Apple Corps

So - I have this good childhood buddy named Randolph, who on the occasion sends me quirky emails with photos - mostly dealing with our past or early remembrances.  Today he emailed me this stand alone photo with no text, knowing that it would 'spark' me. And the photo did.

While attending Medway College of Design in Kent, England, I had a crazy school chum who lived not far away in London.  One day, in early '70 he proposed a big dare, that I walk into Apple Corps (pronounced "apple core" - playing on the pun) walk in there and ask for a job, "Tell 'em you want to a make short film ...... being a "yank", they'll definitely hire you". Well they didn't hire me, but told me I could run errands.  For about a month after, when I went into the city, I'd stop by.  The receptionist would send me out for pints of milk, pastries, any small errands etc. This was during their (Beatles) personal break-up, their "Let It Be" period.

Writers Alan Clayson and Spencer Leigh would later describe that office scene;
"Out of his depth, a Beatle might commandeer a room at Saville Row, stick to conventional office hours and play company director until the novelty wore off. Initially, he'd look away from the disgusting realities of the half-eaten steak sandwich in a litter bin; the employee rolling a spliff of best Afghan hash; the typist who span out a single letter (in the house style, with no exclamation marks!) all morning before 'popping out' and not returning until the next day. A great light dawned. 'We had, like, a thousand people that weren't needed,' snarled Ringo, 'but they all enjoyed it. They were all getting paid for sitting around. We had a guy there just to read the tarot cards, the I Ching. It was craziness".

I recognized the photo of Apple Corps immediately. The receptionist was to the left on entering and I would sit behind her, waiting in the room, looking out that left front window.