ALL WE ARE PAYING...

Now, here's your chance to buy a little bit of history. John Lennon and Yoko Ono are ensconced in their bed in the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, when John writes a few random thoughts onto a piece of paper and gives them to a devoted fan who has managed to sneak into the room. Oh, it's 1969 by the way, so do try to suspend your disbelief.

Anyway, wonderful people that they were, John and Yoko spent eight days in bed in Suite 1742, naked apart from the glow of smugness that being surrounded by journalists brought them. Gail Renard was the young woman who managed to sneak into the room, befriend the pair and make a cosy media living ever since.

So Lennon passed her the lyrics to 'Give Peace A Chance' and declared to the young woman...

"It will be worth something someday!”

Certainly worth wiping one's arse on, but Renard kept the song sheet close to her heart, aware that they contained some of the finest anti-war lyrics ever committed to paper, and that these words were more important than fame or financial gain.

Well, up until now. The sheet of lyrics that Lennon declared might be worth "something someday" is now estimated to reach around the $400,000 mark, when it's auctioned at Christie's in July.

Which means that Gail Renard will be laughing all the way to the bank, though she'll always have the spectre of having seen Yoko Ono's huge pubic doormat waving at all and sundry.

I'd be wanting at least half a million dollars for having had to see that.