Brushes with Fame

I was typing out a list of music to put on a new mix I'm hoping to make, when I realized that Fernando's name starts with "Fern." Hm! I thought. No wonder I like him! And this reminded me of a few gripping stories that have taken place within the span of last girls week to this girls week.

Last girls week we went to the Boston airport to welcome home the triumphant Katie and Lisa. It was a wonderful event on its own, but there was a little bonus involved as well. As we stood there, eyes glued to the entrance gate, a familiar figure stepped through the doors surrounded by several un-familiar figures in black suits. That looks like Rudi Giuliani, I thought to myself. Wait a sec, that IS Rudi Giuliani! That was pretty exciting - my first informal glimpse of someone famous.

Then, this summer, I was preparing for the GW (as I like to fondly call it), and wrote to the address given on Fernando's website to ask for permission to photo-copy one of his songs so we could sing it for the Fam Con (as I like to fondly call it). LO and BEHOLD, in my inbox a few days later was an e-mail labeled "Fernando." Eh? I opened it up, and SURE ENOUGH, he had personally answered my question! With a yes, I might add. I was so impressed. So now I have his personal e-mail address, if anyone would like it. Haha, just kidding all you privacy advocates!

Okay, so then the GW was actually about to begin. I was at the airport with Steph (having just picked her up) and we were waiting for Meredith. Then, before our eyes the tallest guy ever walked by, and he looked SO familiar. He had to be an NBA player. So off we scampered, to ask the security guard who had just checked his papers. The first person I talked to was a girl, and all she could tell me was that he played for the NBA. Hm, no kidding! So we waited around a little longer until we could get a man's attention. "That was Robert Parish, center for the Celtics." WOAH! [And hey, buddy, you don't have to tell me who he played for - not all girls are as ignorant as your co-worker there... Okay, okay, I guess I was lucky that time.] THE Robert Parish, of the glory days?! No wonder he looked so familiar. I definitely remember him playing, and I also remember watching the ceremony in which his number got retired (00, for those of you who are less up on their 80s Celtics). I was so excited I almost cried. I had just seen a legend!

Incidentally, I made Danny try to guess who I'd seen at the airport. First I gave him the clue that it was someone wicked tall. "Steve Demme" he guessed. So I threw in the clue that he was black. "Robert Parish." Wow! That was pretty fame-worthy right there!

Anyway, there are the brushes with fame from my Girls Weeks. I wonder who I'll see/hear from next year!