20 Forthlin Road

Source

 The other night I saw a movie about John Lennon. It was called “Nowhere Boy”. I have been on a Beatle high ever since. I love being on a Beatle high. Don’t you think it is wonderful to have a passion? Like for me, one of mine is The Beatles. I have many passions. But yeah, back to The Beatles, I love ‘em. Can’t get enough of ‘em. I can talk about them for hours. Fortunately for me, I was born into a pack of Beatle lovers so we have lots of people to share our passion. That is a beautiful thing.

A few years ago, we packed our bags and flew off to Liverpool. That is how passionate we are about ‘our boys’. Well, we didn’t exactly fly to Liverpool. We flew to London first, then, took a train trip up to Liverpool. The city’s name, Liverpool, sounds ugly doesn’t it? I expected a disagreeable place. That does not describe the city at all. In fact, it is an attractive seaside city planted amid gentle, green rolling hills. It is a port city with an abundance of shipping and transportation bustle. And did I mention there is magic in the air?

This magic to which I refer is difficult to explain yet it hits you right in the face like a blast from a fired up amplifier. It is not a subtle thing. To see the city, to breathe the air fresh off the sea, to know this is the birthplace of John, Paul, George and Ringo during World War II, there is no denying that something abides called destiny, kismet, fate or whatever you wish to call it. Do you believe in coincidence? I do not.

We took a tour called The Beatle Experience that left from the Liverpool waterfront at the Albert Dock. There we met many others like us of similar passion. There were a few Americans but lots of British, French, and Germans.

I had often read prior to our trip that The Beatles had financially impoverished childhoods. They did not really. George and Ringo had it rougher than John and Paul but none were what I would call living in poverty. As youths, George and Ringo lived in what are called ‘two up, two down’ small flats with their families. Their quarters were cramped but not unfortunate. John at Mendips and Paul at 20 Forthlin Road had larger, more comfortable homes. Both John and Paul went to an architecturally mesmerizing private school and wore “Harry Potteresque” type uniforms.

Probably the most interesting thing that happened to me while on this tour occurred at 20 Forthlin Road, Paul’s childhood home. The house is open for tours. As we were leaving through the front door, a big cat ran up to me from the yard. He ran up to ME. It is a small thing but what are the odds? Out of all of those people, that cat wanted ME. Do you believe in coincidence? I do not. It is a beautiful thing.