Words and Pictures : Underwhere Event

Today’s story goes back to 1995 at the Words and Pictures Museum.  I was 17 years old, and at the time really shy of ever showing Kevin Eastman pictures of my collection.  I’ve only met him a handful of times by that point and the idea of him knowing just how much Turtle stuff I had made me scared.  Though to anyone else, I would tell my story in a heartbeat and carried my photos on me to show the collection.

This was our second drive out to the Words and Pictures Museum that fall, as only a few months earlier was the membership party.  Kevin Eastman was not at the membership party that year, so when we found out that he was going to be at the museum for an autograph session for the book “Underwhere”, we planned the trip to Northampton.  I did not know much about the book that was coming out.

We got to the museum early that morning and decided to spend the day there.  My mom bought copies of the book for Miki, myself and her.   We went through the line, it was nice to see Kevin again.  We even got to meet Paul Jenkin and Mark Martin that day as we went through the line.

The autograph sessions was held up on the 4th floor, so after going through and getting autographs, I went down to the second floor to hang out.  That was my favorite floor in the museum with art boards to draw on, games, and more.  I always enjoyed hanging out there.

It was some point that afternoon that I headed back upstairs. The line was gone and I walked over to the chair.  Kevin was nowhere in sight, and there was a lady I did not know sitting there.  I asked where Kevin was and she told me he was taking a break.  So I started to talk with her, and from talking with her it lead me to pulling out my photos of my collection.  We were laughing and talking as she went through the pictures.  She was very nice to talk to.  I thought she was just another worker at the museum or something since she was watching over the table.

As we were going through the photos we got to one in my book that was a photo of me in my Turtle Costume with Kevin Eastman.  Earlier in May of that year, we drove out to the museum and dropped off a mug for Kevin with that photo on it.  Though I did not know if Kevin got the mug, I did trust that the museum would get it to him.  Well that’s when the lady I was talking to came to a stop and looked at the picture.  She looks at me and goes:

“That’s you?”
“Yes”
“Kevin has this on a mug in his office”
“How would you know what’s in his office?”
“I’m Kevin’s wife”

I about died right there and then. I was never sure if I would show these pictures to Kevin and here I just showed him to his wife.  Now there was no more point in being shy about the collection now.  We laughed a bit and I continued talked with her.

Julie Strain Eastman became my friend that day.  I did not know much about her, though I knew she was just as kind to me as Kevin ever was.  We talked for a bit longer, before Kevin returned and I was able to talk to him again.  I went back downstairs to hang out.   For me, Julie was just a nice lady that Kevin must of met somewhere, I had no clue that she was in entertainment.

I don’t have any photos from that day, though I still have my book signed by Kevin, Mark, and Paul.  Somewhere in this massive collection, I have the flyers from the Words and Pictures Museum about the event.  I just remember it was around early October 1995 and I truly did have a lot of fun as I always did with the Words & Pictures Museum.

When I returned home, I went to visit a friend of mine.  This friend was in shock when she learned that I met Julie Strain, as she knew who Julie was.  That was how I learned that Julie has been a model and was in some B-movies.

I kept meeting up with Julie at the events as long as she went.  She’s an amazing person, so wonderful to talk to, just like Kevin Eastman.  I met a lot of great people through the Words and Pictures Museum.

Have you been to the Words & Pictures Museum?  Have you read “Underwhere”?  Have you met Kevin Eastman?  Have you met Julie Strain?  If you can say yes to any of these questions please feel free to share your stories here.  All comments and questions are welcomed!