Too many to mention but I’ll share a funny (long) one…
While in college in the 80s on Cook we had an extra guy given to us by Housing for our Newell apartment. Portuguese, very quiet. Used to go home a lot on the weekends. Turns out he had a job. He was the valet for the comedian Alan King. Didn’t brag about it, just mentioned it in conversation one time.
Fast forward many years later and I’m on the FDNY at this point.
One of our guys killed on 9/11 had a side gig driving the tennis players back forth from Manhattan to the US Open in Queens. He hit it off with Dr J’s daughter, Alexandra Stevenson. So much so she got us all invited to the men’s final (Sampras/Agassi) at the US Open the following year, 2002.
They had us all line up on Center Court for the National Anthem which was sung by Art Garfunkel’s kid who sadly looked just like his dad. I was at the end of the line and the camera was right in my face towards the end of the song. I thought, cool I’m going to be on National TV on CBS. No dice as the Jet game went into OT so that part was never shown. LOL
We figured after the Anthem we’d be ushered off the court and that would be it. But the president of the USTA at the time who was on the sidelines said, “
where are you guys going?” And invited all of us up to the President’s Box with all the swells.
So we get up to the box and there are celebrities and athletes everywhere because of the big deal final of Sampras/Agassi. Heidi Klum is even prettier in person, Caroline Rhea is not.
Charlie Rose kept taking as much swag as he could. Even stuffing some hats down his pants.
Former Mayor David Dinkins and his wife were there as they are big tennis fans. Neither though is a fan of the FDNY and let us know by their body language when we arrived. Especially when one of my friends went up to Hank Aaron at the bar and said, “
Bobby Bonds! You’re my favorite baseball player of all time!” knowing full well it was Hank Aaron. Hank knew he was kidding around and they both had a good laugh about it.
So finally back to Alan King. At this point I’m heading outside thru the doors to watch the match and who is off to the side coming towards me but the man himself. Now remember I have that old roommate connection, so I have an opening. As he’s coming closer I put out my hand, as does he. At this point everyone still loves us, right? I’m just about to shake his hand and from behind me comes another hand. A huge one. Apparently Boris Becker was right behind me and I never noticed. So Alan King goes to shake Boris Becker’s hand and begins a conversation with him. All the while my hand is stuck between their handshake. They are still talking and shaking hands and I’m the meat in the sandwich. They finish up and go their separate ways and I’m apparently invisible this whole time. I was the help and in the way. 🤷♂️