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Rainbow Rowell: Fan finds what she's looking for: Bono
BY RAINBOW ROWELL
WORLD-HERALD COLUMNIST
There are U2 fans like me, and maybe like you, too, and like the guy in the apartment above you who won't stop playing "Stuck in a Moment . . ."
And then there's Aldona Doyle.
Aldona doesn't just buy the records and turn up the radio. She buys every U2 album and can tell you when each song was released. She's seen U2 in concert 13 times. She's on lists. She has contacts.
So when I heard that U2 lead singer Bono was coming to Nebraska this weekend, I knew where I wanted to be. With Aldona. If anyone was making the most of this visit, it was her.
Bono's appearance - part of a World AIDS Day program at the Lied Center - wasn't set to start until 7 p.m. Sunday, but Aldona and I planned to kick off our day of Bono 12 hours before then.
7:15 a.m. This is when Aldona and I agreed to meet - but she's already in Lincoln. I suspect she's Bono hunting, but she denies it.
This whole fan thing is kind of hard on her. On the one hand, she's a very respectable 39-year- old mother of three and a member of the Sarpy County Board of Commissioners. She doesn't want to act like an 'N Sync groupie trying to smuggle herself into the Embassy Suites on a catering cart.
On the other hand, she really wants to see Bono.
Here's the best way she can describe it to nonfans: Imagine being a Husker fan who has a chance to see Tom Osborne. You admire his work. You admire his principles. You want to hear what he has to say - and maybe get a snapshot or a kiss on the cheek. (Admit it, Husker fans, you wouldn't turn down a friendly peck from Dr. Tom.)
8:30 a.m. My husband and I pick up Aldona and her husband, Mark, at their hotel in Lincoln. No Bono sightings yet.
We've heard that he might be making an appearance at a Lincoln church - St. Paul United Methodist. We're not sure which service and don't want to ask for fear of being kicked out.
We head for the 9 o'clock, hoping we can pass for Methodists.
10 a.m. We know we're in the right place when we hear a member of the congregation chatting with a friend about this "Bone-o" guy.
As it turns out, we don't have to worry about sneaking in. The folks at St. Paul seem delighted to have us. And the service is really lovely.
Unfortunately, it's the wrong service. Bono isn't showing up until 10:30.
We all agree that a second helping of church never hurt anybody.
11 a.m. "The Boss is going to be happy with this crowd," a man tells Mark in the restroom. "There's some entertainer here."
Bono sits attentively with the rest of us through the Advent service and two baptisms. (He's the only one in the place wearing blue sunglasses.)
When it's his turn to talk, his microphone fails and he makes a run for the St. Paul pulpit, joking: "I've always wanted to get into one of these."
He introduces a Ugandan nurse who lost her husband and 6-year-old son to AIDS. She is HIV-positive and is fighting to bring AIDS education and medication to her country.
We sort of forget we came here to see Bono, listening to her story.
After the service, Bono is swarmed by people and TV cameras. We don't feel comfortable acting like rock fans in a church. We don't want to distract from his message.
"There are two sides to Bono," Aldona says. "There's the rock star, and then there's the love. We're here for the love."
Besides, there are still hours of Bono appreciation ahead. We leave the church quietly. But we hang out outside the back door for a while. Just in case.
Rainbow Rowell: Fan finds what she's looking for: Bono
BY RAINBOW ROWELL
WORLD-HERALD COLUMNIST
There are U2 fans like me, and maybe like you, too, and like the guy in the apartment above you who won't stop playing "Stuck in a Moment . . ."
And then there's Aldona Doyle.
Aldona doesn't just buy the records and turn up the radio. She buys every U2 album and can tell you when each song was released. She's seen U2 in concert 13 times. She's on lists. She has contacts.
So when I heard that U2 lead singer Bono was coming to Nebraska this weekend, I knew where I wanted to be. With Aldona. If anyone was making the most of this visit, it was her.
Bono's appearance - part of a World AIDS Day program at the Lied Center - wasn't set to start until 7 p.m. Sunday, but Aldona and I planned to kick off our day of Bono 12 hours before then.
7:15 a.m. This is when Aldona and I agreed to meet - but she's already in Lincoln. I suspect she's Bono hunting, but she denies it.
This whole fan thing is kind of hard on her. On the one hand, she's a very respectable 39-year- old mother of three and a member of the Sarpy County Board of Commissioners. She doesn't want to act like an 'N Sync groupie trying to smuggle herself into the Embassy Suites on a catering cart.
On the other hand, she really wants to see Bono.
Here's the best way she can describe it to nonfans: Imagine being a Husker fan who has a chance to see Tom Osborne. You admire his work. You admire his principles. You want to hear what he has to say - and maybe get a snapshot or a kiss on the cheek. (Admit it, Husker fans, you wouldn't turn down a friendly peck from Dr. Tom.)
8:30 a.m. My husband and I pick up Aldona and her husband, Mark, at their hotel in Lincoln. No Bono sightings yet.
We've heard that he might be making an appearance at a Lincoln church - St. Paul United Methodist. We're not sure which service and don't want to ask for fear of being kicked out.
We head for the 9 o'clock, hoping we can pass for Methodists.
10 a.m. We know we're in the right place when we hear a member of the congregation chatting with a friend about this "Bone-o" guy.
As it turns out, we don't have to worry about sneaking in. The folks at St. Paul seem delighted to have us. And the service is really lovely.
Unfortunately, it's the wrong service. Bono isn't showing up until 10:30.
We all agree that a second helping of church never hurt anybody.
11 a.m. "The Boss is going to be happy with this crowd," a man tells Mark in the restroom. "There's some entertainer here."
Bono sits attentively with the rest of us through the Advent service and two baptisms. (He's the only one in the place wearing blue sunglasses.)
When it's his turn to talk, his microphone fails and he makes a run for the St. Paul pulpit, joking: "I've always wanted to get into one of these."
He introduces a Ugandan nurse who lost her husband and 6-year-old son to AIDS. She is HIV-positive and is fighting to bring AIDS education and medication to her country.
We sort of forget we came here to see Bono, listening to her story.
After the service, Bono is swarmed by people and TV cameras. We don't feel comfortable acting like rock fans in a church. We don't want to distract from his message.
"There are two sides to Bono," Aldona says. "There's the rock star, and then there's the love. We're here for the love."
Besides, there are still hours of Bono appreciation ahead. We leave the church quietly. But we hang out outside the back door for a while. Just in case.
