Tales of Paul (part 6)

While in Liverpool City Centre on Monday 19^th May. Jayne and I bumped into Steve who owns the From Me To You shop. He told us that Paul was coming to Liverpool on Thursday 23^rd May to do the press conference about his art exhibition at The Walker Art Gallery. Steve told us where to stand outside to get to see Paul and said to get there about 9.30am.

So Jayne and I decided to go and try to get to meet the man himself. We got to town for 9am and there was no one around. So we wandered around the area to see if anyone else turned up. By 10am there was still no one and the Art Gallery opened to the public which we thought was strange but we went in and looked around the Gallery until we got to the place where the Special Exhibition is held. No one was allowed in there except press officers.

As we waited we saw familiar faces from Beatle functions turning up and Geoff Baker walked through a few times so we knew Paul was not far away. As time passed we saw journalists come and go and decided that it was to be a wasted journey. Jayne and I walked around various rooms again and again but still nothing happened to make us think he would come out to speak to us.

Eventually Jayne said that it was getting boring now just waiting so I suggested we went downstairs for a cup of Coffee or Hot Chocolate. The café was under the massive staircase and I chose a table near the counter to sit at. I went and got the drinks and sat down again. Near the table there was a door that said ‘Private Staff Only’ on it and people were going in and out of it.

As I had just dipped my biscuit into my drink the door opened and I looked up to see Paul walk through the doorway into the café area. I automatically said ‘Hiya Paul’ to him as did Jayne. He turned and smiled and said ‘Hi’ back then said ‘your having a coffee are you?’ I replied ‘Erm yeah’ then off he went and shook hands with someone else sat in the café. As he walked away I thought ‘ I must get my autograph book out’ but even as I thought it I knew it was too late as Jayne and I watched him run up the staircase.

Jayne looked over at me and I looked back at her and said ‘did that really just happen?’

She said ‘yeah it did’ to which I said ‘that was so unreal’ and we carried on drinking our Hot Chocolates. When we had finished we went up the stairs to the doorway of the exhibition. There were loads of people there now trying to get Paul's Autograph. Security guards came out and told us Paul would not be signing any autographs and many of them left. But we decided to stay for a little while.

When it got to the point where we knew that he would be going out the back way we left the Gallery and walked to the side of it where you could see the back exit. Security men were out in force and Paul's car was backed up right into the doorway so I knew we would not get his autograph. We waited around though talking to others who were stood there until we realised we had to get home because Jayne was going somewhere important at 2pm and it was already 1pm.

So we went home and carried on as normal telling ourselves that next time we will get his autograph somewhere, somehow. When is the question? It should have been in July when Paul comes for the LIPA Graduation at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall but unfortunately I can’t go because I am busy at the time he arrives. Damn!