(lively music) - Good evening.

- [Audience] Good evening.

- First of all, I wanna thank WHRO for having us here and giving all of us an opportunity to tell our story.

(audience cheers) This has been so much fun.

It really has.

I was in law school many years ago, and I know it was many years ago because everyone I meet says, "Are you retired?"

I wrote for the student newspaper.

I went to University of Richmond Law School, and the article that I wrote was about an extension educational program from the University of Richmond.

It was the first time they were going to do this, and they asked me to write the story.

I did, and my father called me up a few days later.

He said, "You know, I get that newspaper.

I read your story."

He said, "You know, it was a great story and I think it's gonna be a great program.

How would you like to go to Europe?

How would you like to go to England and study abroad?"

I said, "You don't have to ask me twice, dad.

I'm in."

Well, since I wrote for the newspaper, I decided to write a letter to, this is before emails.

I wrote a letter, a letter.

(audience laughs) To the British Tourist Authority in England, just telling them that I was coming over there, that I'm a student and I look forward to coming over.

And they sent me a letter saying that, "We welcome you, hold onto this letter of introduction."

And they put me up at a wonderful hotel for free the first night.

While I'm flying over on British Airways, and sure enough, I'm thinking we talk about belonging, and that's one of the themes here.

And the question is, I've never been away.

I mean, I'm a small town guy from Portsmouth, and I'd never been away before.

And now I'm on a plane by myself.

Am I gonna fit in?

What's the culture like?

Are they gonna accept me?

I don't know.

There was a lot of trepidation, but I was excited.

Well, sure enough, landed, and I stayed at this wonderful hotel called the Dukes Hotel, and it was a very charming hotel, really enjoyed it, and I was exhausted.

So I went into the pub, which was connected to the main lobby.

Sat down, what did I have?

A Coca-Cola.

I'm drinking a Coke.

Well, I'm hearing two would appear to be sophisticated people next to me.

We were the only three people in the bar.

And he was arguing with his wife.

And at one point he said, "You are daft."

And I laughed.

It was just a small laugh, kinda laughing to myself, but evidently, my laugh to myself was overheard by them.

At which point he turns to me and he said, "Excuse me, what are you laughing at?"

And I said, "Well, not laughing at anything, but I found that when you use the word 'daft,' I thought that was funny."

He said, "Well, now you've upset both of us."

And I said, "Oh, man, that's great.

I just got here.

I've upset the first two people I met."

I said, "Well, what is it that I've done that bothers you?"

He says, "Well, you are sitting so far away from us."

It was three feet.

He said, "Get your chair, bring your chair over here and talk with us.

We'd like to get to know you."

And I said, "Oh, it's a pleasure."

Well, it was a wonderful time, wonderful conversation.

At the end of the conversation, he said to me, "You know, we've enjoyed the conversation with you."

And I said, "And I have enjoyed the conversation with you."

He said, "What are you doing next weekend?

I said, "I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow, except, you know, starting this program."

He says, "Well, I know what you're doing.

You're coming to our estate.

It's a few miles out of London, and I want you to come to our granddaughter's christening."

(audience laughs) "What?

Oh, okay.

I can do that.

Sure thing."

So I took a train into London and I was able to get a ride to this estate.

And it was one of those things of fairytales.

You know, you read about an estate, an English estate, and I'm on it.

And I'm talking to these people that, you know, like royalty and I'm thinking, "I'm from Portsmouth.

(audience laughs) What am I doing here?"

You know?

But I made it through and at the end of the evening, he comes over to me and he said, "Did you enjoy yourself?"

I said, "Immensely."

He said, "Well," he said, "let me ask you."

He said, "Is there anything you'd like to do?

I mean, if you had anything to do while you're here, and I'm sure you've done your homework.

What are the two wishes that you would have?"

I said, "Well, there's only one wish that I have."

I said, "I'm a tennis player and I would love to go to Wimbledon because I think that Jimmy Connors," now I'm really dating myself, right?

Who was number one in the world.

I said, "I know it won't come true, but I would love to go see Jimmy Connors play at Wimbledon.

That would be the most exciting thing in the world for me."

And he said, "Your wish is granted."

(audience laughs) And I'm thinking, "What am I in, a Disney movie?

(audience laughs) What am I?

Cinder fella?

You know, my wish is granted.

What?

What?

What is that all about?"

And so he said, "You'll have the six row.

We're going out of town, but we have an extra ticket."

And he said, "Just mention your name.

Go to the box office, and that's all you've gotta do."

I said, "Oh, yeah, thank you so much.

This is so nice of you."

And so, sure enough, I go to the box office, mentioned my name, sixth row.

Who am I sitting behind?

Elton John.

(audience laughs) Elton John.

Okay?

I'm thinking, what?

I'm sitting behind Elton John.

He turns around and again, "Hi, how are you?

Welcome."

And I'm thinking, "Nice to meet you."

And then he introduces me to a lady who, by the way, she was number 30 in the world in tennis.

And she's sitting next to me.

He introduces me to her, and we got along quite well and enjoyed talking with her.

It was really wonderful.

During the match, toward the end, she said, "By the way," she said, "Did you bring a coat and tie by any chance?"

I said, "I was in the Boy Scouts.

We were always prepared.

Be prepared.

And yes, I had a coat and tie."

And she said it just so casually, like, you know, you wanna go to a Arby's or something.

And she says, "Well, I tell you what."

She says, "Would you be my date tonight to the Wimbledon Ball?"

Wimbledon Ball?

(audience laughs) Wimbledon Ball?

Are you kidding me?

I said, this is getting better and better.

Yeah, I can do that.

She says, "Well, we, we, will be picking you up in a limousine at seven o'clock."

And I'm thinking, "Is the next thing I'm gonna turn into a pumpkin at 12?

(audience laughs) You know, what's going on here?"

And she said, yeah.

I said, "We?

Who's we?"

She says, "Well, my best friend is Chrissy Evert."

- [Audience Member] Oh my God.

- And Chrissy Evert was number one in the world.

She had just won.

And we're watching Jimmy Connors become number one in the world as well.

And they were engaged.

I knew about this fairytale romance.

I read those magazines.

I think it might have been people, I'm not sure.

But anyway, so I said, "And they will be in the limousine.

I didn't want you to, you know, be shocked when you got in a limousine and saw Jimmy Connors and Chrissy."

I said, "Well, I'm already shocked and I'm gonna be shocked no matter what you say.

Are you kidding me?"

And sure enough, they pick me up at the hotel, I get in the limousine, and who's sitting across from us, facing it, Jimmy Connors and Chrissy Evert.

He had just won.

And now I'm in the limousine with him?

(audience laughs) What the heck?

Went to the Wimbledon Ball, and I'm telling you, it was a wonderful, wonderful experience.

So I say to you that when we have these experiences, my thought is, "Who knew?

Who in their wildest dreams, including me, would've thought for a moment, that a small laugh in a small hotel, in a small pub would result in me having the most exciting, wonderful day of my life?"

(audience cheers and applauds) (bright music)