April 30th
Tonight marks the four year anniversary of the last night Joe and I spent together at home. The last night I lay in his arms. The last night we had a normal conversation. To read more about that night click here.
If you read the story, please leave a comment on this post.
I have decided to share links to Joe's story each night, as well as share stories of life with Joe each night. If you knew Joe, please post a story in the comment section, or in an email to me. I will add them to the main posts. Please help me celebrate Joe's life, as well as remember the tragic way he died. He deserves it.
If you read the story, please leave a comment on this post.
I have decided to share links to Joe's story each night, as well as share stories of life with Joe each night. If you knew Joe, please post a story in the comment section, or in an email to me. I will add them to the main posts. Please help me celebrate Joe's life, as well as remember the tragic way he died. He deserves it.
My Wife Is A Dirty Bird
(Story suggested by my sister)
(Story suggested by my sister)
On a rainy Friday afternoon in September, 2000, Joe and I headed to Logan Airport. We were flying to Detroit to visit friends. We were excited that we were not only seeing them, but we were going to see the Red Sox play against the Tigers.
When we arrived at the airport we checked the boarding sign and read that our flight was cancelled. Not delayed, cancelled. We went up to the check in person and inquired about our flight. Due to weather elsewhere, the plane we were supposed to take was unable to get into Boston. They put us on a new flight scheduled to leave five hours later.
We were frustrated but decided to make the best out of the situation. We headed over to the Northwest Business Club. Joe walked up to the counter in his jeans and baseball hat and informed the woman working that due to our cancelled flight, we wanted to relax in the lounge while we waited five hours. The woman looked Joe up and down, and concealed a laugh.
"The lounge is for members only, sir."
"Okay, how can I join?" Joe asked, not batting an eye.
"It's a $250 annual charge." (I don't really remember the cost, but it was something like that)
"It's open bar, correct?" Joe inquired.
"Yes. It's a self service open bar," the lady responded.
"All the better," Joe said, as he handed her his credit card.
Joe then proceeded to drink $250 worth of alcohol while we waited to board our plane. He insisted that it was like an all you can eat buffet. he had to get his money's worth.
For five hours I sat in the fancy lounge filled with businessmen waiting to go home, watching my husband get more and more drunk. Those that knew Joe, know that he was not a quiet drunk. He started to sing, and to flip his baseball cap high in the air. I was getting nervous that we wouldn't be allowed to board the plane.
Joe excused himself, and I assumed he was going to the bathroom. He came back a few minutes later with a giant stuffed bear with Northwest gear on him.
"This is for you, baby," Joe slurred. "You're my little teddy bear, and you looked nervous so I had to buy this for you."
Just then then called our flight. Filled with relief I pulled Joe up, and started walking us to the door. That's when the yelling started.
"MY WIFE IS A DIRTY BIRD!"
I looked over at Joe in horror. He screamed it again, "My wife is a dirty bird!"
"Joe!" "They are not going to let us on the plane! Stop!" I begged.
"My wife is a dirty bird," he whispered, grinning ear to ear.
We boarded the plane and I managed to get Joe settled in next to me. The smell of alcohol permeated the air, and I knew it was all due to Joe.
"Just so everyone knows, my wife is a dirty bird!" Joe yelled one more time. Then he put his arms around me, laid his head on my shoulder and promptly fell fast asleep. Somehow he managed to wake up in Detroit completely sober.
I'm not even sure where he got the dirty bird thing, but he laughed every time I shared the story with him. He of course had no recollection of any of it, but my proof to him that he was drunker than drunk was when his credit card showed that he paid $300 for a stupid stuffed bear.
-b
When we arrived at the airport we checked the boarding sign and read that our flight was cancelled. Not delayed, cancelled. We went up to the check in person and inquired about our flight. Due to weather elsewhere, the plane we were supposed to take was unable to get into Boston. They put us on a new flight scheduled to leave five hours later.
We were frustrated but decided to make the best out of the situation. We headed over to the Northwest Business Club. Joe walked up to the counter in his jeans and baseball hat and informed the woman working that due to our cancelled flight, we wanted to relax in the lounge while we waited five hours. The woman looked Joe up and down, and concealed a laugh.
"The lounge is for members only, sir."
"Okay, how can I join?" Joe asked, not batting an eye.
"It's a $250 annual charge." (I don't really remember the cost, but it was something like that)
"It's open bar, correct?" Joe inquired.
"Yes. It's a self service open bar," the lady responded.
"All the better," Joe said, as he handed her his credit card.
Joe then proceeded to drink $250 worth of alcohol while we waited to board our plane. He insisted that it was like an all you can eat buffet. he had to get his money's worth.
For five hours I sat in the fancy lounge filled with businessmen waiting to go home, watching my husband get more and more drunk. Those that knew Joe, know that he was not a quiet drunk. He started to sing, and to flip his baseball cap high in the air. I was getting nervous that we wouldn't be allowed to board the plane.
Joe excused himself, and I assumed he was going to the bathroom. He came back a few minutes later with a giant stuffed bear with Northwest gear on him.
"This is for you, baby," Joe slurred. "You're my little teddy bear, and you looked nervous so I had to buy this for you."
Just then then called our flight. Filled with relief I pulled Joe up, and started walking us to the door. That's when the yelling started.
"MY WIFE IS A DIRTY BIRD!"
I looked over at Joe in horror. He screamed it again, "My wife is a dirty bird!"
"Joe!" "They are not going to let us on the plane! Stop!" I begged.
"My wife is a dirty bird," he whispered, grinning ear to ear.
We boarded the plane and I managed to get Joe settled in next to me. The smell of alcohol permeated the air, and I knew it was all due to Joe.
"Just so everyone knows, my wife is a dirty bird!" Joe yelled one more time. Then he put his arms around me, laid his head on my shoulder and promptly fell fast asleep. Somehow he managed to wake up in Detroit completely sober.
I'm not even sure where he got the dirty bird thing, but he laughed every time I shared the story with him. He of course had no recollection of any of it, but my proof to him that he was drunker than drunk was when his credit card showed that he paid $300 for a stupid stuffed bear.
-b
11 comments:
Oh, I am laughing out loud! What a wonderful wonderful story.
And in my laughter, I feel YOUR love. It's an amazing gift. Thank you.
My story about Joe (per your request - but it is somewhat long so feel free to remove it): The first time I met Joe was in your old house. It was a few weeks after you had started dating. For some reason, one of the first things you did together was buy a tremendously huge stereo. You were 15 or something and you and your new boyfriend had just bought a tremendously huge stereo together. Anyway, I walked into your house (it was a summer day, and that whole summer it seemed like you owned the house because I never once caught a glimpse of your mother). You and Joe were sitting on the couch in the living room, toying with the gigantic remote for your tremendously huge stereo. You seemed like a middle aged couple; you had a giant house all to yourself, a giant stereo with a huge remote control, and you were teenagers. You introduced me to Joe, and he immediately starting showing me all the functionality of his gigantic remote control. Somone else might have done this and it would have come across as boring and as small talk. But with Joe, it wasn't boring and it wasn't small talk. It was him being very excited about his remote control and feeling totally comfortable sharing his excitement with me, his new friend. He was a very very easy guy to become friends with.
Owen,
Thank you for that story. I will put it in its own post tomorrow morning. Love the way you tell the story, and I deeply appreciate it.
Alicia, thank you for reading and posting.
B, the story reminded me of Will. It's a good idea. Posting single stories. That's how we remember people in conversation after all. Something will trigger a memory and the telling becomes a story.
i loved your story, and it had me lauging out loud. what a fun guy joe must have been. do you still have the bear? :)
stephanie
i read both stories. one made me laugh and one made me cry. xo-ej
I like this idea. I hope it brings you comfort. It certainly brought me a smile. :o)
Owen's story about the remote reminds me of the way Joe would talk about (show off, adore, idolize) his Cadillac... :o)M
I want to know if you still have the bear, too!!
We still have the bear, but he has been stripped of his pilot gear, and the dog removed one foot. :O)
Oh.. one of my favorite stories. Never gets old, I am still laughing. Joe certainly had a presence.....
I love when you post these stories, keep it up.
I can really picture Joe's enthusiasm when I read Owen's blurb!
KM
LOL! That's a great story!
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