Meet the Beetles

It was February of 1964. I was a few days short of
my 11th birthday. The "Love Love Me Do" Beatles were coming to America, and
American teen-agers were excited. I don't know why I was excited...I wasn't a
teen-ager.
 
They were greeted like rock-stars...before that
word was fashionable. The press and the photogs were all over them. They were
handsome lads...all dressed up in matching suits. They even wore
ties.
 
Their famous first performance was on the Ed
Sullivan Show, probably right after Topo Gigio ( a mouse) performed. My sister
and I didn't get to watch it, because Ed was always on Sunday nights. As
preachers kids...we were in church on Sunday nights. I could have asked my dad
to tape it...but VCR's were still a long ways off.
 
I hate to admit it...but I got the "Meet the
Beatles" album for my birthday. That's not the part that's hard to admit. I also
pleaded and recieved a "Beatles Wig." The "shag" was horrible looking, but I
wore it proudly. I'd put on my wig, turn on my AM radio, and sing..."She loves
you....yeah, yeah, yeah. With a love like that...you know she can't be baddddd."
I loved the early Beatles...but not so much as they got older. Yoko didn't
help.
 
The beetles in the picture are the botanist's
scourge around here. They chew up everything in sight. I think the 2 on top are
doing more than meeting. I think the guy on top is singing..."Do you want to
know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Whoa-oo-oo-oo. Listen...let me
whisper in your ear...."
 
Musically...it was a wonderful time. The summer of
1964 had everybody singing the new Beatles song. I think it brought us up out of
the doldrums of President Kennedy being killed.
 
The beetles are pretty, but I wish we didn't have
them.