Q: Let me start by asking how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?
Audrey: I’m 19 years old.
Q: Is that the first Paul concert you’ve ever been to?
Audrey: No, this is my fourth.
Q: Where else did you see him?
Audrey: I saw Nov. 7, 2005 in San Jose, Nov. 16 in Sacramento, 2005, and then I saw him last April 17 at the Coachella Music Festival.
Q: You didn’t go to the Joint? You didn’t see him in Vegas?
Audrey: Unfortunately, I had school and I had to be back for tests and stuff because it was toward the end of the semester. It’s extremely unfortunate, but I know I definitely wanted to go to that.
Q: Yeah, because I was there and that was a tremendous show. That was tremendous. That really was. So, let’s see. You flew out to Canada. I assume you had this planned months and months in advance. Is that right?
Audrey: When I found out he was playing another show, another general admission show is what really got me. I said, ‘You know, I have the money, from scholarships and stuff, I have the money. I’m gonna go. I don’t care if it’s in Nova Scotia. I’m going to go. I asked around my family, and I said, “Does anyone want to go with me to Halifax so I don’t have to go by myself? And there was a family reunion that weekend but I didn’t know about it. And my grandma eventually said yes and so she came with me.
Q: Your grandmother went with you. OK. So you get into Halifax. Did you stay at the hotel where he was?
Audrey: Oh, no, definitely not. We stayed in a hostel because it was cheap. But we got in there, what was it, Thursday night, very late, but with the time change it felt like 8 o’clock like it was in my body. And went to the hostel and got settled in. And then Friday we went around and explored a bit. We went up to the Commons to check out the field and talk to a couple of people. Then we went down to the wharf or whatever it is. Learned stuff about Halifax. And then Hal Bruce was there and he was playing Beatle songs in this littls plaza thing. That was pretty cool. And actually, we went to dinner and then went up to the Commons for some reason. I don’t remember why. We just went back up there. And about two minutes after we got there, he started his soundcheck. Which was awesome, because he played “San Francisco Bay Blues,” “C Moon,” “Coming Up,” which is cool. He rehearsed “Mull of Kintyre” with the Pipe Band, which was awesome, too. And, what else did he play? “Midnight Special,” so it was great. Good timing.
Q: And so the next day, you go to the show. You were right up front?
Audrey: I actually slept at the gates that night overnight with some really awesome fans. Half of them were from Quebec and they only speak French and I’m from California and nobody speaks French. I don’t speak Spanish. So I had no idea what they were saying. But I met a woman who’s been to over 30 shows. She’s going to all three New York City shows and a D.C. show. And she let me sleep under a sleeping bag. So I was right in front for the gates. They opened and I had to sprint. I sprinted towards the front and I got second row center. So, yeah, it was pretty close.
Q: And you already had the sign.
Audrey: I made the sign a few days before at work when I really wasn’t doing anything.
Q: Did you think of it all by yourself or did somebody help you?
Audrey: Yeah. I’ve been wanting to do for, like, three or four years now. I never thought it would happen. (Laughs)
Q: So we get to …what song was it now? When did it happen?
Audrey: ‘Calico Skies’ After that song he’s always he checking the signs are. (hard to understand) I held it up during that song and the first time he looked at it after the first verse, he got this really puzzled look on his face like he was really confused. Then he kept looking down at me during the rest of the song and then he … yeah, aw man…
Q: So he calls you up and then what happened? Did they call you around to the side and let you in?
Audrey: No, they hoisted like security … the next thing I knew I was jumping over the barrier. Security was bringing me toward the side of the stage. And I went up and the next thing I knew I was running towards Paul McCartney. And I gave him a hug. And he signed my arm. And, oh … and I turned around and Rusty was there and I’m going, ‘Rusty,’ and gave him a hug. And I went, ‘Well it wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the band if I didn’t give them hugs, too. So I ran over to Brian and gave him a hug. Then I couldn’t get to Abe because he was behind his set. I was like, ‘Hey Abe, I saw you last week in Oakland with Eric Clapton and you were awwwsome, and he laughed and he smiled. And then I went and climbed up on Wix’s keyboard place and gave him a hug, too. Then, aw man, it was great. Then they helped me off to the medic tent because I was freaking out.
Q: OK. Have you seen the YouTube video, by the way?
Audrey: Yes. Yes.
Q: What did you think of that?
Audrey: Somebody had some writeup where he was, ‘She was delirious. She ran around the stage hugging the band members,’ but it’s cool to watch it because it hasn’t sunk in yet. I still can’t believe it. And I watched it and I have to look at my arm and, like, is it still there? Did this really happen?
Q: You’ve already gotten the tattoo, correct?
Audrey: Yes.
Q: How’d you get that?
Audrey: Um, let’s see. We got back to the hostel, let’s see, at one in the morning. And then left at three, so we got two hours of sleep to go to the airport and catch a plane. And then got back here around 2 o’clock in Humboldt County. And I texted my friend while we were in the Toronto Airport and I was like, ‘We should look for tattoo places that are open on Sunday’ and she did and she made the appointment for 5. And we went to the tattoo parlor and the guy had been booked for five months solid. And he heard my story and he said, ‘I have to be a part of this. So he spent some time after work. He refused to sign my arm with us listening to the Beatles. So my friend had to go out and he bought the Anthology 1 set, the first two-disc set. And he put in the second CD. And then he was tattooing my arm and “All My Loving” came on and I totally lost it. I was crying. He did that song in Halifax. And I was like, “Oh my gosh. I just…Oh, my gosh, oh man. Don’t even know.
Q: Cool. And you emailed me earlier that you are going to Dallas or Tulsa?
Audrey: Dallas. I’m really close to going to Dallas because I want to stand by the gate where he drives and say, ‘You know, I got it.’
Q: Cool. Have you taken a picture of it already, by chance?
Audrey: Yes, it’s on my Facebook page.
Q: Have you taken any other pictures since you got back? Do you have any pictures of yourself?
Audrey: Yeah, my friend’s a photographer and she came with me to the tattooing and she took pictures during and after and before, so those are all on my Facebook page.
Q: Is that you from Redding? Is that you?
Audrey: Yeah.
Q: How many friends have you gotten since yesterday.
Audrey: Oh, my gosh. Probably 60. Somewhere around there. And I’m talking to a girl right now I think she’s in Palo Alto on Facebook. And she’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh. I’m talking to that girl who got her arm signed by Paul McCartney.
Q: Well, that’s really all I wanted to .. I just wanted to hear it in your own words. So I can quote you. That’s about it. I appreciate you’re taking the time to talk to me. And congratulations. I put that up … I don’t know if you saw what I put up, well you did obviously, but I got comment on my Facebook page. There are a ton of people jealous of you, girl.
Audrey: I know. After the concert there were a bunch of people, like, ‘Oh my gosh it’s the girl who got signed. Can I have a picture with you?’ And yeah, it’s weird, like.
Q: Well, congratulations and much like. Hope something good happens in Dallas, OK?
Audrey: Yeah.
Q: Congratulations, take care. Bye bye.
Audrey: Yea. Bye.
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