torture brings reward
I met Eddie Vedder!
and I can't help it, but I don't want to wash the hand he shook! :)
The concert was amazing, and I'll post all about it soon. It ended at 11:30, and Melissa and I joined a crowd of about 30 fans at Eddie's tour bus. And waited. At one point, Eddie sprinted past us into the bus. Hours went by. Temperatures dropped. We were shivering and tired and hungry. We felt tortured. More time passed. The crowd dwindled. I thought about Lollapalooza and knew that if I could sweat in a mosh pit for 11 hours, I could do this.
Finally, at 2:30, a security guard came out, applauded us for our devotion, and gave us the drill. No photos, no hugs, one autograph each. And then Eddie came out, and gave each of us a heartfelt, patient moment of his time. While he signed my program, I told him that I've met the kindest, most amazing people because of him. He leaned back and said, "Aahh, isn't that the best part?" Then I told him that I was also getting to see amazing places because of him--and Melissa told him we'd have never seen Santa Barbara otherwise--and he said, "That's a great by-product, isn't it?" Then I thanked him. He held my hand and looked me right in the eye. His was the softest, silkiest hand I ever felt.
Of course, it was wonderful.
I feel very aware that I'm just one in a million fans--that he was granting me a favor, he was just doing a job. But I'm also grateful and exhilarated and awed by his gentle kindness.
I'm really happy. :)
What a wonderful man.
and I can't help it, but I don't want to wash the hand he shook! :)
The concert was amazing, and I'll post all about it soon. It ended at 11:30, and Melissa and I joined a crowd of about 30 fans at Eddie's tour bus. And waited. At one point, Eddie sprinted past us into the bus. Hours went by. Temperatures dropped. We were shivering and tired and hungry. We felt tortured. More time passed. The crowd dwindled. I thought about Lollapalooza and knew that if I could sweat in a mosh pit for 11 hours, I could do this.
Finally, at 2:30, a security guard came out, applauded us for our devotion, and gave us the drill. No photos, no hugs, one autograph each. And then Eddie came out, and gave each of us a heartfelt, patient moment of his time. While he signed my program, I told him that I've met the kindest, most amazing people because of him. He leaned back and said, "Aahh, isn't that the best part?" Then I told him that I was also getting to see amazing places because of him--and Melissa told him we'd have never seen Santa Barbara otherwise--and he said, "That's a great by-product, isn't it?" Then I thanked him. He held my hand and looked me right in the eye. His was the softest, silkiest hand I ever felt.
Of course, it was wonderful.
I feel very aware that I'm just one in a million fans--that he was granting me a favor, he was just doing a job. But I'm also grateful and exhilarated and awed by his gentle kindness.
I'm really happy. :)
What a wonderful man.