A recent article in our local newspaper, told of how a care-giver would regularly take a young boy with spina bifida to a nearby wheelchair accessible nature center to actually get close to living animals. The paper told of what it meant to the young person. What a touching story.
The year was 1964. The place was a church in Churchville, Maryland. I have no recollection of her last name. Peggy was her first name. She was one of the regulars in the small church's youth group. She had spina bifida and was confined to a wheelchair. She loved the Beetles and could sing many of their songs. Peggy increasingly needed a lot of help to get around.
When it was announced that the "Fab Four" were coming to do a concert in Baltimore (it may have been the first in the U.S.) . . . the youth group advisors and I just knew that they were going to take Peggy and her friends to the Civic Center in Baltimore . . . a place where no one, even me, had ever dreamed to visit.
We were able to get tickets for everyone at less than $4 per person (which was a lot at that time) and contacted a church near Baltimore to make arrangements to sleep over the night after the concert, before heading back home.
I will never forget the group's joyful time with Peggy and her wheelchair. And, the crowd! The concert made history! The songs the Beetles sang that night included: "All My Loving," "She Loves You," "Roll Over Beethoven," "Can't Buy My Love," "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "A Hard Day's Night," and "Long Tall Sally."
Sometimes - things work out!
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