How I almost got thrown out of the MCI Center
On the 14th, my son and I got there at 11 AM- I was sure we'd be too late for the heart! The closest parking lot I found then was almost half mile away. We got our stuff and started running and panting to the MCI Center. It looked so far away, and my heart pounded imagining people were getting the last good numbers just ahead of me. A cab drove by and I stopped him. He said he'd take us right to the door for six bucks. It was worth it! When we got there and went to the end of the line, I asked the girl ahead of me what number we were. She said we had to go to the front of the line to get one! So I was like running again with my heart pounding imagining people getting the last good numbers again. When we got there, we got 230s which was on the bubble since word on the street was there would be 50-100 VIP's in the heart!
We went back and sat on the dirty sidewalk. The nearest food place was a Burger King a block and a half away through kind of mean looking streets. It was a relief to get a break there. Of course we all held places for each other. The Discovery Store let us use their bathroom. They were very kind considering the numbers of us! We were very near the subway too. Two ladies got off the subway and got behind us. Good, I thought when I saw them, I am no longer the oldest person in this line! One was named Karen, she was 42 and we hit it right off. She was fun. A guy came up who could play songs on his hands, and he put guys against the girls in a guessing contest. Well, one of his categories was the 70's and me and Karen were getting them all! My 15 year old son knows lots of old stuff so he was literally picking up the slack for the guys team. Then the hand music guy pitted us against each other, and I told him that was my son! He looked perplexed at me, then him, then me. He said he couldn't believe I was that old! That made me feel good. He didn't patronize the other ladies so he must've meant it. I had on a white t-shirt with a peekaboo hole and white tennis shoes and purple bell bottoms. Later that day, I would kind of regret wearing them!
Around about 4, Karen came and told me she swore she heard Running to Stand Still being played inside. I followed her, and we went up the escalator (which was not running) and the area was deserted. We came to a closed door, and a young guy who worked there who could hardly speak English was on the other side. He saw us coming and let us in! We kept following the sound, and we went through one passage to see seats, and below it, the arena! We saw Dallas Schoo on stage playing, but it wasn't RTTS. We saw roadies setting up, and people walking around. We strained to see famous people but didn't, I mean other than Dallas. We were like in the Golden Cirlce area. She told me we should just slink down in the seats and wait until U2 showed up for soundcheck! Dumb fool kids that we were at our age (she was 42 and I was 391/2!) we just didn't know any better! We giggled under our breath, grinning at each other and acting like teeny boppers! We wanted our U2! She was crazy over Edge and had named her son David Evan in his honor! I asked her what about my son and her friend, they'd be looking for us. So she said she'd stay and open the door for us, and I could go get them. When I came back, she let us in. Her friend got scared and left. My son was followed by a dark haired teenage girl with a ponytail and glasses I had never seen before. She never said a word, she had just joined our gang! The next time we went in, we saw the soundcheck but Karen was gone! We turned to run and came face to face with a security guard! My son and the girl froze. But me being older I had been around the block a few more times. Dressed the way I was and running around the way I was, my head bent down with my hair falling in my face, he probably took me for someone younger. He asked for our tickets. My son mumbled 'they're in my mom's purse' and I talked over him, saying we didn't have any yet, we were waiting for someone to bring them. The girl, who had hung her head, stared up at me with eyes as huge as peaches. She was terrified but never moved or talked. He kept demanding our tickets so they could be torn up. I begged him no, we didn't know there was anything wrong with being there, there was no one around. He asked how we had gotten in and I told him the door was left open- a half truth, it was left open by an employee, but I don't believe in ratting out other people even to save my own hide. He called for backup, a large and intimidating member of the MCI Center staff. he believed we were just lame and had no evil intentions and let us go. We thanked him and ran. I think the guy who found us was mad. I would meet him again.
). I was up in the rafters, but it was AMAZING.
