new love just a couple of years after Linda's death, some people were critical. My comment on March 18, 2000 (ironically my wife's birthday) was "I'm glad Paul has found somebody. I don't see a thing wrong with it either. Boy...I feel a story coming on..."

Here is the story -- replete with references to Beatles' song titles and lyrics. See if you can figure out the references. Hope you have fun with it!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He saw her standing there -- Long Tall Sally. She was just seventeen. He wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come. Finally he eased up beside her and whispered, "Listen...Do You Want to Know a Secret...do you promise not to tell?" His heart melted. He stuttered, but got out the words, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand!" She smiled and offered him her dainty palm. It was instant love. With soft music it seemed always playing in the background they romped like school kids (well...she was a school kid) in Strawberry Fields for what seemed like forever.

Well, the days grew into weeks, the weeks into months, and their love grew. One day he looked into her eyes and said, "I can't believe we have been together for all these months. It seems like we met just Yesterday!" He got on his knee and asked her to be his bride. The wedding day was wonderful. She had a gorgeous dress made by a talented seamstress named Eleanor Rigby who lived near the church. As she walked gracefully and elegantly down the aisle her heart was Free As a Bird.

The days afterward were very kind. He became a best-selling Paperback Writer and she had a very successful career in marine biology and explored the seas around the world in her Yellow Submarine. They made lots of money which they invested conservatively in CDs. Their accountant, Lew Beethoven suggested when the CDs matured next they might consider
investing in something that would have a better yield, but they felt things were just fine the way they were, so they said, "Money's fine, but Money Can't Buy Me Love. Just let the CDs Roll Over Beethoven."

One afternoon while sitting in a tiny bistro nestled snugly among the quaint shops along Penny Lane, they looked back over their lives together. Sally had never been one to show her emotions very openly, but it was clear she was touched by the romantic moment. He gazed into her eyes and said, "Sally...I Love You!" "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" she replied. In the passion of the moment he poured out his heart and shared the dream that had been sitting at the back of his mind for Eight Days a Week. "Darling, I know it'll be a Long and Winding Road, but I want to start a rock and roll band and move to America and make records and be on the Ed Sullivan Show. What do you think about that?!" Her face sunk, she shook her head and said, "No, Paul, just Let It Be."

There were stirrings of a Revolution in his heart. It must have been stirring in hers too, because the next morning he found a letter on the table saying she was leaving...she needed some space to think. He was confused and restless. He hardly slept that evening. It was a Hard Day's Night, and his mind was working like a dog. The next day he searched all over Kidneypool until he found her listening to Sergeant Pepper's band at the Lonely Heart's Club. He pushed his way to her side and shouted, "I found your Dear John letter. By George, I want my ring-o back!"

She said softly, “Did you read it all?” He stood there a moment before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the tattered letter and read the last line: “P.S. I Love You!” He stood there and tears welled up in his eyes. He looked up and found tears in her eyes too. The place had grown completely silent until some bloke belted out, “Hey pal, can’t you see...She Loves You!” The chorus erupted, “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” He said, "Baby, without you my life would just be Helter Skelter. Can you take me back?" She grabbed him in a passionate embrace and said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!"


© 2000 Jim Bohannon

1 comment:

Wings said...

Please don't ask me to name the songs... But I counted 8 separate lines I recognize from songs- and a few repeated a couple or more times.

Not bad for a 19 year old, right?

Cute story too.

BTW- the Darkstride comment was me- it seems my hunny logged in on my computer to check his stuff, but didn't sign out! And when I thought I signed the thing out, it posts under his name again! Ohh but I am persistent! You get your comment!