John and Yoko, in May of 1972, were staying at the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago to appear on a taping/airing of the Irv Kupcinet Show (he was wearing the Channel 5 pass and gave it to us - BELOW).  My friend and I knew they were at the Hilton and met them as they left the hotel the morning after the show.  

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Both John and Yoko were very warm from our first introduction.   They entered a Hallmark Card store at the side of the hotel and we audaciously asked questions.  This was freshman college year for us, and I tried to not replicate what I thought were the obvious questions John must hate. I asked about writing his book (In His Own Write), and John was rather animated in answering. He commented, 'I'm the lazy sort, and pictures and rhymes make for an easy book.'   

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In 1971, there just weren't crowds pawing at the couple, just here and there a raised fist or, 'Yo, John!'  He'd tip his hat or raise a fist in return.  

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They were waiting for a limousine to go to lunch with his friend, Dick Gregory (who can be seen far right in the photo standing next to Yoko).  On the curb, mostly business sorts, a cab driver, and the bus driver strode up for an autograph.  At some point, the ball pen someone had supplied stopped working, and John stuck it in his mouth (can be seen in the photo), and removed a brown felt tip from his coat.  He finished signing with that.   Frank Caiazzo commented this was one of the finest, slowly executed, Lennon signatures he'd seen in a while.  Being friends at the time, Caiazzo happily dropped his LOA on this.

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The photo and signature are secured in a cherry-wood frame, covered with museum-quality anti-UV glass, and hermetically sealed with heavy paper to keep out the environment.  The piece has been well out of direct sunlight. 

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