Man Recounts Surreal Encounter with Dolly Parton While Living as a 'Tuesday Boy'

John Curley shares his unforgettable story of meeting the country music icon and the unexpected turn of events that followed.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:54am

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In this first-person account, John Curley describes his unusual living arrangement in New York City at age 22, where he was essentially employed as a 'Tuesday boy' - running errands and doing odd jobs for a woman he thought was his girlfriend. One New Year's Eve, Curley ended up spending the night with this woman, who turned out to be none other than country music legend Dolly Parton. Curley recounts his encounters with Parton, including a memorable elevator ride, as well as the revelation that he was not actually dating his 'girlfriend' but rather working for her.

Why it matters

Curley's story provides a unique and humorous glimpse into the life of a young man navigating the complexities of relationships and employment in New York City in the 1970s. It also offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the private life of a major celebrity like Dolly Parton. The revelation that Curley was essentially a 'kept man' working as a 'Tuesday boy' raises interesting questions about gender dynamics, power imbalances, and the line between dating and employment.

The details

According to Curley, on New Year's Eve when he was 22 years old, he received a note from a woman saying she had enjoyed looking at him and left her phone number and address. Curley went to her apartment, spent the night, and the next day she asked him to run errands for her, providing him with $100 each time. Curley eventually quit his trucking job and just stayed at the woman's apartment all day. One day, Curley encountered Dolly Parton in the building's elevator, and Parton jokingly accused him of scratching a profanity into the elevator door. Later, Curley's 'girlfriend' told him to go home with another woman at a party, revealing that he was not actually her boyfriend but rather a 'Tuesday boy' she employed to run errands.

  • On New Year's Eve, Curley received the note from the woman and went to her apartment.
  • The next day, the woman started having Curley run errands for her.
  • Eventually, Curley quit his trucking job and just stayed at the woman's apartment all day.

The players

John Curley

A 22-year-old man who was living in New York City and working as a 'Tuesday boy' for a woman he thought was his girlfriend.

Dolly Parton

A country music legend who lived in the same building as Curley and had a memorable encounter with him in the elevator.

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What they’re saying

“Did you do that?”

— Dolly Parton

“I think you did that.”

— Dolly Parton

“Well, I got a wall in my apartment, and I need something like that done on the wall, just as art.”

— Dolly Parton

The takeaway

Curley's story highlights the complexities of relationships, power dynamics, and the blurred lines between employment and dating that can arise, especially in a big city like New York. It also provides a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the private life of a major celebrity like Dolly Parton.