Abigail's BSB Encounters ENCOUNTER #1: It was a cold winter night Febuary 13, 2000 and KT and I had just arrived in Albany NY. We decided to peruse the town trying to find out where they would be staying. Not realizing how small Albany was we drove toward the venue and just as we had rounded the corner we see 2 buses parked outside the Omni Park hotel. Well clearly we were going to have to go in and see what was going on! So we parked the car, collected ourselves, took *off* the Kentucky hats we were both wearing, and headed on in. There was a red roped off area of the lobby where fans were supposed to stay but clearly that didn't apply to us so we just hopped in the elevator and went up and down to every floor...no luck! So on the verge of almost giving up we walk into the lobby bar/restaraunt, sit down, order a beer, and plot our next move. After striking up a conversation with the bartender, I innocently asked, "If you were a Backstreet Boy which floor would you be staying on?" to which he replied, "If i were a Backstreet Boy I'd be sitting right behind me." Low and behold there was AJ sitting at a table behind the bar!!! Well now we're not going anywhere!! So we hung out at the bar, he walked over to the pool table right next to us and started playing. All the girls sitting outside the bar were frantically trying to take pictures through the glass and we were just enjoying our legal drinking age view. Soon we struck up a converstion with a cute "fly boy" as they called themselves...really they ran the flying equipment (millenium tour). This newfound friendship proved to be fruitful because soon they were kicking everyone out of the bar that didn't belong with the group and somehow we got mistaken for part of the crew because before we knew it they were throwing a birthday party and we were being handed cake. Surrounded by Backstreet Boys, dancers, and crew we played pool, fuseball, and witnessed a snowball fight between AJ and a couple other guys. It was an amazing night. Howie even came over and apologized to US for not coming over to introduce himself sooner. So sweet!!! At around 2am our little fly boy friends noticed the snow coming down and asked if we wanted to crash in their rooms (on the same floor as Nick come to find out) but we pointed out that we were from Maine and snow hardly scared us and that we'd be fine in our hotel. The next night...Valentine's Day.....we scored 6th row seat (yes we had driven all the way to NY without tickets). All in all a very good weekend!! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ENCOUNTER #2: After spending the winter from January-Febuary 2001 following them up the east coast and running into them in mostly big group incidents (ie: ouside the hotel in Atlanta and Ft. Lauderdale) KT and I had taken a break for the spring to refresh for their summer tour. This time they were going to be in Boston and as it so happens that's where I live...very convenient. So we knew pretty much that the only place they'd be staying was the Ritz so we decided to skip the show and go for drinks in the downstairs bar. We sat there for quite sometime, enjoying the service and the wine. All of a sudden Krystal walks in. She's so adorable and proceeds to sit down at the piano right next to us and sing for a while. So we get up and wander, start talking to a guy that ends up being their bass player. I noticed some sort of hubbub and a lot of people being ushered out of the bar and realized that once again we had slipped through the cracks and it was being closed down to the public. I continue my conversation with Sam when there's a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to a really tall Nick standing there with his arm in a cast. He says hi to Sam and introduces himself to me. Now I have to say, I think Nick is adorable, and I've loved him for some time, but he's a brat! I simply asked how he had broken his hand (playing basketball that day) and said, "Ouch sorry that must have hurt!" and he replies, "No actually it felt good to break my hand." *Sigh* oh well. Next AJ comes over to chat with us. He's wearing a really cool necklace that I comment on. Apparently a fan gave it too him! So as I'm finishing my converstion with Sam I look up and there's KT sitting at the bar with Nick and AJ getting ready to do shots of tequila!! So we hang out for a while longer, and head home around 2. As we're waiting for the elevator with no one else around, AJ appears, holds the door for us, says good night, and goes back to his room. PHEW what a night! Unfortunately the next day we turned on TRL and there are the boys telling everyone that AJ has gone into rehab. Apparently we spent the last night with him before we was sober....doing shots nonetheless! Kind of weird but still a really fun night!!! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ENCOUNTER #3: KT and I were in Florida in January 2001. Come to find out that any act that plays at the National Car Rental Center *has* to stay at this Holiday Inn about a mile down the road. I guess they have a contract or something. So we hung out in the lobby for a while, ran into Nick and Kevin but there was a buzz going around that nobody had seen Brian the whole week that he was being elusive. I guess the other 4 guys were going in and out the front door signing autographs and what not but Brian was no where to be seen. So one of the days we were just hanging out by our car in the back of the hotel and we hear this door open. We look up and Brian comes waltzing out and gets in a van. He then gets back out, waves at us and motions for us to come over. He is sooo cute and nice, takes pictures with us and everything. He's like, "Y'all coming to the show tonight??" Definately adorable and extremely friendly!!! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ENCOUNTER #4: In June 2001 in Tampa we were hanging out by the back of the venue and it starts to pour! We had been in the sweltering heat all day so it felt really good and before we knew it we were splashing in the puddles and completely drenched. I mean it was coming down really hard! At one point an SUV pulls up next to us, rolls the window down and Kev leans out and laughing hysterically says, "what in the world are you doing???" we were like, "what we're just playing in the rain" he smiles and waves goodbye. Apparently we were having some much fun we had forgotten that we were there to stalk them and he almost got by us!!!! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ENCOUNTER #5: At about 2 in the morning after their show in Philly in May 2001 we were in the lobby of the Ritz and Howie came down and hung out for a bit. That was fun. He is definately the most friendly of all of them! Abigail