Saturday, September 20, 2008

I read the news today, Oh boy!



















Originally written over 2 years ago, I was inspired to re post this after reading SuperRaizy's post. The first 29 comments are from the original post...back when I was, ahem, popular.


Paul McCartney and Heather Mills agree to split.

When I was only 8 years old, something life-changing happened to me. (okay, it happened to millions of others too, but when you're 8 years old, you're pretty sure it's only happening to you).

The Beatles

Yep, that's what happened. I saw them. Well, not in-person, but as close to in-person as you could get...I saw them on Ed Sullivan.

I can still remember it. The t.v. picture was black and white. You actually had to get out of your chair to switch to the right station.

They stood there, singing to an audience of screaming fans. Girls ready to faint. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before.

And there he was...PAUL...he was the most gorgeous male person I had ever seen. How did I even comprehend that, at eight years of age? His hair was thick and dark and funny looking. (yes, in 1964 that was considered funny looking). But his eyes, oh his eyes. And his smile...he melted my little girl-sized heart.

My neighbor and I were so obsessed with Paul, that we would play a game, for hours, called "I married Paul". Can you imagine? All I wanted was to marry him. Thank goodness the Monkees came along a few years later, so Davy Jones could take my mind off him...for a little while anyway.

I was convinced Paul would find me, swoop me into his arms, and propose. I mean, why not?
Wasn't Paul looking for a little Jewish girl from the suburbs of L.A. to marry? Why, of course he was!

Until he met Linda, that is. It all went down hill from there. In 1969, he and Linda married. Female hearts around the world had been crushed and shattered. It was devastating. He even seemed happy.

How could I be so angry, at the age of 131/2, that Paul had decided to marry Linda? Wasn't I supposed to be happy for him? Afterall, he was the man I had loved faithfully for over 4 years. And when you truly love someone, aren't you supposed to be happy when they're happy?

HELL NO

I knew it was over. I had to accept it. My dream would never come true. Paul would forever be lost to me.

So I mustered all the emotional strength I could and proceeded to get on with my life. Boyfriends would come and go, but no one could tweak my heart the way Paul did.

Until the person in the picture above, at the top, came along. This was amazing...he had the same dark hair. His eyes were those "sad" eyes, just like Paul's. Something about his lips looked familiar.

This man resembled Paul. Could it be? If I could not have Paul, was I destined to have a look-alike?

As fate would have it, this was to be the case. Because the picture above, at the top, is...

Mr. Cruisin...in all his Beatle-like glory.

I had found "my Paul". Okay, so he didn't have a gazillion dollars, and wasn't one of the most famous musicians in the world, and couldn't serenade me to bed at night with "If I fell". Hey, a girl can't expect absolutely everything right?

Anyhow, I bet Paul can't swing a hammer, or turn a wrench. He probably doesn't even watch American Idol. "My Paul" can do all that and more.

Life was good. Status quo. I had accepted gracefully, that I would never be married to Paul. But how many women can say they married a look-alike of their childhood fantasy? Not many, I suppose.

Sometimes life goes on without a twist or a turn. But sometimes, everything changes.

Once again, fate would present me with a dilemma.

In 1998, Linda McCartney, beloved wife of Paul McCartney, died from breast cancer.

Feelings swirled through my body. What sad, horrible, devastating news. POOR PAUL...the love of his life, the woman he had never spent a night away from, the mother of his children...GONE.

"Hmmmmm", I thought to myself..."SHE'S GONE!"...

My head snapped. What was I thinking. Paul, the man I had loved faithfully, was in deep pain and all I could think about was the fact that Linda was gone...out of my way...

Of course, there was one tiny problem. Unlike back in 1969, I now had a husband and children, and a name in my community. How could I dump all that for Paul?

I knew that Paul was probably needing me now in his hour of grief. But I was resigned to my fate. We were not meant to be and that was that.

A few years later, Paul would meet a British model, fall in love, marry, and have a child. I suppose I was happy for him, but there would always be a longing in my heart.

Fast forward to today. I woke up, turned on my radio, and there it was...the ANNOUNCEMENT..."Paul McCartney and Heather Mills agree to split".

Oh my God, poor Paul...my heart sank. This man had found happiness once again (without me)...and was now going to lose it.

Fate has presented me with another dilemma...Paul is FREE again. What to do? I mean, Mr. Cruisin is still here...faithful all these years.

Did Paul stay faithful to me?...don't think so. Did Mr. Cruisin? Through all of life's ups, downs, twists and turns...he stayed faithful to me.

Sorry, Paul...you had your chance in 1964...and even though you're free again...

I guess you blew it.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Clever post title :-)
And, oh yeah, GO CAVS!!!!

Ok, sorry, comment section hijacked by a Cleveland fan.

:-)

torontopearl said...

Paul certainly doesn't know the life he missed out on with you...

But Mr. Cruisin' looks like he's ready to go cruisin'...all decked out in his leather (or pleather) jacket, polyester plaid pants and platform shoes. If you ask me, that look has a touch of Englebert Humperdinck to it, too!

You sure there's no small office/bedroom in your house for Paul? I think you ought to feed him coffee and babke to help nurse his emotional pain right now.

Jack Steiner said...

Who wants an old washed up rock star.

Another meshugannah mommy said...

My son was born on Paul McCartney's birthday, and I have raised him to be a proud Beatles fan. Although, if you can believe this, he prefers WINGS (and particularly, "Band on the Run"!) Oh, the sacriliege!

millie garfield said...

You did it again!!

A great post!! Fun to read.

Remined me of the days when I was a BIG Glenn Miller fan. Couldn't get enough of him, even skipped school to see the band again and again.

cruisin-mom said...

Neil: Oh Ma God, you like, gotta problem, like, with the valley, dude?

E.K.: Oy,you Cav fans are CRAZY!!!

T.P.: Mr. Cruisin says: "tell Pearl that is a REAL LEATHER JACKET!!!"
And, of course I have a special place for Paul, should he decide to come visit.

Jack: You know, maybe you're right

Mia: of course he is...lol

HOH: the underskirt of your mom...hmmmmm, now that is quite clever of you!

AMM: Mr. Cruisin's bday is very close to Paul's. Wings, eh? We'll have to have a serious talk with this boy.

Millie: thanks! I probably would have done the same for Glenn Miller, although I KNOW I would have done the same for Frank Sinatra.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Ok...I admit it too, I love Wings! Always have, yes, AMM, Band on the Run.

My children, especially Natalie are Beattle Fans and can always guess correctly when they are playing a song on the radio.

PsychoToddler said...

HOLY CRAP CM, I thought that WAS Paul! Totally snookered me there.

Jack: and what exactly is wrong with being a washed-up rock star??

ST: I love Wings too. Butterpie??

People think I grew a beard to look more frum. But actually I grew it to look more like Paul during his scruffy years.

Wendy said...

Clearly you see that you got the best end of the deal! Poor Paul.

kasamba said...

Hey that's so funny!
I married my husband because he looked and sounded like Davy Jones from the Monkees!!!!
(Paul's loss- Mr Cruisin's a lucky guy!)

cruisin-mom said...

S.T.: I had my children trained at a very early age to recognize Beatle songs. One of my kid's now knows way more than I do about them.

P.T.: Actually, the first time I saw your piture, I thought YOU were my husband.

Wendy: Amen!

Kasamba: looked AND sounded like Davy Jones? Holy smokes, I'm melting just thinking about it.

StepIma said...

His loss.

:)

Bonnie B said...

Hey, Mr. Cruisin is a pretty hot potato-- without all the celebrity "pressures."
Look at it this way, he can always lipsinc to one of Paul's greatest-- but that might be creepy.

Nice blog. Loved it.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

You know, I gotta confess something. When I wrote my previous comment, I hadn't actually read completely through your post (but I swear this is the only time I did that), or else I would have added that ...

Wow - I thought that was Paul too, well maybe the second pic and I think every little girl plays the game "I'm married to ____."

My friends were hooked on Shawn Cassidy, but I was in love with Parker Stevenson and Scott Baio.

Today of course it's Patrick Dempsey. Hmmm, Mrs. Sweettooth Dempsey. Oh, I like that!

cruisin-mom said...

Stepima: You know it!

Bonnie B: Welcome...thanks for stopping by and enjoying my blog. My husband will be thrilled to know that someone thinks of him as a Hot Potato lol

S.T.: Okay, I'll forgive you...but the Parker Stevenson and Scott Baio thing?...I wouldn't say that out loud.
Dr. McDreamy on the other hand...hmmmm Mrs. Cruisin-mom McDreamy Dempsey...has a certain simplicity to it, don't you think?

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

I know - I was such a 70's kid.

But, hey wait a minute, what is this about stealing my man? Don't make me bring you to the Jerry Springer show.

cruisin-mom said...

S.T.: Bring it on, baby

Stacey said...

I am glad you have bowed out -- so that I can have Paul all to myself!

Your husband looks so groovy in those plaid pants. Hee, hee.

Oh, and Sweetooth -- I never understood everyone's fascination w/Shaun Cassidy. Parker Stevenson was clearly where it's at!

cruisin-mom said...

Stacey: If you can get him, you can have him!
Pa-leeze...how about David Cassidy?

JackT: Welcome! I see you in Neil's comments all the time. Are you saying Paul isn't much of a song writer without John?

Ezzie said...

I had nothing to say to this post, but now I do.

CAVS FANS ROCK! :)

Stacey said...

David Cassidy? Ewww, NO WAY! I mean, he's like 3 ft. tall!!

cruisin-mom said...

Ezzie: tell me something I don't know!

Stacey: You better watch out...short men of America are coming after you!

cruisin-mom said...

JackT: the best are Lennon/McCartney collaborations...I agree.

socialworker/frustrated mom said...

Thanks for the update I would not have known.

SuperRaizy said...

I am LOVING this post! It's hilarious, but it's also so real. I'm so glad you decided to repost it so that I could read it.

SuperRaizy said...

Also-
please see my reply to your comment at Superraizy.

Baila said...

Came here through SuperRaizy. Paul is just the best, isn't he? Sigh. He'll be here in 4 days and [wails] I CAN'T GO!!!!

So close yet so far.

I definitely did not marry a Paul look-a-like.

And I thought those pictures were Paul.

Batya said...

I first heard of the Beatles from a British penpal I had before anyone in the states knew of them. She liked John.
A school friend got to be in the audience at the Ed Sullivan Show, because her father worked for the station.
I won't be at his Tel Aviv performance. I'd rather watch it in the comfort of my home if it's ever put on dvd.

Claire said...

Crusin-mom, this post cracked me up. You're so funny! :-)

Cxx

HeyJoe said...

And how could you ever resist a man in plaid pants and platform shoes?

The answer? You can't.