The Beatles would be in Milwaukee soon on their first American tour and surely they'd need a meal before their concert.
I was 13 and in love with the Beatles. My friends, Liz and Cathy, and I thought it would be a good idea to write letters and we each invited our favorite Beatle, then mailed them to the fan club. The days went by without a response as we read our Beatle magazines and sang and danced to our “Meet the Beatles" records.
Concert day was finally here and my mom took the three of us. We found our seats and it was clear we would never be able to see the band much less hear them because people were already standing on the backs of their chairs and screaming.
My mom, who was brilliant at doing absolutely crazy things, took a notepad and pen from her purse and pretended to be a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal. She made friends with some influential person who guided us all to front row seats while Mom continued to wait to be able to interview a Beatle. I’ll never forget how close she stood to John Lennon who was standing behind the guy she was "interviewing." That night, at 8 p.m., “She Loves You Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” started the concert and about the only thing we could hear were Ringo’s drums and the crush of crowd screaming and crying. But it was okay because we had a perfect view and we were screaming and crying too.
Maybe this is where my dream of becoming a journalist started; where I began to see how courage can move you forward; and how ingenuity and a friendly smile can part crowds.
Thanks, Mom!
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