NOVEMBER 9, 1966 – John Lennon met Yoko Ono for the first time when he visited her art exhibition “Unfinished Paintings and Objects” at John Dunbar’s Indica Gallery in London.He climbed a ladder that led to a small note on the ceiling that when viewed with a magnifying glass read simply “yes” and was impressed with the positive message. Ono then presented him with a card that simply said, “Breathe,” and he responded by panting. He attempted to hammer a nail into one of her interactive artworks, which invites viewers to do just that; since the exhibit does not open to the public till the next day, however, Ono refuses, leading the gallery’s owner to beg her to reconsider due to John’s fame. Ono still refuses, claiming to have never heard of the Beatles, but says he can hammer one in for five shillings. John responds that he’ll let her have an imaginary five shillings if he can hammer in an imaginary nail. Two years later, the two would meet again and quickly fall in love.
