?Hi Amy! That?s a beautiful name. It was an excellent show tonight. I thought of you, and wished you were here, especially during Sweetest Thing. Listen, I promise you, I?m not teasing. I know some people (I don?t want to say who, in case I get into trouble) and U2 are putting together a book of photographs taken by fans on this tour. I think that yours are good enough that you could be a major contributor! This could really get your career started. I will make some calls, and arrange for you to come over as an official photographer. What do you think? I really, really want you to come to Vegas. I?m still a child, no one tells me no! LOL! Do you have instant messenger? Maybe we could chat about this??
Amy couldn?t type her answer fast enough.
?Are you kidding me? Are you still online? I do have messenger! I?d love to talk! I can?t sleep anyway!? Peering into the glare of her screen through the darkness, Amy drummed her fingers nervously. She didn?t know whether to trust this guy. He could be a total scam artist! Why wouldn?t he tell her his name? Maybe he just forgot. Oh, how she wanted to trust him?
Suddenly, up popped ?You have an instant message from blueyedboy. Do you accept, or do you want to block this person?? Amy accepted the message.
?Hi again Amy! Glad I caught you.
?
?Hi again?you. What is your name??
?Not telling?Not until I get to meet you in person.?
?But why??
?Because it?s much more mysterious and romantic this way, isn?t it??
?But I told you MY name!?
?I never asked you to! But I?m glad you did. I promise you, I?ll tell you who I am if you take me up on my offer and come to Vegas.?
?I am sorely tempted, but I don?t know anything about you! What do you look like? What do you do??
?What do I look like? Well, I have blue eyes?.
Hmmm. I?ve only ever had one job. I dream out loud. At high volume! I?ll tell you about it when I meet you in person.? Amy rolled her eyes. Who did this guy think he was, Bono?
?You?re impossible.? She typed, laughing as she did.
?Did I disappoint you? Leave a bad taste in your mouth? Maybe you wanted to meet someone with a real job.?
?No, it?s not that. I want to meet a man who loves what he does, whatever it is, just as I want to find fulfillment in what I do. I just wish you would tell me more about yourself. I?m dying of curiosity.?
?Curiosity killed the CatDubh!
Tell ya what. Let?s talk about anything except my name, what I look like and what I do. That would be enough to give you a pre-conceived notion of what I am. I want to talk to you about things we have in common, our loves and interests and things that really matter. Even things that don?t. What do you think??
?Well,? thought Amy, ?it?s easy for him to talk, he already knows my name and what I look like!? While Amy was mildly annoyed by his reticence, she was nonetheless intrigued. Now she began to wonder if the man on the other end, rather than being gorgeous might be ashamed of how he looked. Looks were important, but Amy wanted to know more about this man. The goal was soul!
They messaged each other for the rest of the night, discussing every topic under the sun, flirting outrageously. He had such a poetic and charming way of putting things, and such insight into U2?s songs and the meaning of the lyrics! He was so sweet and so kind, yet so confident and sexy. With every word, Amy found herself falling more and more in love. By the end of the evening, she had agreed to go to Vegas.
?I?m so glad, Amy. I will send you an airline ticket. I will make arrangements that you can stay between the ramp and the heart for the whole show. I?ll come over and find you. OK??
?Thank you so, so much!!! But couldn?t we just meet before the show??
?Amy, I think you and I were destined to meet IN the show, when we will both be at our best and happiest.?
?OK?but how will I recognize you??
?Don?t worry, I?ll recognize you, and I?ll let you know who I am. See you then!?
Amy signed off and switched off her computer. It was 5:30am. She had never felt so exhausted, yet so fulfilled. The next day at work, she felt like the walking dead. With dark circles under her eyes, she was unable to think about anything else but her impending meeting, and whether she would speak to blueyedboy again before the meeting.
She didn?t have long to wait. Every day she heard from him, for the most part late in the afternoon, and following U2 shows in the wee hours. To her dismay, she soon learned that he was also a huge flirt, especially with the other Pleba girls, who had no idea what was going on between the two of them. Just as he was at the point of driving her insane with jealousy, he would send her long poems professing his undying love, with flowers and gifts arriving mysteriously at her desk with no return address. The night before her departure to Vegas, they had one last conversation.
?Amy my love, Sunday night I will finally feast my eyes upon your heavenly face.?
?I know! I am so excited. I am beyond caring what you look like, I just want to throw my arms around you.?
?Really??
?All I know is that I love you. I have never felt this way about anyone in my life. When this tour is over, I want to spend every second I can with you.?
?Me too, Amy.?
?I never thought I?d see the day that I?d wish for a U2 tour to hurry up and end!?
?Me too.?
?I love you?.?
?I love you too. See you on Sunday! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I?ll say goodnight ?till it be morrow.?
***
Finally, it was Sunday, November 18th, at 8:45pm. Amy had spent a wonderful day exploring Las Vegas, and visiting her poor Interference friends who were stuck in the GA line. After changing outfits several times, she had finally taken her place on Edge?s side of the ramp, close to the front, as per blueyedboy?s instructions. This was to be her perch for the remainder of the evening. He had not left her any messages since they had said goodbye on Friday night. Her eyes had anxiously scanned the arena many times over since 7:00, but there was no sign of anyone looking for her. Where WAS he??? Suddenly?..
?Dum da dum dum dum dum DUM da dum da dum da dum DAH dum da dum! Loooove looove love?..? It was the Beatles. The show was starting. An involuntary squawk escaped Amy?s throat. The pressure of having to take photos for a U2 book, and meeting her mystery man AND seeing U2 from this vantage point were beginning to take their toll as she tried to hold onto her camera with her clammy, shaking fingers. She wanted to be as joyful as the people around her, but her overwhelming emotion was fear.
FINALLY, Elevation began, and Bono leapt onto the stage with the graceful abandon of a panther. Amy furiously shot photos throughout Elevation and Beautiful Day, barely paying any attention to what was going on around her, so involved was she with her task.
?JESUUUUS! This is JUUUUDAS!? Bono roared as Until The End of the World began. Immediately he strode in her direction. ?Uh, oh!? Thought Amy. Here comes Bono! The love of my life, except maybe for blueyedboy! I wonder if he knows that I?m taking pictures for this book.? Bono posed and preened, at one point grabbing her camera and taking pictures of himself, and her! Amy was so flustered she blushed and giggled helplessly in the face of Bono?s dimpled delight.
Finally, after Edge had finished attacking Bono with his guitar at the climax of the matador scene, he strode back along the ramp, stopping a few feet from Amy, grinning mischievously at her. This was odd, but very nice! Did they want her to shoot something for the book? Amy stood, camera at the ready, as Bono lay on the stage in the total silence. Slowly he stood, as Edge began to pluck out some unusual but familiar notes. ?Da da dum da da-da da dum da da-da da dum da da dum da da da?? Bono strode over to Amy, addressing the audience as he removed his shades and threw them to a nearby security guard. ?This is a Van Morrison song??, Crouching in front of Amy, he held her hand as he sang. Slowly, as the song unfolded, Amy?s jaw hit the floor. No. It couldn?t be. Could this mean???
Hey where did we go, days when the rains came.
Down in the hollow, playin' a new game.
Laughin' and a runnin' , hey hey, skippin' and a jumpin'
in the misty mornin' fog with our hearts a thumpin' and you,
My Brown-Eyed Girl
You my Brown-Eyed Girl
Now what ever happened, Tuesdays and so slow,
Goin' down the old mine, with a transistor radio
standin' in the sunlight laughin'
hidin' behind a rainbow wall
Slippin' and a slidin', all along the waterfall with you,
My Brown-Eyed Girl
You my Brown-Eyed Girl.
Do you remember when, ah we used to sing
Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah
Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah
la dee dah
So hard to find my way, now that I'm all on my own
I saw you just the other day, oh my how you have grown,
Cast my memory back there Lord
Sometimes I'm overcome thinkin' bout,
makin love in the green grass, behind the Thomas and Mack Arena with you!
My Brown-Eyed Girl
AMY, my Brown-Eyed Girl.
Do you remember when, ah we used to sing
Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah
Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah
la dee dah
Had Amy?s camera not been strapped to her neck, she surely would have dropped it on the floor. Grinning deliriously, she was at a complete loss for words. Bono knelt down and threw his arms around her. ?Blueyedboy doesn?t have to miss browneyedgirl any more!? he purred in her ear.
?uuuuugh!? Amy replied, her eyes shining with adoration. Bono winked seductively. ?See you backstage after the show!? And he was off as Adam began New Years Day.
After the show, Amy proceeded backstage. The first person she ran into was The Edge, who beamed sweetly at her, his green eyes glowing with delight.
?Hi Amy! Bono?s just showering, he?ll be out in a minute. Please give the Orgasmatron girls my regards!?
?I think they?d like it better if YOU gave them your regards, Edge!? Edge blushed and disappeared around the corner. Finally, Bono?s dressing room door opened, and he motioned for Amy to join him inside.
?I can?t believe it!? she whispered, tears rimming her eyes. Bono hugged her gently, resting his chin on her head.
?You see why I couldn?t tell you? There was no way we could have developed a normal relationship with you knowing. Thank God for the internet. I owe Edge big time.?
Bono let go of Amy and held her in front of him, by the shoulders so he could look into her eyes. When he saw the expression on her face, his own eyes began to mist over. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a kiss is worth a million. Wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumbs, Bono leaned in and softly, slowly, his lips met hers. The only sound in the room was their breathing, their heartbeats, and the creaking of leather as Bono and Amy wrapped their arms tightly around each other. Soon the kisses became more passionate, probing, aggressive. Gasping for air, Bono buried his face in her neck, gently nibbling her skin and inhaling her scent. As he licked her earlobe, he whispered, ?Come with me to LA tomorrow, and when this tour is over, run away with me. We have a lot of catching up to do.? Amy didn?t have to be asked twice.
The End.
[This message has been edited by Mrs. Edge (edited 10-22-2001).]
