Blown Away

Anne Gray

1964

The trees were blowing in the wind, it was dark and cold, and I was in the middle of the country miles from anywhere.

What was I doing here? Cold, windblown and very depressed.

It was very late at night. I wasn't alone, I was with my friend Patricia and we were walking home to Hawick and also hoping that a car would stop to give us a lift. Home was 12 miles away.

We had been to a dance in Jedburgh. But it was so awful we decided to leave and 'hitch' a lift home.

It was a Friday night in 1964 but I can't remember the moneth. I just remember it was cold, dark and very windy.

I was depressed because my friend Patricia, and all my other friends were going to Edinburgh tomorrow to see 'The Rolling Stones.' Unlike my friends, who worked in knitwear factories (Pringles etc), I worked in a shop, anc could never ask for a Saturday off. It was out busiest day.

The shop I worked in was called Miss A. Burnet's - Ladies' and Children's' Outfitter and Milliner. It was a lovely classy little shop and Miss Burnet sent me to college in Edinburgh one day a week. I studied for my City and Guilds certificate in retail distribution. I can remember I got £1 for my expenses which paid for my train far and lunch. My future was in the rag trade, but I wasn't thinking of my future that night. I was so upset because I wouldn't be seeing the Stones on Saturday night.

Blowing along the country road, car headlights appeared behind; at last, a car. We put out arms out and 'thumbed' a lift. The car drove past and stopped a short distance away. The reversing lights came on and it drew towards us slowly. It was quite scary because it was a big imposing car. I was thinking maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. As the car drew level, the door opened and someone called out 'here are you girls going?' 'Hawick' we replied, but it obviously meant nothing.

As we bent down to look in, the interior light was on - oh my god, I nearly fell over. I was looking at The Rolling Stones. Unbelievable! I really loved these guys and there they were. I was blown away. Patricia and I jumped in and the guy who was driving was busy looking for Hawick on his road map. Patricia was as speechless as I was. I mean this was the stuff of dreams. The guys had been playing in Newcastle and were on their way to a hotel in Melrose where they were staying before their Edinburgh gig the next night, the one I wasn't going to! They turned off their route and drove us home to Hawick - miles out of their way, amazing.

I don't think there was any conversation. They looked really tired and almost asleep. Patricia and I just stared at them. Speechless.

I had a piece of paper in my pocket which I passed round for autographs. In the confusion, Keith didn't sign it but Briand and Mick did, I loved them.

We arrived in Hawick and they let us out, wished us luck and drove away. Patricia and I were jumping up and down and screaming with excitement.

I ran home and burst into mum and dad's bedroom to tell them, forgetting about the trouble I would be in for 'hitching' a lift. They just didn't understand why I was so excited.

Mum's comment was 'Anne, how do you know it was the Rolling Stones? All these boys with long hair look the same.' In 1964, boys with long hair were frowned upon by the older generation.

I was on cloud 9 for weeks. None of our friends believed it had happened - they thought it was a wind up and that the autographs were done by us.

I have told this story time and again over the years and still get excited about it. It was a very memorable night!