I would like to apologize to the guy at the Prince concert who wanted a picture with the drumstick I "caught". It is a very long story as to why I would not take it out of my hand, but if you are out there and read this, then hopefully you will understand me a little better.
During the small rush of people to the stage, I understood how people could potentially get crushed in a concert or crowd. It is as though you are in an earthquake and the earth is moving and you have no control over where you are going. It wasn’t a massive surge, but it still shocked me.
Much to my surprise I ended up in the front row. (We were previously about 3 or 4 people behind). At about that time the band starting playing The Bird from the Time. I love that song, so thought what the heck. I would hang out and watch from my unplanned position even though I did not find front row of a standing room only pit that comfortable to enjoy a concert.
However, when I was pushed forward I ended up right next to a very large woman. And it seemed that she thought I was the one pushing forward, or she was going to take the aftermath of the stage rush out on me. She kept yelling at me “Oh no you don’t” over and over and then started to throw her arms around very aggressively as she “danced”.
Me being me, I tried to reason with her and explain what happened. I quickly understood that was not working and since I did not want to get injured or in a fight so I just kind of stepped aside. A guy then tried to move closer to his friends who were near her asked me if I minded if he cut in. Not at all.
He encountered the same thing, but maybe worse. He proceeded to turn to me and use a few choice words to describe her behavior. All true I’m afraid. At that point, I was getting annoyed because I was missing The Bird. I moved back two people deep back to the security of being next to my husband.
With everyone on stage, Love Bazaar began. This song took me way back. I love it. I did have a little laugh because I thought people who paid good money for tickets to see a bunch of 40 year olds on stage being goofy might not have been too happy.
Everyone reconvened and we waited and insisted and Prince came back yet again for another encore. I don’t think I’ve seen a show with that many encores before. Everyone would have easily stayed until sunrise if he kept going.
Somewhere in between Love Bazaar and the next song the drummer threw his drumsticks into the audience for the second time. Much to our surprise, one hit my husband in the stomach. We looked down and there it was at our feet. We were completely shocked.
As I reached down to pick it up, as if it had a life of its own, it moved, as several other people quickly kicked it. I followed it across the ground as it went behind me. There, I met a man at his chest. I do not know what got into me, but I was very determined. Maybe it is because my husband is big on percussion. If there is ever a party in our house, it often ends with a lot of various drums and percussion instruments coming out. Wherever we travel, he picks up a local percussion instrument to bring home. Perhaps I felt this truly destined to be his in some way.
So I then stood on the drumstick and looked up at the guy towering over me. He seemed to back off, but then stood on it also. Things were kind of in slow motion up to this point as I bent down to pick up the drumstick. I had it in my hand and just as I was about to stand upright again, out of nowhere another hand was suddenly on the drumstick and pulling me upfield with it! Insert horror movie scene here where your favorite “star” stalks the girl and then drags her out from her hiding space. For a few seconds, I was that girl in different circumstances.
I had some kind of death grip on the stick that I didn’t know I had in me. However, I think I also still had a lot of adrenaline in me from my encounter with the biggest Prince fan in the front row during the stage rush (no pun intended). Fortunately, two girls stepped in and called the drumstick swiper / girl dragger off. Thank you ladies.
It all happened so fast and came from out of nowhere. I was there one second, and the next my husband was wondering where in the heck I went. I was fortunately fine and escaped the incident with only a broken strap on my party purse.
I will say the drumstick is impressive. I am sure it was new when the show started. By the time we got it, it had been beaten like crazy. All the dents in it are a very cool reminder.
I enjoyed the rest of the concert with my stick. When Prince threw his microphone into the crowd after the concert, I must admit I was somewhat relieved to not be anywhere near it after my experience. I would have been drug back to Dubai for sure!
As the lights were up and people were leaving, many people started to notice the drumstick. We discussed the whole incident with a very nice Indian family for a few minutes.
Shortly after, you guys came up to me. (Two British guys - one wanting his friend to take a picture of him with the stick). Again, it could have been the events of the evening, but something in me said, “Don’t do it”. I had visions of you running off and heading home to Ebay to post a drumstick from a Prince concert for sale.
Even though you proceeded to give me one of your rings, it just didn’t seem to be equivalent collateral. In the end, I apologized, and I really am sorry. As I mentioned that night and explained above in any voice I had left, I was drug around already by someone and where I come from, I just don’t easily trust strangers. The best compromise I could think of was to hold the stick for your photo.
I am sure I could have been part of some nasty Facebook status that evening. If the intention was genuine, then I am very sorry. In the grand scheme of things, it is just a drumstick, but after being drug around and pushed a bit, it was difficult to trust other concertgoers that night.
Thank you for your understanding.
No comments:
Post a Comment