Terry Jones (Monty Python) signed book

I was living in South London in the late 90's, quite near Camberwell where Jones lived. I was renting the middle floor of a large semi-detatched Edwardian villa, nice place. It was not divided into flats or anything - someone else rented the floor above and the landlord lived on the ground floor.

I was newly married and my wife and I were both working shifts and at times it felt like we were but ships passing in the night - I would come home and she would leave for work etc. So we made good use of the time we had together, you can bet.

Once a week the an osteopath rented a couple of the landlord's rooms to hold a surgery there, Thursday mornings as I remember.

So one Thursday morning we had both by luck completed night shifts and had arrived home together and were making the best possible use of our time before crashing when the doorbell rang. It was still early, maybe 8.30 am. The osteopath did not commence business till 9 or so but we didn't feel obliged to answer. Doorbell rings again and we are starting to get distracted and then again followed by knocking on the door and long rings so - furious - I jumped out of bed and stormed down the stairs - stark-bollock naked - to the front door and angrily yanked it open, angling my body behind it to spare blushes, and who is standing there but Terry Jones.

To say we were both somewhat taken aback does not quite describe the situation accurately but it will have to do. After a pause I think he said, "Oh, sorry, I've come to see John" (or whatever his name was) and of course I had to say, right, well I just need to go and put some clothes on! So I shut the door on him, ran upstairs and put on my briefs, ran back down and let him in and ushered him into the drawing/waiting room.

WTF - Terry Jones is in my house and guess if I have a single Monty-Python related book or item for him to sign, or even enough sense to invite him upstairs to have a coffee while he waited. Neither, I am afraid.

I saw him at a book-signing not long after. He didn't recognize me with my clothes on but I reminded him and we had a giggle.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Woods on January 13, 2023 at 9:04am

Great story! What makes it even better is how often he was naked in Python lol

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Permalink Reply by Findbooks on January 13, 2023 at 9:29am

I know and I must confess that it occurred to me for an instant - even in my confusion - to turn my back and walk away with the door open :-))

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Woods on January 13, 2023 at 9:50am

haha

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Green on January 13, 2023 at 2:02pm

that IS a great story! thanks for sharing!

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Permalink Reply by Mikex on January 12, 2023 at 11:37am

Here's mine

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Green on January 20, 2023 at 12:11pm

Do we like this one any better?

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Permalink Reply by Findbooks on January 21, 2023 at 3:20am

I would not rule this out as an obvious fake. I have quibbles but I like the angle. Context would be important here for me - era, source. Overall I like it.