“The shy man cometh” : My encounter with Joey Ramone – short contest story
When I was seventeen, I hand an encounter I would recall with fondness many years later. It was the night I met Joey Ramone. Actually, it wasn’t just Joey; Dee Dee, Johnny and Tommy were there too, but it’s Joey I remember.
It was 1977. Jimmy Carter was President; serial killer, “Son of Sam”, was terrorizing New York, and Elvis Presley would die that August. But for me, it was a summer of a music, cool clothes and fun. Disco reigned supreme, but suddenly, out of the excess of thumping, and reverberated vocals, came a new music—Punk Rock. Punk was fast, hard-edged, stripped-down, with an anti-establishment message; a welcome diversion for bored teenagers. We wore tight, straight-legged jeans (when everyone was still wearing bell-bottoms), ripped T-shirts, stiletto heels, and the garment de rigueur, a black leather jacket.
The only Punk club in Toronto was the “Crash ‘n’ Burn”, buried in the bottom of a downtown warehouse. It was frequented by kids dying to hear the new sound from local bands like Teenage Head, The Diodes, The Viletones. But bands playing larger venues would stop in after their gigs; bands usually from the Mecca of North American Punk—New York City. I recall meeting Deborah Harry from Blondie, a heavily pregnant Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads, and others. But the night I remember with the most clarity is when The Ramones appeared.
Joey wasn’t hard to spot. He towered over everyone like a gentle giant (he was 6’ 8”). He was dressed in the official Ramones “uniform”: straight-legged blue jeans, T-shirt, white Converse sneakers, black leather jacket. He looked lost in the throng, like a child who suddenly finds himself separated from his mother in a crowd. I approached him. He was sweet, polite, and shy to the extreme. Wearing his trademark rose-colored shades, he said he was enjoying Toronto, and was amazed at its cleanliness, especially in comparison to the Bowery, the Manhattan neighborhood in which he lived. Joey revealed his favorite band was a group I hadn’t heard of—The Cramps.
We talked until one of my friends whispered in my ear, “You don’t have to stand with him all night.” I reluctantly said goodbye. He leaned down from his rarefied atmosphere, virtually bent over double, hugged me, and said goodbye. I made my way to an ice-filled bathtub, my hand going numb as I fished around for a beer. Glancing back, I saw that he was still alone, watching the mayhem surrounding him, like an alien from another planet, sent to observe our way of life.
I was truly saddened when I heard about Joey’s death in 2001. Thirty years later (it just can’t be that long!), I was surprised to hear my sixteen-year-old daughter listening to The Ramones. I told her about my teenage encounter with Joey. She was amazed, delighted. It was the first time I recounted it to anyone. This is the second.
Cynthia Watson is in the query process for her first novel, WIND, a Young Adult Paranormal Romance, while writing the second book in the saga, SAND. She lives just north of Toronto, Canada, with her Cocker Spaniel, Symon, and five rescued cats.
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I read the preview of Ms Watson’s Wind novel. I love her style. I hope to have the opportunity to read the entire book. This short story is very good – great title too!
Your story really held my interest and I felt like I was in the room with you-keep up the good work-I can’t wait to read “Wind”!
Leaves the reader looking for more. I hope to have the opportunity to read “Wind”!
I am a big fan of Cynthia’s writing and have told her so many times. I believe her novel “Wind,” is well-written and engaging and will delight the youth that it is intended for.
I also loved this short story. It conveyed both the hard edge of the time and soft heart of an underground legend. I could the see the shyness of Joey Ramone through Cynthia’s eyes – that is the mark of a true writer, to place someone into the scene as if they were there. Well done, Cynthia!
Great story Cynthia! I really enjoyed it thanks for sharing.
I like Julia have read many of Cindy’s works and enjoy her style. I believe she is a great asset to those who read her work and will continue to contribute a postive reading experiance for our youth for many years.
Great Job Cindy!!!
I like Julia have read many of Cindy’s works and enjoy her style. I believe she is a great asset to those who read her writting and will continue to contribute a postive reading experiance for our youth for many years.
Great Job Cindy!!!
this is a really great story. thanks for sharing. its fantastic.
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