Awww...I know, wasn't that just..*SNIFFLE*. Now if they had a kid or two...
Okay, after all the brouhaha, here's my pathetic little excuse for an Adam story.
This is Elevation era...April 2001. I'd never been much for meeting the band, or any act, even though I'd been a fan since '82. Going to the backdoor and hanging out...not my thing. I used to get the Propaganda magazine when it still came out, and the last 2 pages, Letters to the Editor, was my favorite part of it, b/c I loved to read all the stories and see pics of crazy U2 fans. The kind who'd send pics of their handmade painted paper-mache Edge heads or U2 license plates or that sort of thing. I realized that I had my own brand of U2 weirdness (to this day I have never owned an article of clothing with an image of any band member on it, or put up a U2 poster on the wall. That's just too strange for me, it's like worshiping a poster of your mother or brother, and you don't impersonalize or distance yourself from somebody in your family that way. I know, strange, isn't it.) But actually meeting them? Didn't feel I had the need, the music was enough for me.
But in early 2001 Bono was saying in interviews how much he identified with and was a fan of King David, and touting Eugene Peterson's groundbreaking new Message Bible (they used to print paperback copies of this Bible with a blurb from Bono on back, which chuffed me no end.) It just so happened that I loved historical fiction, and had in my possession a book that is sadly now out of print, "David The King" c. 1936 by Gladys Schmidt. She was a big author back in her day, and this was one of her last works. This is among the most beautiful works of fiction I have ever read, the language is Tolkienesque in its beauty and poetry, though it's also modern and accessible (hinting at a possible unrequited love between the young David and Jonathan, for example.) I'm sure someone on Criagslist or sites that specialize in out of print material or even indie bookstores might have it. I urge everyone to read it--it's historical fiction at its finest, even if you don't like the genre.
Anyway, I was so excited, I thought Bono might want to read this, it was right up his alley. And so, for the first time, I decided to devise a way to meet the band. I got together with my U2 pals of the time, asked them what was the best way to go about this, and turns out they had just such plans. So since the book was out of print now, I photo copied it for myself (which I still have in a boot box, all 600+ pages) and set out to give it to Bono.
Long story short. There I was in Boston in May 2011 before the 2nd show I was going to. The night before, I had witnessed the incredible sight of Edge smashing his guitar onstage, (and my eyeballs haven't been the same since. )There was also a major brouhaha about people waiting in a GA line, some of the show was being filmed for another "One" video, and the film crew went about picking a lot of young, attractive people from the GA line and admitting them first, so they got the best GA spots, no matter if they'd been way in the back of the line. Lots of people were hopping mad, but that didn't matter to me, since I'd had my pic taken with Edge the day before. (No, I don't know how to put it up, sorry.)
Well...there I was, back of the venue, with a famous amateur U2 photographer of the time, a webmaster of a now defunct U2 site, and assorted hangers-on. The usual press and throng of people. I had a bag with the book in it. Being VERY short (let's say, Bono might even look down at me
I couldn't see a damned thing. I remember a rail, a fence. And trying not to be crushed against it. And then people screaming and my being sort of carried along a few feet. Past the rail and there he was...I saw the glasses....Looking for Bono, I was sure it must be he, but no, there I was, just a few feet away from...ADAM.
And no, I warned you gals, I have no pics of these glorious moments, as much as b/c I was concentrating on which band member to give the book to. I really thought he'd come out last night with Edge, but he didn't. And shockingly, I didn't see him here. I think people said Larry came out too, but I was too nervous even afterwards. (And it didn't matter in the end, b/c I briefly got to meet Lardence too, in October in NYC.)
So what exactly did he look like? What was he wearing? I vaguely recall something dark and sporty, under a dark jacket. And his collar being open, so I saw a bit of chest hair, under a medallion of some sort. God, my hands were shaking so bad I didn't remember details. He was signing autographs, being his usual essence of English polished charm....being, well, Lord Clayton! I could hear the musical cadences of his deep voice, coming closer. What did he specifically say? My head was in the clouds, don't remember. Only lots of cameras going off. He was coming down the line pretty slowly, moving closer to me, on my left. I was so nervous,"God, Teta [can't use my real name of course], GET IT TOGETHER, BREATHE." (I thought.) WHAT CAN YOU SAY WITHOUT MAKING A TOTAL IDIOT OF YOURSELF. Remember, I'd never met a celebrity before. Anyone.
Finally he reached me. I held the book up and said, "Adam," (and I have a very soft voice, so he leaned down to hear me, smiling a little--my memory of this is slightly hazy, I was shaking, I was so nervous)" I'd like to show you something. No, it's OK, you don't have to sign it." He pulled back a little, puzzled, and for a moment my voice gave out completely. (What went through my mind: here I am confronted with the "bad boy" of the band, the one who was against the whole Christian thing, and this is a book about a Bible figure. How do I tout this?) Then, gathering my courage (or feeling I am completely insane, but can't stop now!) I told my story of this book, why I wanted Bono to have it, etc. As I was speaking, Adam took the book, flipped it open, and began to peruse it. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm having an out-of-body experience, thinking, ADAM CLAYTON IS HOLDING MY BOOK. OH...MY....GOD. WHAT THE HECK DO I SAY NOW? I feel weird, like what else can I freaking SAY, this isn't Adam's favorite subject! like, if it was Bono I'd be highlighting chapters, pointing out my favorite bits, we'd be having a little theological discussion. But ADAM? So finally I said, "Could you please give it to Bono. And don't lose it." He looked up from the book, closed it, and flashed a brief smile. "Will do," he said, and moved on. I watched him move on down my right. Only 4 or 5 more people and then he melted into the crowd, he was gone.
I always wonder if Bono ever got the book, and I hope he has read it. I hope if he did, he didn't lose it!
And so that's little tame G-rated Adam story. Not much, as I said, but something!
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either (a)when he was walking down the stairs and starting to pull off the shirt he was wearing when they went for the break before Streets or (b) when he came out looking like that and my reaction was "OH MY FUCKING GOD". 
