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Post by Joe Karlosi on Jun 25, 2008 13:56:57 GMT -5
Over on another message board (about movies) we have an Off Topic section, and there was a thread entitled "Brushes With Greatness". Here's a terrific NY story by one of the members:
I worked my way through college driving a taxi in New York. Over the years, many a celeb graced the back seat of my Checker cab -- Jason Robards (drunk and ornery), Louis Prima (drunk and delightful), Tamara Dobson (tall and oh my), Bette Midler (short and oy vey) -- but none more memorable than John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
I remember the adrenaline rush when I spotted him hailing me: a rail-thin Lennon, the personification of quiet cool in a floppy cap and dark-tinted shades, standing in an East Village gutter, waving his hand lackadaisically. During the ride uptown, I kept glancing at them in the rear view mirror: John, sullen and silent, Yoko staring back at me with an infectious smile. I sat tight and kept mum but all the while I was churning inside, searching for something meaningful to say to the man who was once more popular than Jesus Christ. When we finally got to the Dakota, John asked how much he owed me. I blurted out that he owed me nothing. Yoko beamed, but Lennon just scowled with impatience. He insisted on paying the fare. I struggled to explain. His music had enriched my life; a free cab ride was the least I could do to repay him. Then he hit me with the clincher:
"You paid for the music, didn't you?"
No argument there. So much for free rides. With that, I accepted Lennon's twenty-spot and stashed the bill in my shirt.*
*I'm sure Harry Chapin would have approved.
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Post by winstonoboogie on Jun 25, 2008 19:39:24 GMT -5
Over on another message board (about movies) we have an Off Topic section, and there was a thread entitled "Brushes With Greatness". Here's a terrific NY story by one of the members: I worked my way through college driving a taxi in New York. Over the years, many a celeb graced the back seat of my Checker cab -- Jason Robards (drunk and ornery), Louis Prima (drunk and delightful), Tamara Dobson (tall and oh my), Bette Midler (short and oy vey) -- but none more memorable than John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
I remember the adrenaline rush when I spotted him hailing me: a rail-thin Lennon, the personification of quiet cool in a floppy cap and dark-tinted shades, standing in an East Village gutter, waving his hand lackadaisically. During the ride uptown, I kept glancing at them in the rear view mirror: John, sullen and silent, Yoko staring back at me with an infectious smile. I sat tight and kept mum but all the while I was churning inside, searching for something meaningful to say to the man who was once more popular than Jesus Christ. When we finally got to the Dakota, John asked how much he owed me. I blurted out that he owed me nothing. Yoko beamed, but Lennon just scowled with impatience. He insisted on paying the fare. I struggled to explain. His music had enriched my life; a free cab ride was the least I could do to repay him. Then he hit me with the clincher:
"You paid for the music, didn't you?"
No argument there. So much for free rides. With that, I accepted Lennon's twenty-spot and stashed the bill in my shirt.*
*I'm sure Harry Chapin would have approved. ;D Thanks for forwarding that, Joe!
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Jun 25, 2008 23:25:00 GMT -5
Great story, Joe. Any chance the guy would mind if I ran it on the website? Could you ask (or I will)?
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Post by Cosmos on Jun 25, 2008 23:47:31 GMT -5
That one is truly precious Joe Karlosi. You New Yorkers seem to have all the fun!
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Post by gripweed on Jun 26, 2008 13:34:59 GMT -5
That was great. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by ChokingSmoker on Jun 26, 2008 14:16:18 GMT -5
Another great New York interlude. Meat Loaf, musician and actor Starstruck
One time I had a meeting in Manhattan and I was early. There was a little coffee shop attached to the building, so I went in and I sat down at the counter. There was an empty stool next to me and someone sitting on the next stool. I order a coffee. There's a little sugar thing right in front of me, but I want Sweet'n Low. I glance over and see Sweet'n Low packets in front of the guy on the other stool. I didn't even look at him, I just said, "Excuse me, can you hand me the Sweet'n Low?" He answers, "Yeah, sure, mate," and he's got an English accent. Sounds familiar. I open the packet and I take a quick look and it's John Lennon. Thousands and thousands of questions are in my head. We're both Libras, close to the same birthday -- I even used to dream about John Lennon.
I used to have dreams of going to Lennon's office, and of being signed to Apple Records by him. We would sit and talk about music. He would be behind a desk wearing a white suit. After he died I kept having the same dream, only I could never see his face.
Anyway, I sat next to Lennon in that coffee shop for fifteen minutes and never got up the nerve to speak. I wanted to tell him I'd had the dream; I wanted to say, "I've always dreamed about coming to your office, and you were wearing white"...
I get starstruck around people, what can I tell you? (early 1970s) More great stories at this site. dir.salon.com/story/ent/feature/2005/12/08/lennon25/index3.html
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JMG
Very Clean
Posts: 412
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Post by JMG on Jun 26, 2008 15:38:02 GMT -5
Over on another message board (about movies) we have an Off Topic section, and there was a thread entitled "Brushes With Greatness". Here's a terrific NY story by one of the members: I worked my way through college driving a taxi in New York. Over the years, many a celeb graced the back seat of my Checker cab -- Jason Robards (drunk and ornery), Louis Prima (drunk and delightful), Tamara Dobson (tall and oh my), Bette Midler (short and oy vey) -- but none more memorable than John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
I remember the adrenaline rush when I spotted him hailing me: a rail-thin Lennon, the personification of quiet cool in a floppy cap and dark-tinted shades, standing in an East Village gutter, waving his hand lackadaisically. During the ride uptown, I kept glancing at them in the rear view mirror: John, sullen and silent, Yoko staring back at me with an infectious smile. I sat tight and kept mum but all the while I was churning inside, searching for something meaningful to say to the man who was once more popular than Jesus Christ. When we finally got to the Dakota, John asked how much he owed me. I blurted out that he owed me nothing. Yoko beamed, but Lennon just scowled with impatience. He insisted on paying the fare. I struggled to explain. His music had enriched my life; a free cab ride was the least I could do to repay him. Then he hit me with the clincher:
"You paid for the music, didn't you?"
No argument there. So much for free rides. With that, I accepted Lennon's twenty-spot and stashed the bill in my shirt.*
*I'm sure Harry Chapin would have approved. Thanks for sharing that with us Joe Karlosi. Loved the Harry Chapin reference at the end!
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Jun 29, 2008 6:08:54 GMT -5
Great story, Joe. Any chance the guy would mind if I ran it on the website? Could you ask (or I will)? Well, this particular fella and I haven't exactly gotten on so well. I can send you a link and if you want to try and PM him or something, you can... monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/17283
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