Meeting Joe

Our Close Encounters With The Youngest McIntyre!

ASHLEY'S STORY: I was in Boston for a week over New Year's 97/98. I was visiting friends that I used to work with at Disney World. The guy I was supposed to stay with got sick and had to go to the hospital the day after I got there, so the week didn't start out too hot. I knew that if I didn't see Joe while I was there, the week would have been a waste of time and money. My two other friends weren't due to come to Boston until Saturday, so Friday (Jan. 2nd), I was left alone. I met some random guys on the "T" and went to lunch with them at the Hard Rock Cafe that afternoon. The weather was warmer that day, so after lunch, I decided to take a walk. I walked about 2.5 miles to Joe's house. I didn't know what I was going to do once I got there, but I kept walking anyway. By the time I got there, it was dark out. I sat down on the wall across from his house and stared at it. I couldn't believe I was sitting outside Joe McIntyre's house! I didn't even have time to watch for him before his car was right in front of me!

I didn't know it was him for sure, but I guessed it was. I started to slide off of the wall. I guess he saw me through his side mirror or something, because his window started to come down. That's when I knew it was him. I walked up to the window.

"Hi! How are you?" We seemed to say at the same time.

"What's your name?" Joe asked me.

"Ashley", I replied with a shaky voice.

"Nice to meet you, " Joe said. After looking around, ''We don't have anyone to take a picture." Then Joe backed up his car and got out. "You dropped a glove, "Joe said. I did a little spin move, then spotted my glove and picked it up. Joe said he almost didn't see me. I said he had good timing, because I had just gotten there. I told him that I was visiting friends from Disney and we talked about that for a few minutes. He asked me if I had ever been there(Boston) before. I said that I had made my parents stop once on the way back from Vermont in 1990. He laughed. Then, Joe took my camera and held it out in front of us and took a picture. The camera started to rewind in his hand, so I reloaded another roll of film. I told him that I had planned on coming in a few days with my friend with a car, but that I couldn't wait that long. He suggested we take another picture like the first, so we did.

"I'm interested in seeing how far away this looks through the camera," Joe said, taking the camera from me. "Stand over there and smile!" Joe took a picture of me, then I took one of him by himself. After another minute of chatting, Joe tried to explain another way that I could walk back to the BC area. I had no idea what he was saying. I was just staring at him, nodding and smiling. Then, he said he'd see me in a few days, I told him HAPPY BIRTHDAY, then I started to walk off.

About 30 seconds later, I hear, "Hey!" I turn to my right and there is Joe in his car again. "I'll drive you." I about had a heart attack, but I didn't show it. I ran across the street and jumped in the passenger seat of his black Lincoln Navigator. I thanked him. He said that he saw me walk off and couldn't let me walk in the dark alone. I was about to die. I played stupid and asked what kind of car it was. He told me. It had a tan leather interior--very nice. He was drinking coffee. I asked him where I should go dancing that night, trying to find out if he would be going anywhere. He replied, "New York." I told him that I was from Kentucky, so anything fairly large would be cool for me! He suggested AXIS, and DAD'S DINER on Boylston st. He said that was where the "quote on quote beautiful people hang out". I told him that I loved big cities, but I had never been to New York. He talked about how he loves New York, but doesn't really like LA.

Then he mentioned something about the Celtics stealing our basketball coach (Rick Pitino). That's sort of a sore subject around KY basketball fans. The b-ball players are our only local celebs. I also mentioned that I went to high school with Brian from the Backstreet Boys. He said, "Oh yeah, I knew two of them were from Kentucky." By this time, we arrived at the "T" where he dropped me off. I said something about how my mom was going to be so excited that I got to meet him, and he said she would probably never believe me that he drove me home. I agreed. I thanked him again and got out of the car. He did a U turn and waved as he drove back by. I don't think the whole thing had actually hit me yet. I was still so calm.

The next day, I took my film to CVS One Hour--the picture turned out GREAT! I was so excited. Then, the day I went home, my friend Julie and I went back. We had to wait an hour this time, but he drove up again. I gave him a copy of our picture and got his autograph this time. Then I left. As the plane took off from Boston that evening, I actually got tears in my eyes because I was leaving Joe. But it was the best week of my entire life!!

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page