I have encountered a Beatle twice in my life. I know that sounds impossible but it's true. Both times it was my favorite Beatle, John Lennon. The first time was around 1968. I was living in New York at the time and my friend had entered a radio contest. She won two tickets for the New York premiere of Yellow Submarine. She chose me to go with her! We got in our seats and before the movie started, a murmur moved through the crowd. John Lennon was walking down the aisle! I was in the aisle seat and I looked up as he walked by. He was so close I could have touched him but I didn't. None of the other Beatles were there, he was the only one, but it was still an exhilirating experience.
The other time I encountered John Lennon was years later. It was 1975 and I was 23 and working at New York Hospital. Yoko Ono had just given birth to her son Sean. As a medical technician, I was the person who got to analyze her blood. I didn't draw it from her though, it was in the lab for me to test. Something exciting happened that day though. I remember walking down the hall, clipboard under my arm. I waited for the elevator and when it opened, I got inside. I looked over and to my great surprise, leaning against the side of the elevator was John Lennon. I held my breath. I couldn't believe it was him. I knew he was in the hospital but I never thought that I would actually see him. His hair was long, his glasses were sliding down his nose and a five o'clock shadow was visible on his tired face. He looked up and greeted me with a smile. No one spoke though. I was in the elevator for a few minutes with my favorite Beatle. I had grown up with John Lennon. It only seemed like yesterday that he and the other Beatles were singing She Loves You and Ticket to Ride. When my floor arrived, he made sure the doors stayed open for me, and nodded. I took one look back and then the doors shut on the greatest musician of all time, John Lennon.
My experiences mean the world to me. I feel so lucky to have encountered my favorite Beatle twice.