Close Encounters of the MLE Kind

A Few Years Ago, Texas

A few years back, my sister lived in Texas. She was in Texas for some time, and dated a few people. She moved back to California, and the people she dated stayed in Texas.

My sister’s Exs live in Texas.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!

Thursday, May 20, Dallas, Gypsy Ballroom, Stuff That Happened Before The Concert.

It was hot in Oklahoma, and even hotter in Dallas. That posed a bit of a problem for me.

I like to wear my red beanie to the Lucky concerts. MLE sees me in it and recognizes me and talks to me and sings to me and that makes my head feel really good. But, wearing a 100% Lambs Wool beanie during a 3 hour General Admission Rock Concert in Dallas on a sweltering Spring Day is not the brightest thing to do.

Since I think something like 90% of a body’s heat escapes out a person’s head, I figured I had two options:

Option One: Not wear the beanie. 90% of my body’s heat goes out of my head and I remain relatively cool throughout the concert. But dude – not wear the beanie?!? The disadvantage if I didn’t wear the red beanie was that MLE may not recognize me, then might not chat with me or sing to me, and that would have been a mega bummer.

Option Two: Wear the beanie. MLE would most likely spot me and chat with me and sing to me. Oooooh, Aaaaahhhh, Nice. The disadvantage is that I may become overheated and pass out from heat exhaustion, and that means I would miss part of the concert, and that would have been a mega bummer.

Then I thought about it some more . . . . if 90% of a body’s heat goes out through the head, and you cover the head, then, to make things even out, all you have to do if you cover the head is leave 90% of the rest of the body exposed, and the heat goes out the rest of the body. Mathematically, that works out, right?

That meant that if I wanted to go with Option Two all I had to do was wear the beanie and shoes, and nothing else. MLE would spot me for sure!

Sigh. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. I couldn't pick one. I decided I would leave it up to fate. I flipped a coin: Heads for Wear the Beanie (my Head would be covered and my Tail exposed), and Tails for Don’t Wear the Beanie (my Tail would be covered and my Head exposed).

It came up Tails.

Which was a good thing because I forgot to shave that morning.

Very Early in the PM-ish. Deb, Concert Buddy Judi and I (without the red beanie, wearing jeans and a t-shirt) arrive at the Gypsy Ballroom in the early afternoon, and see a Semi out in front of the venue. Trace and a bunch of other guys were busily unloading the Lucky stage set from the truck. We looked for a front entrance to the venue, and found three of them. We picked one (the one Trace and the others were using), and lined up.

Trace zoomed by and said “Heyhow’sitgoin’?” and I replied “Greathowareyou?” and he said “FABulous!!!”

Little did I realize just how FABulous the evening would turn out to be.

We also saw Stephanie unloading boxes from the Semi. Stephanie is a very hard worker and does tons of things to make sure the concerts go smoothly. Deb wanted to thank Stephanie for all of her hard work and all that she puts up with, so Deb got her some flowers. I did not witness the exchange, but Deb said Stephanie was very surprised when she received the flowers.

Shout Out to Stephanie! We totally admire how hard you work!!!!!!

Hands down the best part about waiting in line for hours before a gig is the people you get to meet and talk to. We met a very funny lady that day, her name is Shellie. We bonded with her rather quickly, because she had shown up not long after we had, and she had come to see the concert by herself. We admired the dedication. Within minutes all four of us had shared serious health problems with each other. Well, actually, I am very blessed and do not have physical health problems so I told her I was a Vegetarian and she was satisfied with me sharing that. Shellie was sitting on the cement sidewalk with us, trying to get comfortable, and she leaned back and lifted her butt off the ground, and yelled “OW! MY ASS HURTS!!” and then she said “Oh, sorry, I hope that doesn’t offend you!” and I said “No, your ass doesn’t offend me” and we all kept laughing and chatting for hours after that.

Before the concert in San Francisco, I had a friend take a picture of Philip and me. I had a 4 x 6 made of it, and I really wanted to have Philip sign it. I forgot to bring it with me to New York (can you believe I did that?!), but I brought it with me to Dallas. Just before 4 PM we saw Stephanie in the parking lot with her cell phone, and usually that means the band is about to show up. Me and a handful of other people were waiting at the entrance to the parking lot. We saw a town car with tinted windows drive past the venue, and Stephanie waved at the driver, and the driver waved back. I saw two pretty ladies in the back, so I figured that must be MLE and Tammy. I was glad I had the Lucky CD cover with me too, and maybe I could get an autograph from MLE.

But, the car continued around the corner. We waited, and waited, and waited, but the car didn’t come back. I even walked up and looked around the corner but I didn’t see anything. A minute later, we see the same town car drive along, and I can see the ladies in the back even better, and I knew exactly who it was, and I wanted to make sure they knew where they were supposed to go, so I signaled to the car where they were supposed to enter. I could see TLM and MLE pointing at me and waving and laughing that I was showing them the way. The car did a U-Turn, then slowly pulled into the parking lot. I started to approach the vehicle, but then Stephanie held up her hand and said “PLEASE STEP BACK.” “Oh, OK” I said, and thought to myself “Oh fudgie, no autographs from MLE tonight”, and backed up the twenty or so feet to the edge of the parking lot. Just as I reached to the edge of the parking lot, Steven stepped out of the car, saw the handful of us at a distance from the car, and said “Please form one line”, so I approached the car again.

Tammy stepped out of the car first on the passenger side. As soon as I saw her, I got a little nervous. But I was only nervous because I was afraid she would zoom insidethe venue really quick and I may not get the chance to tell her something that I really really really super-duper wanted to tell her in person. She first had her back to me, but then turned a little, so I said “Tammy . . . .?” and she turned and looked at me, and I wasn’t sure if she’d remember me or not (we’d met briefly twice before), so I said “Hi! It’s Camille!” and I pointed to myself, and I held out my hand to shake her hand. Well, Tammy did remember me, and she said “Camille!” and she gave me a big hug, and I hugged her right back. (Just for the record, TAMMY HUGS ARE REALLY COOL!!!!) And then, I was SO HAPPY, I got to share with her the really really really super-duper important thing that I wanted to share with her – I said, “HEY! YOUR SHOW GOT PICKED UP!!!!!”

For those of you who may not know, Tammy was in the cast of a TV pilot and it was recently announced the pilot was selected by NBC as a series to air later in the 2004/2005 season. I was so happy when I heard that, I can’t even tell you how happy I was. I really like Tammy, she’s really nice to me, and I was so proud of her when I heard the show got picked up for Prime Time television.

Shout Out to Tammy! Way to go Tammy! Me and the other Boardies are so totally happy for you! Way to go! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!

Of course she already knew her show was picked up, I didn’t need to tell her that, but I think she could tell what I was trying to say was that I was happy for her. She then told me the show would not be airing until around December, and I kind of forgot the reason why it will not air until December, I think it has to do with other shows that will be airing on Tuesdays and Thursdays or something like that I can’t remember. We talked for a little bit, and I could have talked to her bunches more, but a lady approached me and asked “Do you want something signed?” Only then did I divert my attention away from Tammy, and I found myself looking right into the eyes of Melissa Etheridge. “Oh! Yes, please!” I said, and I held up my Lucky CD cover for MLE to sign. (Dude, I kinda forgot Melissa was there signing autographs! Oops!) I thought that was so sweet of Melissa to do that – she could have just walked inside and not signed anything for me, after all I wasn’t paying attention, but she didn’t, she asked me if I wanted something signed, and she signed it for me. I said “Thank you!” and then she waved at us group of fans and headed inside, and so Tammy had to go inside too, then Tammy and I looked at each other and waved Bye-Bye and said “Take care!”

Wow. Melissa and Tammy were so nice to me! My Rock Star ROCKS!!!!!! And Concert Buddy Tammy ROCKS too!!!!!

FABulous!

Of course I was really happy about what had just transpired, so I went to go find Deb, but then, another town car with tinted windows pulled into the parking lot. I was really hoping Philip was in the car so I could get his autograph. Not only was Philip in the car, but Kenny and Mark were too! I approached the car and Mark stepped out, and I’d never met him before and was really happy to be meeting him, and I said “Hi! I’m Camille!” and as he shook my hand he said “I didn’t recognize you without the hat!” I laughed at his comment. I asked him to please sign my Lucky CD cover, and he did, and I said “You guys ROCK!” and he said “YOU guys Rock!” and he pointed to all of us fans.

FABulous!

Next – there he was – Philip Sayce. When I met him at the very first Get Lucky Tonight concert in Hollywood, he had been really nice and sweet and open and everything, and when I took my picture with him in San Francisco he was really nice and sweet and open and everything, and he always gives me funny Philip smiley faces during the concerts, but for some reason, he makes me a little nervous! I think it’s because he’s so cute. When I’m around him I feel like I’m that little girl in Junior High School that no one wants to dance with, and that if I go up and ask him for something, he’s going to say No. But he never has said No, he has always been really sweet. And he was sweet again this time. I went to shake his hand . . . and he hugged me.

Dude - how SWEET is that?!? He hugged me! Achilles, I mean Philip, hugged me! He said “Hey! How are you doing?” and I said “Great!” Then I held up the picture and said “This was taken in San Francisco, I was wondering if you would sign it for me?” And he said “Sure!” and then he asked “Do you want me to say something special? Who do you want me to make it out to? Any particular message you want me to put?” All I could think of to say was “Duh . . .duh . . .duh” but I think I actually managed to say “Oh, you can just make it out to me, Camille, and say whatever you want” and he said “OK!” He ended up signing it “To Camille, Stay Sweet, Stay Cool! Love, Philip Sayce ‘04”.

I would scan and post the photo and autograph to show you except for I already had it framed.

FABulous!

That wasn’t all – Kenny was also walking by, so I said “Kenny will you sign my Lucky CD?” and he said “Sure!” and then he signed my Lucky CD too. Kenny made me laugh, because the Always Happy Drummer drew a little smiley face and then signed his name. Cute!!

FABulous!

After Philip and Kenny signed, I looked at the two of them and said “Thank you! You guys ROCK!” and they said “YOU guys Rock!”, referring to all of us fans.

The three fellas were all done signing for the fans, so inside the venue they went.

I was walking on clouds. I went to find Deb, and I exited the parking structure and I spotted her, so I said “I got autographs!!!! BUNNY DANCE FOR THE AUTOGRAPHS!!” Then I started doing a silly Bunny Dance where I was kicking up my heals and jumping all over the place and Deb was laughing at me. I showed her the autographs and told her all about what happened and what was said and then went and put everything in the rental car. Then I Bunny Danced back to the line again.

Think the day couldn’t get any more FABulous?

IT DID!

Later in the afternoon, I had taken a walk, and when I returned to the venue I noticed that there were now two lines. Radio Station MIX 102.9 was sponsoring the concert that evening, and they had a small group of contest winners. There were only about a dozen of us in the regular fan club line, and a MIX 102.9 staff member looked at us and said “Who here wants to see a sound check?” We all immediately responded “Yes!” “OK then! Let’s all go see the sound check!” the MIX lady said.

Deb, Judi, Shellie and I looked at each other and we could not believe our good fortune. The MIX staff members told us we could get one thing autographed, and I laughed and thought “Uh oh, I don’t have anything left to get signed!” Once we got inside though, they told us that if we didn’t have anything to get signed, they would give us a Lucky Flat (Lucky CD artwork poster). I couldn’t believe that either. I had seen Lucky Flats on E-Bay, and had been really tempted to buy one, but I hadn’t, and now they were going to be handing them out, and I would get it autographed as well.

Inside to the sound check we went. Deb and Mere were right up against the stage, and Judi and Shellie and I were behind Deb and Mere. The stage wasn’t very high, it only came to about waist level. Philip, Kenny and Mark were playing This Moment, and Deb and Mere and I started swaying to it.

Shout Out to Melissa’s Record Company! You should seriously consider releasing an instrumental version of This Moment! I mean, it’s super awesome when MLE sings it, but, having heard a purely instrumental version, I can say the melody sounds AWESOME on its own, all by itself! Maybe release an instrumental version of This Moment as a B-Side with a future single release! It’s BEAUTIFUL!

Out came MLE! Hurray! She sauntered out really casually. We cheered and clapped because we were really happy to see her, and she smiled. She told Trace she could not hear very well out of one ear piece, and Trace started fiddling with it. While he was doing that, we started talking with her – “Are you having any mascara issues tonight?”, “Why did you consider cutting Like The Way I Do from the set list last night?”, and “Will you sing All The Things She Said?” and MLE responded “Nope, no mascara issues tonight”, “We will be playing shorter sets in the future and wanted to try cutting down the set list and Like The Way I Do is a 15 minute song so we wanted to take that out, it was either that or pick three other songs to take out”, and “Oh – All The Things She Said?”.

MLE had included the song All The Things She Said in the first few Lucky shows, but had not sung it since. She said that the lyrics were hard to remember, even when they were printed out and taped to the stage in front of her. I said “That’s OK, who cares – we don’t know what the lyrics are either!”

We asked MLE about the Black Converse Sneakers, and she said she would wear them again that night.

She mentioned that Chainsaw would be taking the place of Trace, and that Trace was going back to Arkansas to be with his family. We all said “Awwwwww” and then waved at Trace and wished him well.

Mark is freakin’ hilarious. He started talking to Melissa about playing the song Scarecrow the previous night, and he said “Did I come in at the right place? I’m asking because you gave me a look” and then he placed a hand to his heart and made a sad face as if to signify MLE had hurt his feelings. We and MLE started laughing. MLE said “You can come in any time you want!”, and Mark said “Oh, OK. . . . . . you looked at me and it hurt” and we all laughed again.

They practiced the song Let Me Go. It was interesting to see MLE practicing because she had a different look about her. She was in more of a “business” mode. She was looking mostly at the ceiling and the sides of the room instead of directly at us fans, and was concentrating on how the music sounded.

Fudge! I wrote down the song title “The Good Girls and Boys” but I can’t remember if that’s one of the ones they practiced! I think it was. We’ll pretend it was. In fact, I think it was, because we requested they play All The Things She Said, and Philip started strumming the chords to that song, but Mark wanted The Good Girls and Boys, so I’m fairly certain that’s what they practiced next.

Double fudge!!! I thought I remembered the entire band practicing three songs together, but I looked everywhere in my notes and I can’t find a third song title! Dude! I even wrote down that Melissa was wearing gray shoes during sound check, but I didn’t write down a third song title! Someone needs to give me a lesson on how to take notes at a sound check! Who cares what color shoes MLE was wearing during practice – I want to remember if there was a third song and what it was! Wait – let me try and decipher my notes a little better . . . . Hey – does Melissa have a song titled “Prk9ktwd”? That’s what my notes read! Fudge!

Anyway – that was the sound check – FABulous!!

Next was the autographing part. We all lined up single file, and whoever didn’t have something to be signed got a Lucky Flat. I was in the middle of the line, and MLE started autographing at the beginning of the line to my right. Tammy came out and was chatting to two ladies on my left. I overheard one thing Tammy said, and when she was done chatting with the ladies, I said “Hey Tammy . . . “ and then I asked her a question. Tammy and I then started chatting: Chat, Chat, Chat, Blah, Blah, Blah, Yadda, Yadda, Yadda. MLE would finish autographing for someone and the person would leave the venue, and then I would take one step right closer to the front of the line, and Tammy would take one step left, and we kept chatting: Chat, Chat, Chat, Blah, Blah, Blah, Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, and then MLE would finish signing for someone and out they went, and then one step right and one step left, Chat, Chat, Chat, and so on and so forth.

When I was one person away from MLE signing for me, Tammy decided to play a mini-practical joke on her better half. Tammy got in line behind me and whispered “I’m going to have Melissa sign my Backstage Pass!” and I giggled and said “OK!” Then it was my turn with MLE. I looked at MLE and said “Hi!” and held up the Lucky Flat, and she took it in her hands. “I know your name” she said, and started signing my poster. I didn’t realize four little words like “I know your name” being spoken by one’s roll model could give a person such an instant buzz like it did, and it took me a little bit by surprise. I’m such a major dork, though, and what I said back to her was “I know your name too!” (Go ahead, nominate me for The Lamest Thing I Could Have Said To MLE Right Then Award. Wait – never mind, I’ll nominate myself). MLE did chuckle, and I appreciated that, and then she was done signing for me. But she wasn’t done with me quite yet.

She said “I hope I don’t embarrass you when I speak to you from the stage” and I said “No, not at all. I just don’t know what to say back to you!” Then she looked at me and looked like she had something very important to tell me, so I froze and gave her my complete attention. She said “I want to Thank You So Much, you and all of your friends, for coming to all of the shows. We really love you guys and all you do!” I was so touched by that, and part of me sensed that the message she was telling me was intended for a much wider audience than just me and my concert buddies – it was for all of the fans everywhere who see her shows (even if it’s only one) and bring signs and sing along and dance and clap and cheer - so here you go – everybody reading this – Melissa said to us “We really love you guys and all you do!”

Just after she said that, I said “Ohhh . . . ” and I was about to say Thank YOU, but, the person in line after me threw her arms around me and said “And we really love Camille!” and Melissa said “Yes we do”, and then Melissa went to extend her hand to greet the person next in line who was hugging me . . . and then burst out laughing. It was Tammy!!! MLE said “Oh it’s YOU!” and continued laughing, and Tammy said “I was gunna have you sign my Pass!” I was laughing too that Tammy’s mini-practical joke on her wifey had worked, and then Tammy did and said something else that was just hilarious, then MLE and I were really laughing. With a huge, radiant, loving smile on her face, MLE pointed to Tammy and said “Do you see what I have to deal with everyday?” I looked at Tammy out of the corner of my eyes, smirked, and said “Yeah – she’s a lot of fun.” Which, actually, I can’t verify 100% because I’ve only met Tammy now three times, but each time, she has been a lot of fun, and I’ve heard from other people that Tammy’s a lot of fun, so yeah, she must be a lot of fun.

The moment was over, and MLE had to keep signing for the other fans, so I waved at Tammy Etheridge with my left hand, and Melissa Etheridge with my right hand that now had the autographed Lucky Flat in it, told them “Take Care!”, and back outside the venue I went.

FABulous!

My other concert buddies had been at the front of the line so they were waiting for me and the car keys outside the venue. I did a great big Bunny Dance all the way to them, and all the way to the rental car across the street, and they all laughed. We put the posters in the back of the car and then went back to the venue.

We got back to the front of the venue, and everybody got back in line where they had been before the sound check. Sort of. Now there was confusion because the venue staff had been telling people to line up in different places, and the e-mail from the fan club said to go line up at the back side of the venue. Deb and the others stayed in front, and I went to the back. I was glad I wandered to the back of the venue, because not too long after that, Lora from the fan club showed up. I gave her a great big hug and said “Lora! I didn’t know you were going to be here!!” and she said “I didn’t know you were going to be here either!!” Then we explained to her what the situation was with multiple lines, and she talked to the venue folks, and the problem was fixed, and I went back around to the front, and everyone got in line in the right place.

PART II

It's Still Thursday, May 20, Dallas, Gypsy Ballroom

6:45 PM-ish. In we go. Concert Buddy Mere had a SuperME and was front row, and then Deb and I were behind her, and Judi and Shellie were behind me. We were on Mark’s side, near ACE. Philip and Chainsaw were on the side of the stage, and Philip was drinking a Pepsi. (I wrote down that Philip was drinking a Pepsi, but I didn’t write down the songs they practiced during the sound check?!? Dude! I’m so firing myself from taking concert notes!)

8:15 PM-ish. Concert time! Hurray! And sure enough, here come the Black Converse Sneakers! Hurray!

FABulous!

They start the show out with If You Want To. During one of the first few songs, the pick flew out of Philip’s hand like had happened the previous night, and again, he just kept right on playing. I’m not sure which happens the most of during a MLE concert: Philip loses a pick, Kenny breaks a drum stick, or MLE changes her guitar. I thought it would be interesting to keep track of each of these occurrences, so I picked a blank part of my notes, and started tallying each occurrence. After each time Philip lost a pick, I would write down one stroke on the left side of the paper, and each time Kenny broke a drum stick, I would write down one stroke in the middle of the paper, and each time Chainsaw switched out a guitar with MLE, I would write down one stroke on the right of the paper. Each one of them happened so many times that the strokes all merged together. I looked at it, and the strokes looked like grass to me. Thinking of grass made me forget what I was tallying, and I know bunnies like grass, so I drew a bunny on the grass. Then, since bunnies are happier when they are in pairs, I drew another bunny. Then, since I thought it would be nice if it was a nice Spring day, I drew the sun, and then, since I didn’t want the bunnies to be hot, I drew a tree. Unfortunately, I don’t know how many picks Philip threw around or how many drum sticks Kenny broke or how many times MLE got a new guitar but I know I drew enough grass for two bunnies and a tree.

During the song Secret Agent, Philip pointed at me and smiled. It really wasn’t a big deal compared to the rest of the evening, but I liked it none the less and I want to remember it so here I am writing it down for the record.

The band started playing the song If I Wanted To, but MLE didn’t start singing yet. Mere had brought MLE-themed street signs, so Melissa started telling us about her criminal past. MLE confessed that when she was 15 or 16, she tried to steal a street sign. But, it was difficult to do, and if I remember the story correctly, she did not end up actually stealing the street sign.

I think actually stealing the sign is beside the point. I think the criminal intent makes it a criminal act. And I think that for attempting to commit a criminal act, MLE owes the world some community service. It just so happens I have the perfect community service idea for MLE’s penance.

MLE has mentioned in her concerts that when the audience is really close, they sometimes reach out and touch her, and it’s like a Petting Zoo, which she actually does not mind too much (as long as the fans do not overdo it). Therefore, I think it would be the perfect community service for Melissa to be part of a Petting Zoo. I am a business woman and am willing to help oversee it. It will be named MLE’s Petting Zoo. There will be bunnies (of course) and sheep and goats and pigs and chickens (I can have chickens if I want to!) and ponies and Melissa. For five dollars you can enter the Petting Zoo and pet anything you want to. For twenty five cents you can buy pellets and feed them to the bunnies and sheep and goats and pigs and chickens (I like chickens!) and ponies. For another twenty five cents you can buy a pancake and feed it to Melissa. There- that’s my idea for MLE’s community service, and if she does it for a month, her criminal record will be expunged. Case closed.

Shout Out to Melissa’s Business Managers! Call me – I’ve got a great business venture idea for you guys!! Let’s do lunch and hash out plans for MLE’s Petting Zoo!!

Later in the show, Melissa started laughing when she noticed that Kenny was playing the drums with a water bottle balancing on his head. I started looking around at Kenny and his drum set, and then I started looking around at the back of the stage. The entrance from back stage to front stage was via a stair case in the back of the stage, and I saw someone in a baseball hat sitting on the stairs. Since the baseball hat was moving around in time to the music, it took me a minute to recognize it was Tammy.

Tammy’s a really cool Concert Buddy, because even though she’s usually up there in the balcony, many times when I see her she is totally rocking out and really into it just like me and the Concert Buddies I’m standing next to. Another cool thing about Tammy overall is that when she’s up in the balcony at concerts and people call out her name, she will smile and wave at everyone. Sometimes I can see the lights catch her eyes and they sparkle just like diamonds. No wonder MLE likes looking up there so much!

Shout Out to Tammy! Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starlet . . . up above the room so high, like a diamond in the sky! LONG MAY YOU WAVE!

Melissa commented about the two Dallas shows being the last Super Club shows, and said that the band had been doing them since February. Then she pointed at me and my Concert Buddies and said “She was there! And she was there! And she was there!” and that made us laugh. Yup, we’d been there. We’d seen the first Get Lucky Tonight Super Club Shows, and now we were seeing the last of them.

A person in the crowd was really struggling to get up to the front to hand Melissa something. Melissa noticed the tremendous effort, and really reached into the crowd to accept the gift. It was a plastic ring that blinks colored lights when you squeeze it. MLE wasn’t sure what to make of it. She talked about how fans get so intent and focused and driven to deliver gifts and mementos and what-nots to her, and applauded the woman on her valiant efforts and thanked her for . . . the plastic ring that blinks colored lights when you squeeze it. Mark held up his water bottle towards the woman as a Salute to Victory, and we all cheered and laughed.

They played the song This Moment, and I was such a Happy Camper. Deb and Mere were swaying to the music, and Deb put my hand on her shoulder, and Judi and Shellie put their hands on my shoulders and we were all swaying to the music. (Still not quite the New York This Moment experience, but much closer!)

FABulous!

After Meet Me In The Back (not Meet Me In The Dark, but Meet Me In The Back), I got a drum stick from MLE. She somehow got a drum stick from Kenny then she turned right around and reached out and placed it right in my hands. I looked at her and said “THANK YOU!!!!” and I was clutching the drum stick like she’d just handed me a bar of gold. Wow! MLE handed me a drum stick! And this time, I’m not going to tell my bunnies I made it home with a drum stick. Last time I showed them a drum stick, they said it was a chew stick, and wanted me to give it to them, then got mad at me when I didn’t give it to them, and I spent a half an hour trying to explain to them the difference between a drum stick and a chew stick, but it wasn’t easy because the drum stick did look all chewed up like a chew stick, but anyway my point is that this is one concert experience I’m not sharing with my bunnies. So sssshhhh! Don’t anybody tell my bunnies MLE gave me a drum stick! Ssssshhh!

FABulous!

As is now the case during Philip’s I’m The Only One solo, I look at MLE and Mark messing around. MLE picked up the plastic ring that blinks colored lights when you squeeze it and was showing it to Mark. In turn, Mark showed Melissa the container of Wart Remover Cream someone in the audience had given to him. OK, that’s it, I don’t get it, I don’t understand the meaning of coming to a rock concert and giving the band members plastic rings that blink colored lights when you squeeze it and Wart Remover Cream, so would someone please explain that to me, because I just don’t get it! And while you’re at it, will you please explain to me why, here it is 2004, and gay couples do not yet have the same rights as straight couples, because I don’t understand that either. Thanks!

People had pointed out fellow concert go-er Gino to me, but I unfortunately did not get the chance to formally meet him. After I’m The Only One, Gino turned to my Concert Buddies, and asked “Was that one of the best concerts, or what?!?!” and we all agreed “YES!!!!” It seriously was one of the best Get Lucky Tonight shows. I don’t know why, I don’t know what in particular made that night so special, but Gino felt it, Mere felt it, I felt it, Judi felt it, Shellie felt it, and I betcha so did other fans who had seen multiple shows.

During the Intro to Giant, someone pointed out the holes in MLE’s shirt near her tummy, and she said “I know! What am I going to do?!” and then she said “It’s Rock and Roll!!!” then she started singing Giant. I looked at Mark during Giant, and he gave me a great big smile that made me feel really good. Melissa seemed like she was extra into Giant that night, REALLY sending out waves and waves and waves and waves of “You Are A Giant” energy. The entire crowd gave all that “You Are A Giant” energy right back at her plus tons more, and she took it ALL in and gave it right back out again in even bigger waves of “You Are A Giant” energy. It was really intense.

Before departing the stage, MLE gave me and my Concert Buddies extra Hands, then off she went, and the guys finished up playing, left their instruments on their microphone stands, and off they went.

My Concert Buddies and I exited the venue – and just stared at each other. “WHAT . . . WAS . . . THAT?!?!?!” we all asked each other, not believing the immense power of the evening. We were all exhausted and in joyous pain after being completely Rocked for three hours straight.

Judi was super tired and opted to wait in the car, but Mere, Shellie, Deb and I were thirsty and famished so we headed to The Brazil Caf� to relax and enjoy the post-concert bliss. We were all buzzing and chatting and talking and laughing and having the best time, and as sometime happens among friends, the conversation quickly turned, shall we say, “Adult”. I won’t go into details about the conversation, but let’s just say that the least Adult part of the conversation was Mere’s dinner selection, which was named “Muffletta”. I’m not kidding, that’s what the sandwich was called, a “Muffletta”. And I think Shellie scared the teenage waiter half to death when she picked up the ice cream in her fingers and was explaining how to “eat” it, because the poor fellow literally ran away.

We talked more about where we were from, and about our lives in general. I told Shellie about the concert reviews I write, and she had a request of me. I’m not really good at this kind of stuff, but, she asked, so here we go, I’ll try my best.

Shellie, per your request, here you go, here’s your Shout Out! Hi to Shellie, My True Love in Houston, Texas! You have a nice . . . BUTT! And . . . nice EYES! And . . . you’re really super hot and stuff! Yeah Baby! I want you! Really! Totally! Yeah! Um, Oooh Baby!

Did I do OK?

FABulous!