Je ne suis pas "monsieur." Je suis rockstar.
I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO RELATE THIS BECAUSE IT'S ONLY BEEN AN HOUR AND AND AND.
OH MY GOD SO GLOVES.
OKAY OKAY LET ME TRY TO CALM DOWN. I CAN'T BREATHE.
Alright alright alright alright so.
So last time I was at the stage door I observed that I was freezing to death, especially in the hand region, and none of the actors who were signing autographs had gloves. I wanted to knit Mikele and Flo something to show them how much I adore them, and I'd been toying with the idea of dolls but some people thought that would come off as creepy and so I wasn't sure. I've knitted a Flo doll before, for Katherine, but I definitely didn't want the cast to remember me as the creepy girl who makes voodoo dolls of them or whatever, so yeah.
BUT ANYWAY YOU PROBABLY HAVE FIGURED OUT BY NOW that I decided to knit them gloves. I've been on a glove-knitting kick lately anyway because they're small and easy and practical and fashionable, so I did a brown pair of fingerless gloves that took me one weekend to make, and I was like I'LL GIVE THESE TO FLO.
So I sewed his name on there in white yarn. That way he would know I specifically made them FOR HIM. .
And then I spent the next day churning out a pair in black for Mikele. He only wears black, you see. I did the initials in silver because I thought it was appropriate.
And then I saw the show Saturday but the stage door was super crowded, so I left with the gloves still in my bag. I decided to go back Sunday, but instead I just sat on my bed and translated the show into English. And there was no show Monday, so there wasn't going to be a stage door opportunity. Basically, without Laurel there to back me up I was kind of pansying out of the whole stagedooring thing. Not that I didn't want to! Just... I am actually THAT lazy, it turns out.
SO ANYWAY today I woke up with my nervous stomach all aflutter (as it has been every morning since Mozart reopened, to be honest) and with my mind made up. I would go tonight after host family dinner. So I told all my friends in my classes that I was giving Mikelangeflo the gloves tonight. That way in the morning they'd ask me about it and I would have to tell them something. That's what we procrastinators need: accountability!
So after dinner I put on my fake eyelashes and glitter eyeliner (I want to have a consistent look so they can recognise me) and I pinned my gold flower fascinator to the side of my head. Then away I went!
Being an idiot, I started out kind of late and then I got on a métro going the wrong way and finally I made it to the stage door just after 11:15. There was already an okay-sized crowd there, but since it was late, freezing, and a Tuesday night it was much better than the weekend matinées had been. I found the thinnest part of the crowd and kind of buried myself in.
Estelle, I think, came out first--the opera singing lady, as I prefer to call her. She's super short and has her... lower lip/chin?... pierced and is very beautiful when she isn't in costume. I mean, she's good in costume and all, but out of costume she's surprising with her prettiness. Yeah. I let her go by because I didn't really have anything for anyone to sign. I was on a mission.
Yamin came out next. He played the whole "That wasn't a loud enough cheer, I'm going back inside" game, so when he came back out everyone shouted for him. He said that wasn't good enough either and pretended to leave, but at the last minute stayed just outside the barricade and signed autographs. This drew a lot of people away from the barricade and gave me the chance to edge forward. I got Yamin already. It's whatevs.
At that point I started answering some stupid questions for the woman next to me: "He played Rosenberg. He's right there, wearing blue. Yes, the steward. Rosenberg." just because I was lonely and bored. Merwan came out next, and she and her daughter were like "IS THAT SALIERI?" and I was like "NO HOW DARE YOU IT'S THE CLOWN." And they were like "But people are acting like he's super famous." and I was like "Yeah, that's because he was in Le Roi soleil" and they were like "OHHHH WHO WAS HE?" and I was like "Uh... the guy? Who sang Contre ceux d'en haut and got that iron mask?" and they were like "COOOOL and who was he in this?" and I was like "THE. CLOWN."
Anyway. And then Solal came out. He actually literally LEAPT through the doors, so I just saw a man flying through the air and then land at the top of the stairs in a crouch. It was endearing. I tried to get a photo of him, but he moves too much. I explained that he was Mozart's dad to my stage door buddy.
Diane and Maeva came out too, and I had to explain both of them to my stage door buddy. At this point I had the attention of a lot of the people around me. They asked if I wanted to get a picture with anyone, and I was like, No, this is my third time being here. And they were like ???? And I was like Yeah, I have presents for Florent and Mikelangelo. I knitted them these gloves. And then everyone was super impressed with me AS THEY SHOULD BE. They asked where I was from so I told them I was American and I'd loved Mozart for like two years and they were like Well that's interesting.
AND THEN IT WAS FLO FLO'CLOCK. He came out and his hair, instead of being all pushed back (I'd've said "slicked back" but that implies greasiness or dampness and it is neither of these) was all loose around his shoulders AND HE WAS SO BEAUTIFLO. Everyone clamoured toward him, but I hung back, as is my way, because I didn't want to force him to stand super still and listen to me try to speak French when there was a long line and I didn't want to push anyone out of my way when I'd already met him. He had a giant bouquet of flowers which he left off to the side, the same place he'd left his bag the other day, so I knew he'd have to come back to me.
My stage door friends (all of them were, like, middle-aged women and their husbands, by the by, except one teenager and a group of small children) were like "Did you give him the gloves? He just went by!" and I was like "Those are his flowers. He'll be back." and they were like "When he comes back make sure the American can get through to give him her gloves!" which was super nice.
Oh, and Flo put his hair up in a ponytail after a few minutes. It was also super cute. Everything he does, basically. He posed for one picture with a really sweet smile, and then as soon as the flash went off he grinned stuck his tongue out a little. Not in the sassy way Mikele did last time, but in a silly "lol I am not so serious" way, if that makes sense. Between his teeth. You know what I'm saying.
My stage door buddy asked me if Mozart was going to come out, and I was like "Eh, sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't. When I was here Tuesday he never came out and I waited in the rain until I missed the métro. And then Thursday he was complaining a lot and didn't seem very happy. Florent is much nicer." and she looked a little disappointed. Another stage door buddy asked if she could wear the gloves if Mikele didn't show up. It was FREEZING out there. I made the mistake of wearing flats without socks, and my feet are still cold RIGHT NOW, no lie. I noticed that Flo kept bunching his hands inside his sleeves and I was like MAN HE SURE NEEDS SOME GLOVES MUAHAHAHA.
Finally the time came, and my stage door buddies moved aside while Flo went to fetch his giant bouquet. I leaned up over the barricade and held out the gloves, calling his name a few times. I remember things in English, so here's our conversation. I'mma italicise the parts that were in French.
Me: Florent! Florent! I knitted you gloves. It's cold and you have to sign autographs...
Flo: Thank you. *takes the gloves, looks at me with his pretty brown eyes* You're the one from North Carolina?
Me: Yes, that's me!
Flo: Well, thank you! Thank you very much. *smiles gorgeously, goes away*
And then I kind of fell back into the crowd. Of course I was shaking. That's what I do. And HE HAD RECOGNISED ME. All my stage door buddies were laughing delightedly, going, "Look, she's shaking all over!" and "Did that make you happy?" and I just couldn't stop smiling and shaking. I went "Il m'a rappellé!" and they were like WTF YOU HAVE HIS PHONE NUMBER and I was like no wait... he knows me...? And they were like "Il t'a reconnu!" and I was like YESSSSSS and then I got out my phone with my trembly hands to try to text Lauren and they were like "Are you about to call him right now?" and it was fun and FLO KNOWS WHO I AM YOU GUYS.
FLORENT MOTHE KNOWS WHO I AM.
So I stood there shaking and grinning crazily to myself until my breathing went back to normal.
We waited for quite some time after that. People kept asking me if Mikele was going to come out, and I was like "Maybe? I don't expect much from him after last time. I'd be happy if he was really nice when he came out, but who knows?" and they were like Yeahhh.
And then Mikele appeared! It was immediately obvious that he was in better spirits than Thursday, as he was grinning hugely and stopping to take pictures with everyone and being really sweet. He also had one rhinestone stuck under the centre of each eye, which is super fierce.
He started the line about three feet away from me, so I didn't really have time to take a picture of him. A kid called him "monsieur" and he said "Je ne suis pas 'monsieur.' Je suis ROCKSTAR." and it was the most Mikeletastic thing I've ever imagined. He took someone's pen and started in with the signing.
When he came near me I faltered a little, but my stage door buddies pushed me forward and I found myself staring straight into the glittery (expressionless) eyes of Mikelangelo Loconte. I was amazingly collected considering he was standing like right in front of me. I noticed that we're about the same height, actually.
I thrust out the gloves. Our conversation went like this:
Me: I knitted you gloves. It's cold and you have to sign autographs, so--
Mikele: Where are you from?
Me: Uhhh American.
Mikele: Ah, where?
Me: North Carolina.
Mikele: Oh, Carolina!
Me: Yeah, North Carolina.
THE NEXT PART MUST TAKE PLACE IN PARAGRAPH FORM.
Mikele then kind of realised I was holding out some gloves, so he took them and understood what was going on. He looked at them and then looked at me and went, just like this, with a super serious voice: "Thank you. Chérie, thank you." and then he leaned forward and pressed these super serious kisses to both my cheeks (his face was scratchy which was weird because he does not appear to be a stubbly man) and said, "Thank you." AND THEN he put his arms around me and gave me this giant tender hug and I hugged him back over the barricade and he said "Thank you" again and I could hear other fans being like WAAAAAT WHY IS THAT GIRL GETTING SUCH A LONG HUG FROM MOZART and then he let go and thanked me again and waved. I can't tell you what I was doing. I wasn't really shaking. I think I just... like, I think I stopped functioning for a second. And all my stage door buddies were joking "Catch her! She's going to fall over!" and Mikele laughed at them and moved on down the line. I stood there for another second and then was like I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS and started to back away. I told my stage door buddies I was off to catch the métro and bid them farewell and then like speed-walked away.
I had to wait a few minutes, and I couldn't stop pacing. I kept emitting funny noises that I hope no one around me could hear. Once I was on the métro I stared straight ahead and tried to convince my heartbeat to be normal. It didn't comply. As I switched from the métro to the train I actually ran across the station for no reason (I think I alarmed some people into running along because they thought they were missing the train) and then I just stared with my giant eyes and gaping mouth until we rolled up to my suburb. I realised halfway home that I was breathing really loudly, like almost panting, and once I got up to my room I dropped into my desk chair, stared straight ahead for about a minute, and then just burst into tears. Happy, sobbing tears.
I can't think of another time I've ever been so happy.
You win this round, Mikelangelo Loconte. Now I just need an excuse to go back again. Either Friday or Tuesday. I haven't decided yet.
OH MY GOD SO GLOVES.
OKAY OKAY LET ME TRY TO CALM DOWN. I CAN'T BREATHE.
Alright alright alright alright so.
So last time I was at the stage door I observed that I was freezing to death, especially in the hand region, and none of the actors who were signing autographs had gloves. I wanted to knit Mikele and Flo something to show them how much I adore them, and I'd been toying with the idea of dolls but some people thought that would come off as creepy and so I wasn't sure. I've knitted a Flo doll before, for Katherine, but I definitely didn't want the cast to remember me as the creepy girl who makes voodoo dolls of them or whatever, so yeah.
BUT ANYWAY YOU PROBABLY HAVE FIGURED OUT BY NOW that I decided to knit them gloves. I've been on a glove-knitting kick lately anyway because they're small and easy and practical and fashionable, so I did a brown pair of fingerless gloves that took me one weekend to make, and I was like I'LL GIVE THESE TO FLO.
So I sewed his name on there in white yarn. That way he would know I specifically made them FOR HIM. .
And then I spent the next day churning out a pair in black for Mikele. He only wears black, you see. I did the initials in silver because I thought it was appropriate.
And then I saw the show Saturday but the stage door was super crowded, so I left with the gloves still in my bag. I decided to go back Sunday, but instead I just sat on my bed and translated the show into English. And there was no show Monday, so there wasn't going to be a stage door opportunity. Basically, without Laurel there to back me up I was kind of pansying out of the whole stagedooring thing. Not that I didn't want to! Just... I am actually THAT lazy, it turns out.
SO ANYWAY today I woke up with my nervous stomach all aflutter (as it has been every morning since Mozart reopened, to be honest) and with my mind made up. I would go tonight after host family dinner. So I told all my friends in my classes that I was giving Mikelangeflo the gloves tonight. That way in the morning they'd ask me about it and I would have to tell them something. That's what we procrastinators need: accountability!
So after dinner I put on my fake eyelashes and glitter eyeliner (I want to have a consistent look so they can recognise me) and I pinned my gold flower fascinator to the side of my head. Then away I went!
Being an idiot, I started out kind of late and then I got on a métro going the wrong way and finally I made it to the stage door just after 11:15. There was already an okay-sized crowd there, but since it was late, freezing, and a Tuesday night it was much better than the weekend matinées had been. I found the thinnest part of the crowd and kind of buried myself in.
Estelle, I think, came out first--the opera singing lady, as I prefer to call her. She's super short and has her... lower lip/chin?... pierced and is very beautiful when she isn't in costume. I mean, she's good in costume and all, but out of costume she's surprising with her prettiness. Yeah. I let her go by because I didn't really have anything for anyone to sign. I was on a mission.
Yamin came out next. He played the whole "That wasn't a loud enough cheer, I'm going back inside" game, so when he came back out everyone shouted for him. He said that wasn't good enough either and pretended to leave, but at the last minute stayed just outside the barricade and signed autographs. This drew a lot of people away from the barricade and gave me the chance to edge forward. I got Yamin already. It's whatevs.
At that point I started answering some stupid questions for the woman next to me: "He played Rosenberg. He's right there, wearing blue. Yes, the steward. Rosenberg." just because I was lonely and bored. Merwan came out next, and she and her daughter were like "IS THAT SALIERI?" and I was like "NO HOW DARE YOU IT'S THE CLOWN." And they were like "But people are acting like he's super famous." and I was like "Yeah, that's because he was in Le Roi soleil" and they were like "OHHHH WHO WAS HE?" and I was like "Uh... the guy? Who sang Contre ceux d'en haut and got that iron mask?" and they were like "COOOOL and who was he in this?" and I was like "THE. CLOWN."
Anyway. And then Solal came out. He actually literally LEAPT through the doors, so I just saw a man flying through the air and then land at the top of the stairs in a crouch. It was endearing. I tried to get a photo of him, but he moves too much. I explained that he was Mozart's dad to my stage door buddy.
Diane and Maeva came out too, and I had to explain both of them to my stage door buddy. At this point I had the attention of a lot of the people around me. They asked if I wanted to get a picture with anyone, and I was like, No, this is my third time being here. And they were like ???? And I was like Yeah, I have presents for Florent and Mikelangelo. I knitted them these gloves. And then everyone was super impressed with me AS THEY SHOULD BE. They asked where I was from so I told them I was American and I'd loved Mozart for like two years and they were like Well that's interesting.
AND THEN IT WAS FLO FLO'CLOCK. He came out and his hair, instead of being all pushed back (I'd've said "slicked back" but that implies greasiness or dampness and it is neither of these) was all loose around his shoulders AND HE WAS SO BEAUTIFLO. Everyone clamoured toward him, but I hung back, as is my way, because I didn't want to force him to stand super still and listen to me try to speak French when there was a long line and I didn't want to push anyone out of my way when I'd already met him. He had a giant bouquet of flowers which he left off to the side, the same place he'd left his bag the other day, so I knew he'd have to come back to me.
My stage door friends (all of them were, like, middle-aged women and their husbands, by the by, except one teenager and a group of small children) were like "Did you give him the gloves? He just went by!" and I was like "Those are his flowers. He'll be back." and they were like "When he comes back make sure the American can get through to give him her gloves!" which was super nice.
Oh, and Flo put his hair up in a ponytail after a few minutes. It was also super cute. Everything he does, basically. He posed for one picture with a really sweet smile, and then as soon as the flash went off he grinned stuck his tongue out a little. Not in the sassy way Mikele did last time, but in a silly "lol I am not so serious" way, if that makes sense. Between his teeth. You know what I'm saying.
My stage door buddy asked me if Mozart was going to come out, and I was like "Eh, sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't. When I was here Tuesday he never came out and I waited in the rain until I missed the métro. And then Thursday he was complaining a lot and didn't seem very happy. Florent is much nicer." and she looked a little disappointed. Another stage door buddy asked if she could wear the gloves if Mikele didn't show up. It was FREEZING out there. I made the mistake of wearing flats without socks, and my feet are still cold RIGHT NOW, no lie. I noticed that Flo kept bunching his hands inside his sleeves and I was like MAN HE SURE NEEDS SOME GLOVES MUAHAHAHA.
Finally the time came, and my stage door buddies moved aside while Flo went to fetch his giant bouquet. I leaned up over the barricade and held out the gloves, calling his name a few times. I remember things in English, so here's our conversation. I'mma italicise the parts that were in French.
Me: Florent! Florent! I knitted you gloves. It's cold and you have to sign autographs...
Flo: Thank you. *takes the gloves, looks at me with his pretty brown eyes* You're the one from North Carolina?
Me: Yes, that's me!
Flo: Well, thank you! Thank you very much. *smiles gorgeously, goes away*
And then I kind of fell back into the crowd. Of course I was shaking. That's what I do. And HE HAD RECOGNISED ME. All my stage door buddies were laughing delightedly, going, "Look, she's shaking all over!" and "Did that make you happy?" and I just couldn't stop smiling and shaking. I went "Il m'a rappellé!" and they were like WTF YOU HAVE HIS PHONE NUMBER and I was like no wait... he knows me...? And they were like "Il t'a reconnu!" and I was like YESSSSSS and then I got out my phone with my trembly hands to try to text Lauren and they were like "Are you about to call him right now?" and it was fun and FLO KNOWS WHO I AM YOU GUYS.
FLORENT MOTHE KNOWS WHO I AM.
So I stood there shaking and grinning crazily to myself until my breathing went back to normal.
We waited for quite some time after that. People kept asking me if Mikele was going to come out, and I was like "Maybe? I don't expect much from him after last time. I'd be happy if he was really nice when he came out, but who knows?" and they were like Yeahhh.
And then Mikele appeared! It was immediately obvious that he was in better spirits than Thursday, as he was grinning hugely and stopping to take pictures with everyone and being really sweet. He also had one rhinestone stuck under the centre of each eye, which is super fierce.
He started the line about three feet away from me, so I didn't really have time to take a picture of him. A kid called him "monsieur" and he said "Je ne suis pas 'monsieur.' Je suis ROCKSTAR." and it was the most Mikeletastic thing I've ever imagined. He took someone's pen and started in with the signing.
When he came near me I faltered a little, but my stage door buddies pushed me forward and I found myself staring straight into the glittery (expressionless) eyes of Mikelangelo Loconte. I was amazingly collected considering he was standing like right in front of me. I noticed that we're about the same height, actually.
I thrust out the gloves. Our conversation went like this:
Me: I knitted you gloves. It's cold and you have to sign autographs, so--
Mikele: Where are you from?
Me: Uhhh American.
Mikele: Ah, where?
Me: North Carolina.
Mikele: Oh, Carolina!
Me: Yeah, North Carolina.
THE NEXT PART MUST TAKE PLACE IN PARAGRAPH FORM.
Mikele then kind of realised I was holding out some gloves, so he took them and understood what was going on. He looked at them and then looked at me and went, just like this, with a super serious voice: "Thank you. Chérie, thank you." and then he leaned forward and pressed these super serious kisses to both my cheeks (his face was scratchy which was weird because he does not appear to be a stubbly man) and said, "Thank you." AND THEN he put his arms around me and gave me this giant tender hug and I hugged him back over the barricade and he said "Thank you" again and I could hear other fans being like WAAAAAT WHY IS THAT GIRL GETTING SUCH A LONG HUG FROM MOZART and then he let go and thanked me again and waved. I can't tell you what I was doing. I wasn't really shaking. I think I just... like, I think I stopped functioning for a second. And all my stage door buddies were joking "Catch her! She's going to fall over!" and Mikele laughed at them and moved on down the line. I stood there for another second and then was like I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS and started to back away. I told my stage door buddies I was off to catch the métro and bid them farewell and then like speed-walked away.
I had to wait a few minutes, and I couldn't stop pacing. I kept emitting funny noises that I hope no one around me could hear. Once I was on the métro I stared straight ahead and tried to convince my heartbeat to be normal. It didn't comply. As I switched from the métro to the train I actually ran across the station for no reason (I think I alarmed some people into running along because they thought they were missing the train) and then I just stared with my giant eyes and gaping mouth until we rolled up to my suburb. I realised halfway home that I was breathing really loudly, like almost panting, and once I got up to my room I dropped into my desk chair, stared straight ahead for about a minute, and then just burst into tears. Happy, sobbing tears.
I can't think of another time I've ever been so happy.
You win this round, Mikelangelo Loconte. Now I just need an excuse to go back again. Either Friday or Tuesday. I haven't decided yet.