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FORT WORTH, TEX: My three best friends - Carol, Elaine, and Pam - and I received press passes to the Hermits' press conference that was to be held in one of their suites. We arrived extra early and went up to one of the floors they were staying on, so two of us would stay on one for a while then switch. Carol was standing by the door of one suite, her foot on a newspaper, when it suddenly went under the door, knocking her over. Then, Lek stuck his head out the door to see what was going on. He was very nice, but asked her if she could come back later. She figured she had done enoguh already (by making a bit too much noise and waking him up in the first place) so they left. On the other floor, one of the promoters' assistants came by and told us not to knock on the door because Herman and Keith were in there. Soon Herman came out all sleepy-eyed and hair touseled. I just stood there looking at him, not saying a word. He looked at us and said, "Hello!" I said "Hi ... uh ... we're not supposed to bother you." "Oh, you're not bothering me. Just help me find the lift." First we got his autograph, then showed him to the elevator. He went up to the floor where Lek was. Pam and Elaine had been down in the dining room where Karl and Barry were having breakfast. The boys told them not to tell anyone else where they were because they wanted to eat in peace. I guess, for some reason Keith hadn't gone down for breakfast because he came out of one of the rooms to talk to us. I introduced myself and spent some time with him before the conference. Then time came for the conference. Karl and Barry still weren't there. I properly introduced myself to Herman and Lek, and instead of shaking hands, Lek leaned over and kissed me! Finally Karl and Barry got there. They had been swimming and Herman bawled them out a bit for not being on time. I'd say Karl is the friendliest of all. He really likes American High School rings and wants one himself. He was wearing quite a few rings, one a beautiful gold one. He wanted to know our names and was the easiest to talk to. Barry was a little shy and hard to talk to. But once you get him started, he's a pretty good conversationalist. Keith, who is also very friendly, was sitting on a couch. When I sat down to ask him questions, he cautioned for me not to sit very close. Herman is another hard one to get to know. He's not snobby - it's just that he seems to be out in a world of his own. Later on (at the pool) I asked a lot more questions. Here's as many as I can remember:
Then we went back out into the hall, but hesitated just a few minutes in leaving. Just as we were starting to leave, Karl and Barry came rushing by in their swimming trunks. It seems that these two stay pretty much together. We asked them where they were going and they replied, "Down to |
the pool. Where are you going?" "I guess we were just going down to the lobby to leave." "Well, then, why don't you come down to the pool with us?" "Will your manager mind?" "You're wearing a press badge, aren't you?" "Well, alright then. I do want to ask you some more questions." So we got on the lift with them and rode down to the floor where the pool was. Just as it stopped, they bolted out and started running toward the pool. I yelled, "Karl!" He turned around and shouted back, "Come on!" We ran as fast as we could after them. They dived in the pool, then came back out and pulled up some chairs for us to sit down. We talked about England, America, the groups, and so on. Before long, Herman, Keith, and Lek came bounding by and jumped in the pool. Karl thought the English boots with heels I was wearing were very amusing. I started to walk off and he yelled, "Hey, Elaine will you rub some suntan lotion on my back?" I did and they kept us busy the whole day rubbing lotion on their backs. Karl even sent Carol after more. They're all very good swimmers and have mastered the art of diving. Somehow, they got a sidewalk surfboard and started surfing off the diving board into the pool. It was hilarious! There is no need to say Herman is a natural born actor and can't resist the chance to act. Everytime you would come toward him with a camera, he would make nutty faces. When he was back in the pool he would swim on his back and spout water like a whale, then look over at us, make a face and go under. Karl has a gorgeous camera. He took it out and took a few pictures of me. Then he had Pam take about four more of me rubbing lotion on his back. They kept ordering cokes all day and we drank an awful lot of them. It was so hot! They had ice fights, and we got caught in the middle of it all. It started when one dropped some ice in the other's trunks. I came very near getting dropped in the pool several times. Karl picked me up and scared me to death by almost throwing me in. Later Herman grabbed me by the arm and dragged me toward the water. I managed to get away, but a moment later when I was standing by the side of the pool with the other girls, Karl dove in just close enough to get us soaking wet. Herman almost died laughing! To add to our misery, Herman came by with his mouth full of water and spit it all over us. By now I had two runs in my stockings, right down the middle of my legs. Karl came out of the pool and I ran up to him like I was mad. Instead of aplogizing for getting us wet, he looked at my legs and said, "How about that? You've got matching runners!" I had to laugh and forgot all about being wet. All day long, fans and disc jockeys kept ringing the pool phone, wanting to talk to one of the Hermits. Their manager would shout at them to get to the phone and they would slowly drag to it. Once when Herman was talking to someone, Karl and their manager got us to scream as loud as we could. I couldn't quite figure out what for. I guess it was to impress whoever he was talking to - to think he was surrounded by fans. So we screamed very loudly and drowned out Herman's conversation. He kept saying, "What's that? I can't hear you." But I could tell he thought it was funny by the way he was smiling. We asked them if they like to dance and they do. They said they dance about the same way as we do it here. Their manager showed us a dance he started in England. It's something like the watusi with your legs a little apart, clapping your hands from side to side. I was embarrassed once. The manager asked me which record I would buy - "Mrs. Brown" or "Ticket To Ride." Herman was suntanning in a chair right next to me (they spent more time out of the pool than in.) He had his eyes closed, but I could see him peeking out the corner of his eyes at me when I was asked this question. I didn't know quite what to say, so I replied, "I would buy "Ticket To Ride." "You would?" "Yes, I already have Mrs. Brown." "Say you didn't have either one and you only had enough money for one?" "I'd wait 'til I had more money, then go out and buy them both." At this, he gave up. He knew I'm a big Beatle fan and that's probably why he brought it up in the first place. Herman was still sunning when I thought about his little sticky-out tooth and asked to see it. He showed it to me, but it was very loose and about to come out. I understand now that it has to come out. I had this little round doll thing with long hair and two eyes peeking through it all. I had intended to give it to him at the press conference, but had forgotten all about it until now. I got it out and handed it to him and he liked it very much. He then asked me all sorts of questions about it like, "What is it? Did you make it?" I didn't make it, and wasn't quite sure myself what is was. I think it was called a "Beatle Pom-pom," but I told him it was a Hermit and he was very thrilled. He said he was going to be sure to keep it. Herman is very thin, much thinner than he looks. Keith is also very thin. At the conference they were wearing real sharp blue denim jeans and suede boots. Keith was wearing a cross around his neck and he never took it off, even while swimming. I asked him if he was Catholic and he replied "No." And left it at that. I guess he doesn't believe in discussing religion. They like girls with long hair, and I was thrilled because my hair is long. I was very surprised when Barry told me how he had imagined Texas - cowboys, saloons, etc. He said, "But I was dead wrong!" I enjoyed Karl talking about the English pubs. One thing he pointed out was that in England there are more beat clubs and places for teens to go. They all have such lovely long hair. They look sort of funny with it all wet and pushed back. Anyway, Karl let me brush his back in place. Right before we left, I bought a Dr. Pepper to take along. Lek was very curious because they don't have them in England and he had never tasted one. I let him have some of mine, and as it turned out, he made a face and declared he didn't like it. Oh yes, Lek does a great impression of a frog by filling his cheeks with air. They're all such nuts! They don't seem to realize they're big stars. We kept pounding into their head, "You're stars, boys! You're stars!" when we told them our friends wouldn't believe we had actually spent a day with them, they replied, "Why? Why not?" They were serious, too. They just don't understand how big they really are! That ended my day with the boys. It's a day I'll ALWAYS remember!!!!! - ELAINE McAFEE |