06/09/16 Youkey Theatre, Lakeland FL

[Sailor-Polka-Moon]

I hope I get the chance to meet a whole lot of you! <3
I am so happy to report I've landed some pretty darn good tickets! Unfortunately, no Czar/meeting-Al opportunities in sight... ;_; But it's still going to be AMAZING to see him again and I am BEYOND excited!! <3 Who else is going?!

[KatrinatheGood]

I hope I get the chance to meet a whole lot of you! <3
I am so happy to report I've landed some pretty darn good tickets! Unfortunately, no Czar/meeting-Al opportunities in sight... ;_; But it's still going to be AMAZING to see him again and I am BEYOND excited!! <3 Who else is going?!

I haven't bought my tickets yet but I shall! Hopefully this Friday when I get paid. I'll buy two. I do t k ow if anyone is going with me but it would be great if someone does. If not then there shall be beautiful WOWAY people there.

[ectomaster]

Just found out today that my brother got me tickets to see him for my birthday! Can't wait! Last time I saw Al was during Poodle Hat tour!

[KatrinatheGood]

Just found out today that my brother got me tickets to see him for my birthday! Can't wait! Last time I saw Al was during Poodle Hat tour!

Cool this is to be a birthday present to myself. When is your birthday? Mine is the 12th of June. The big 30 for me.

[ectomaster]

Just found out today that my brother got me tickets to see him for my birthday! Can't wait! Last time I saw Al was during Poodle Hat tour!

Cool this is to be a birthday present to myself. When is your birthday? Mine is the 12th of June. The big 30 for me.

Mine was April 30th. But concert of course is a month and a half away from it so... XD

[yankochick38]

Welp, I bought a ticket to this show. Orchestra 2, Row AA, Seat 14.

You'd better be there, Janna!!!!

Unfortunately, I can no longer use this ticket. If anyone would like to own this ticket, please get in touch!

Janna, you'd still better be there!

[Sailor-Polka-Moon]

Guys, I'm here at Youkey!!

Look for the girl in the black fluffy skirt, long brown hair and a foil hat!!! ♡

[ectomaster]

Enjoyed the show! Had fantastic seats (Al walked right by us in his entrance!).

[yankochick38]

Awesome!

Looking forward to Janna's review!!!!!! From what I understand, it should be a DOOZY.

[Sailor-Polka-Moon]

So... Cinderella went to the ball...
And met her prince...

***

The day started off... well, not so much bumpy as WET! The rain started coming down at around 1, and when I wasn't staring out the window asking it to stop, I was checking the Weather Channel website for a clue as to when it'd quit. "Thunder start: 2:15" (pffff it started WAY before that), "thunder stop: 3pm"!!! Yesss, an end in sight! I passed the time by printing out one more drawing for my gift for Al, and making a mix CD for my mom...

I was planning to leave at 4, so when about... 3:44 came around, Mom and I knew it was time to get ready.

After a frantic search for my favorite black bodysuit to wear with my fluffy skirt-- yep, the same Cinderella-wear combo I had on last time I saw my Al, right down to the same turquoise ring and starry bracelet to match this oh so starry, starry night-- and ending up borrowing Mum's identical one she had in her closet, and packing up the big ol' shiny black Iman tote that would finally see the light of day, we left amidst a still drizzly sky *the rain had magically let up around this time*.
Topped off the car with gas though- Lakeland was a bit of a way away, and NOTHING, certainly no empty fuel tank, was going to keep me from my king of mock ‘n roll.
The rain stopped!! The windshield wipers were turned off as soon as we left RaceTrak and had to do a tricky u-turn to get on the highway. And Mum was still a bit turned up (and not in the good way, as one SHOULD be when going to an Al concert). She's been really nervous and apprehensive about this trip cause we've never been to Lakeland before.

Once passing that huge Rooms To Go warehouse and Trailer Stonehenge (you know, big RVs turned upside down and sticking up vertically out of the ground), Lakeland felt like some strange foreign land! But, you know, once I saw the Lakeland Center (and getting a much better look at it once we came BACK to it after missing the entrance and having to drive forward a bit then make ANOTHER tricky u-turn somewhere), I saw that this venue was a little gem. For one thing, awesome, non-confusing parking (we got to park pretty much right up front!!... super-amazing detail on this later on!!)!

We had a major derpy moment while looking for "entrance #4" that the lady at the parking booth told us about. Was it parking lot #4? Or entrance you walk through... yup, the second one. Mum spotted the not-so-inconspicuous ENTRANCE 4 sign at one of the front doors. Derrrrrp. Climbed the stairs and walked in!
Upon walking in.... this place is HUGE!! The VIP check in table was totally can't-miss, all in its red and black, military-garbed glory!! When there, I instantly spotted a Ms. Fred Olderr. She was like "HI! " and recognized me right away, too. Hugs!! A guy that was with her was nice too—to both me and my mom! ("Nice to meet you, mom!" [upon entering VIP lounge] let's go, mom!")...

The restrooms are remarkably clean!!... on the way to those, I knew immediately that Exhibit Hall East was the VIP party place. How? The loud Al music blasting from said Hall. (And Youkey Theatre was right across from that!! Beyond convenient. ;D)

Upon returning: this was it. THIS was the moment I would become one of the cool people. No waiting in line for me!! I got my hand stamped with a red emblem, and a bag of gifties: 2 copies of MAD Magazine with Guest Editor Al, 2 Mandatory Flags (which will surely become Mandatory Décor must-haves!), and a raffle ticket that decided to randomly disappear from my bag sometime during the VIP party. Hmm. It’s okay, I lost anyway.

And what a party it was!!! Omigod, Al tunes ALL the time including songs I never heard before. "Gotta Boogie" is so funky groovy. And it was soooo cute watching the couples pair up and dance (and spin each other!) to "Good Enough For Now." (‘nother song that’s new to me!)

There was a Make Your Own Foil Hat table there. I cannot believe Mum encouraged me to foil hat it up and help me make a foil hat!! Yesss, she was finally getting into the spirit!! She accidentally dropped the whole roll of foil and we scurried like mad to roll it back up like nothing happened, even though a lady was standing there watching, it was FUNNY.

We tried to mold the foil into a hat shape (me: "I want a sun hat! Like the fancy ladies wear! ♡") and we were successful in making something resembling a foil hat of awesomeness. Nothing good enough to enter the foil hat contest, mind you-- that boy who had the foil crown, cape and magnifying glass DESERVED that win. Props, too, to the dude who was getting his shorts foiled up!! XD Oh, and I actually think R2-D2 won the foil contest, considering how… silvery and aluminum foil-like he looks. Speaking of R2-D2, he made his rounds around the whole giant spacious room quite a few times—and rolled up to ME! I got a picture with the little robo-cutie! Aww.

I do not exaggerate when I tell you that lounge is HUUUUUUGE and had little stands of Al stuff, photo collections stuck up on the booths as a timeline of Al's career and life (I dragged Mum over so she could see a document showing Al making the honors list at his college-- just like I did too on some mystical occasion 'cause Lord knows I am not that bright!! Another miracle in my life that I am also in disbelief of!). Soooo much cuuute and scrumptiousness in the photos. So much Al! God this man is so CUTE!!! I snapped some piccies.
Hand written screenplay for UHF and lyrics Al jotted down for Another One Rides The Bus... typed letter to him from Dr. Demento... mannequins with curly hair, no faces but Bad jackets and Hawaiian shirts and MUSTACHES!! ...TVs playing stuff like Fatman and Harvey the Wonder Hamster... AL-TVs... so much to look at, so little time!! OK, not quite that little, we got in there at about 6ish (arrived at TLC around 5:40something) and the show wasn't to start til 8ish. I couldn't wait but…aw, YEAH I COULD because this was a fun par-taaaay!!
This is going to be a very different story than last time, ladies. At least—definitely the ending. You know why??

BACKSTAGE PASSES.
I was profoundly blessed with a MASSIVE, generous surprise that I never, ever could have expected, but have wished for, in my wildest dreams: I HAVE BACK. STAGE. PASSES THIS TIME!! TO MEET AL!!!!
Was this real?? Was I really going to be this lucky?? YES!

A little manila folder I had snuck into our bag, that was put together yesterday and the day before, was NOT going to be for naught. My heart FLEW like a 747 when it knew now that, for sure, the folder's contents would be put into Al's hands!!!
It soared higher when I remembered my conversation with a star I was looking at out my bedroom window, concerning this very night...
"Star light, star bright... give me my wish tomorrow night."
Childish? Yes. Effective? YES!!! It was coming true right before my eyes!!!
So now, after the show... the night wouldn't be over so soon!!

I sat (and sometimes wandered across the floor) VERY comfortably, and excitedly, at my first VIP party. I waved to Ms. Fred when I saw her walk by.
When Jackson Park Express came on, the MC dude went around singing it to people. When he was coming near, mum was like OMG GET UP! 8D and I just sorta stood there casually. He eventually noticed me after he was done with a couple of people, and was approaching Mum to serenade her. She smiled and waved her hands a bit like "Oh no! Not me! Her!" and pointed to me standing there behind. He put his arm around me and I got a selfie or 2 as he walked me around some, singing the "surgically grafted together" part of the song, while pulling and holding me REAAAL close to him. Funny stuff!! It was awesome. He’s got a nice voice, too!

I saw people play a round of "Wheel Of Fish!" Someone won the Box... of Absolutely Nothing!! ("CAUSE YOU'RE STUPAHD! *Kuni voice – entire crowd joins in* YOU'RE SOOO STUUUPAHD!.... naw seriously ladies and gentlemen, he's very smart and did a great job!") I don't think I ever went so long a time giggling and smiling. And something about how the crowd KNEW and laughed with joy, all at once, and quoted and just shared in Al’s huge impact via his movie work AND music work… that just warmed my heart up like wow.

There was Weird Al Jeopardy. I only knew the answer to like 2 questions. Al's real name = Alfred, and his first hit single... i said My Bologna, but I'm not sure if I was right. Besides, I was at a table (one of the very few that wasn’t occupied! A couple of nice ladies let us sit with them!) waaaay back and not really playing anyway. XD
Costume contest!! Just from how many funky dressed people were walking by, i knew it was gonna be a close call. Too many winners!! The spot-on 80s!Al dude probably took it home.. if it wasn't for the Dare To Be Stupid guy who SANG some "Dare to be Stupid" for the talent contest and won it all. It was pretty close too, the Talent bit-- there was a dude who was in full Mandatory military gear right down to a ponytailed-Al-hair wig and he did some Living With a Hernia that looked bloody funny!! (no pun intended) Runner up points for the Smells Like Nirvana-singing dude though! He hit those tough, messy lyrics well!

I loved how the crowd joined in for many parts of the Al songs. All of ‘em in unison: “I.... HATE... SAUERKRAUT!!"

After the costume contest: SHOWTIME!!! The MC announced that the party was over at 7:45, so it didn’t come to me as a surprise. We shuffled off through the crowd. Straight beeline from the party. Where to go, though? (A guy sitting there- I presume a security guard!- was like “aw, now that I just got here, you’re all leaving. D8” aww XD) Once we got into Youkey, there were like 3 different entrances. Were we in orchestra? #1? #4? Where did WE go to sit? On sound Mom advice, I asked a lady who was there standing around waiting and texting on her phone. I asked her- "Excuse me? Hi. Do you know where I should go? I'm in row C, but..."

She asked to see my tix, and then said "Aah! You're in orchestra 3, so you go right there. " Omg, where was my BRAIN? How did I forget we were in Orchestra?? I got VIP tix for JUST that reason: awesome seats!! (and I of course wanted to discover the entire VIP experience!)

Straight on into the Orchestra 1-3 entrance. Welcomed by, just like last time, hunky military Al staring off into the distance. Le siiiigh. ♡ ♡

The super nice usher-woman told us row C was 3 rows back (from front). Mum was like wtf? while I was counting the letters as we walked (ok, inched- LOTSA people around finding their seats too!) down. The letters were on the armrests!! So easy. Dude, C was SO CLOSE to the stage I had no idea. And I thought it was gonna be far off!! This evening was seriously full of surprises.

The setlist was pretty much the same as last year. But the show did NOT feel the same!

Lately- for the duration of the 3 months since I nervously bought my tickets—I wondered if there was something wrong with me for not feeling SUPER DUPER OMIGOD I’MA WET MY PANTS EXCITED for this night. Of course, school was one of the chunkiest things occupying my mind and daily life, so I have that excuse—but even the days before, I knew I felt excited, but…where were the stomach-butterflies? Where was the HOLYCRAPI’MGONNASEEHIM!! Euphoria?... it really was a very quiet excitement that I felt wasn’t quite right. I confided in Alicia over messenger (who was sooo sweet and kept in touch with me throughout the whole evening- especially to cheer me on and prepare me for THE MOMENT after the show that was coming my way!!), and she assured me she knew the feeling and it was normal. That euphoria, that stomach-butterfly-overload I wanted to be feeling, that ALWAYS hits you when you hear Fun Zone’s last few notes.

And she was RIGHT. The butterflies swarmed, and… THERE HE WAS.

I started really feeling the excitement hit a massive peak (oh but it would go HIGHER) when I saw Al come strutting down the way for Tacky, and where he walked was PRECISELY where Mom and I walked. I think I even saw our car parked right there as he walked past!! As well as miss Fred with a camera filming him from behind!

I was in an aisle seat- EXACTLY AS PLANNED (/lightyagamiquotations™) - and I turned round to watch Al come in. I did not get to witness his glorious entrance back at Hard Rock last year, so this was EPIC. My eyes locked onto him as he came in (right after people that were standing at the theatre doors RAN and practically dove away to clear his path!), my heart froze - just like last time. I stood to catch his eye...

...and I caught his FINGER in my FACE as well as his intense Weird Al™ Crazy-Serious Stare as he Tacky'ed me this time!!! “Took the whole bowl of restaurant mints, HEY YOU SAID THEY’RE FREE!”

I got the Tacky point treatment UP CLOSE OH MY GODDD!! Supreme!! This would go up as THE Al interaction moment of the night for me as he didn't come my (or this side of the audience's) way for WBUL this time around. I saw him lapdance and sing the Must've Fallen From Heaven line to someone else.... pssssht my Wanna B Ur Lovr moment with him was SO much cooler. Hello? It's how I got my self-proclaimed Cinderella title. That no one but you guys knows about. Shh.

The video clips have changed!! I loved it when Mum cracked up at the "REAL Food" and "AH'M SEXY AND I KNOW IT" and Sumo Wrestler Shooting Out Grapes From Belly Button (she pretty much lost it at that one XD) and the The Birds Want Our Popcorn!!! things. I knew she'd toss cares and worries away and just ENJOY, she’s too much like me. She really started absorbing Al and just why he is awesome and that warmed my heart.

I caught a streamer during the bomb part of Canadian Idiot!! I always love the cute way he looks up as we hear the whistling of the bomb dropping and aaaah I GOT A PIECE OF THE SONG!!!!

Am not sure but I think he made eye contact with, and stared at me, while doing the "girl you smell like fritoooos~ that's why I'm giving you this hungry stare / you're so hot you're gonna melt / the elastic in my uuunderweeaar" bit. AND I STARED BACK AT HIM. EVEN AS HE WAS TALKIN’ ABOUT THE ELASTIC IN HIS UNDERWEAR, THAT HE WAS SWAAAYING HIS HIPS IN. WITH MY KNUCKLES AT MY LIPS LIKE SUCH A COQUETTISH LITTLE SCHOOLGIRL (thatIapparentlyam?? I’m in college!!). What this man brings OUT in me!! RAWR~☆ !!!

I managed to film The Saga Begins and Yoda with my phone!! Did not get caught. BOOYAH!!

And... oohh Yoda chant... as always.. looovelyyyy *.* ROFL at how Steve and Al got back to back and they just collapsed on each other on the ground when Yoda ended! *wiggly feet!!*

Now-- show over... moment of AMAZING. Or, actually, amazingness imminent!!
Was I to meet Al now?? Do we leave?? I went to ask Wise Sage Fred, who was sitting in front-front row. She said: just stay in your seat and wait! You'll get called.

Hm. Okay. O.O

Enter in security type guy: "OK, your backstage passes, let me see em... OK, you guys can just congregate over here!" Move to other side of room. Basically near exit door. Was Al out already??.... was I ready???
ARE YOU SICK OF ALL THE QUESTIOOONNSS!?


I texted Alicia telling her about the current events. She was EXCITED. Almost as much as I was, it seemed!! She knew this would be my first time meeting Al, so she was there every step of the way.
I asked, “How beautiful is he?” (in ALL CAPS for accurate intensity of my emotions)
Ali: “SO BEAUTIFUL. And you better write down everything you wanna say, cause the moment you see him IT WILL ALL BE GONE.”

Nervous nervous nervous!!! Within minutes we all were led into a tiny little white room. A couple of long tables with some chairs. This was where the Czars stayed, wasn't it?
I was a Czarin for a night!! And I sure felt like one. A very nervous, very green czarin!!
Mum kept trying to fix my clothes on my back, while I had her ready with my phone camera incase the moment came. I confessed to the very nearby (super cramped room, you see!) Ms. Fred that I was so nervous.

"Aww. Don't be!" She said. I knew logically why I shouldn't be, Al is a notorious sweetheart who is so easy to talk to. But still!!... this moment was 3 years in the making... planning, dreaming... I told Ms. Fred just that. What if I forget all I want to say??

And then my breath was ripped away from me. Jim ‘Kimo’ West had JUST walked in, with Bermuda!! The band!!! I super-excitedly nudged Mom. WE WERE OFFICIALLY HANGING OUT WITH THE BAND!

Jim is so soft spoken!! Somehow I never imagined it. I waited patiently for him to finish his (looong) conversation with this lady and some guy, they were talking music and business, I think. I dunno.

Bermuda was waaay away on the other side of the tiny room. I didn't get a chance to speak with him. It's okay though! Good enough to be so near to him! And it wasn't long before Steve Jay came in. I watched him and Bermuda and Jim make their way through the crowd. I felt invisible somehow! I know, I know, selfish!! But when would they see me??

Luckily Mom urged me forward to catch Steve as he just finished talking to a guy nearest to me, and started walking away. He was right in front of me- STEVE JAY WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME--

And i just squeaked out a "Hi!" And he said, oh hi! I'm Steve Jay! He shook my hand!!

I said it was amazing to meet him. He asked, what's your name? I gave it, he repeated it.

“I hope I'll be as good a guitar player as you someday,” I told him. Aahh, I’m terrible!! I’m such a fangirl.

He smiled, said thank you very much. He is SO SWEET. I asked if i could have a picture with him- actually Mom beat me to it and asked him first! And he was happy to! We got our arms around each other and awwww. ♡

The process was repeated with Jim, who is just another warm soul. He was peeking around the corner, then turned back in to tell us "he'll be here in a few minutes". Meaning Al, of course. Gut TWISTED. I (somehow) kept it together and said hello and shook Jim's hand just as I did Steve's. And Jim asked for my name too! Reacted much the same way as Steve... that never happened to me before when meeting people. They both repeated my name after I said it, seemingly to make sure they got it right. Such a nice gesture! I thanked Jim (and of course Steve too, but I actually managed to SAY it to Jim) for an incredible show. And, a little later, told him how I loved the Yoda chant- “this is my second concert and it STILL gives me the chills!!” He seemed pleased to hear that, chuckled: "Ahhh, the Yoda chant, yeah!"

A picture happened too!! He was all "how should i..." in trying to adjust himself to my height! (I'm tiny!)

And then I looked over, toward the open door of the little white room. And out there…

... the dream (AKA Al) was there standing in the hall... fresh faced, just showered, it seemed... plain grey shirt, black slacks... typical laid-back aftershow Al just like I’d seen in pictures I would stare at and just sit in silent wistful jealousy of through the years.
My Al was there. Less than a few feet away...
I somehow got my body to move, turned to Mom, and went: I see him...!!! (as quietly as I could)

When I was standing in line, just before I went, Jim West (or was it Steve?? Hazy memory, oh god!!) noticed my holding my drawings in my hand. "Whatcha got there, Janna?" (....HE SAID MY NAAAAAME! So familiarly!) A band member was talking to me??

I said- “oh, just a little fanart of mine!” *shyly!!*

And he was like ‘wowww, that is really good!!’ …and…I can’t remember if he said anymore. I thanked him, for sure…


Alicia’s words…
“Write what you want to say because the moment you see him IT WILL ALL BE GONE.” Would it happen to me? Would my mind go blank?
I didn’t have a single thing to write on, nor the time. I took my chances. My turn came... with Olympics-worthy speed I grabbed the manila folder out of our bag and approached.

...hi, Al... o.o ♡ been waiting a long, long time, mister…
He smiled at me, and... the rest is a blur but I am going to try my best to capture EVERYTHING. (I didn’t stay up til 3am the night of the show writing this for nothin’!
Those same bright, sparkly hazel eyes I remembered from the WBUL moment last year. Except so much brighter ‘cause I had more time to look at them.
I am pretty certain I said hi first. And then- “I—I have something for you…”
I handed the papers over: "They're just some drawings, some fanart of mine-"
Three drawings: Polka Dot Pie, Running With Chibis, and a real-life portrait in pencil.
As he looked at Polka Dot Pie, he said: “Woah! That’s amazing!”
Amazing. He thinks my little drawings are amazing!!.... to this day I have no idea how I was able to keep it together and form words. My heart guided me, probably. I smiled, and I told him:
"For my King of Mock ‘n Roll.” (I GOT TO ACTUALLY SAY THAT TO HIS FACE!!! YES!)

“That is so cool!...” Next drawing up-

“It’s of Running With Scissors… I hope I got each track!” Enter Jim Kimo West, standing by Al: “Wooow!” What the!?? Jim thinks I’m good too?? Wh—IS THIS REALITY?! Jim said it was awesome, Al so sweet: “This is SO great!! ♡ ” ♡ … I just stood there and couldn’t stop smiling, or holding back my giggles. Jeez… these guys!!!

And then Gorgeous went “oh my goodness!” when I showed him the portrait. I will never understand how he and Jim think I’m so talented. I still can’t even figure how Jim noticed such a minute detail—and COMPLIMENTED me on it! He said he loved my signature (I think he called it my autograph!)! He piped in and showed it to Al, who noticed to and was all “yeah!! ”. I thanked BOTH these Extraordinary Gentlemen. Ohgosh. oooohmygosh this can’t be real life, this is fantasy and I’m gonna wake up any minute- but NOT WITHOUT MY HUG FIRST!

I put a major part of my plan into action now. I showed him how one of the papers I gave him was the original sketch of one of the drawings, and told him so—and I asked, in a voice I’m SURE was shaky: “I was wondering if you could sign this one for me, i-it’s the original sketch…” (memory faded here again x.x) I know my voice must have been mousy and shaky because I felt my hands were all trembly (I hope he didn’t notice that!!). “Of course, of course!” in that warm voice of his, he was so obliging and adorable!!
I will NEVER forget (any of this, and) how he asked me where I wanted him to sign (“where would you like it? Up here, or…”) and I just went “oh, anywhere you like!”, still giggly and looking like such an airhead oh I KNOW. He signed, seeming SUPER carefully so as not to mess up the drawing (PFFTT AS IF that can happen!! His holding it and seeing it and S-I-G-N-I-N-G it makes it beautiful!)—everything I read about his gentleness was happening right before my eyes. As he signed, I said something about how I’d been looking forward to this for a while…I got chuckles from Al and Jim.

Did I ask him for a hug?... or did he just give me one... No! HE hugged ME! When he actually handed me the papers back, I corrected him and said they were for him to keep. “Are these for me??” he asked, hazel beauties open wide!

You know that adorable way Al goes “OHMYGOODNESS!”? I got that. And of course I told him yes, they’re for you! Papers in his hand and a “thank you so much!”, his voice all high and cute, he reached out and held me...

Finally!!...

...in his arms... ♡
In real life... not just the many, many times in my head…

Even if it was just for a minute... I got to say the words I've been planning to...for so long...

"Thank you!! You're so awesome…

…I love you."

YES. I DID SAY THEM I DIIIID.
When the security guy took my phone and took our picture, I felt the warmth of Al’s hand cupping my shoulder/upper arm, and the back of my hand resting against his chest…I didn’t know what to do with my hand, arms, whatever—I was just too mesmerized by his presence, his kindness, his voice, his eyes, his smile, his E-V-E-R-Ything.

After photo taking, I was leaving... but I couldn't bear to leave him. This was my heart I was walking away from. Right here… right in front of me…

I... asked if I could have one more hug. (and Alicia recommended I do when I got the chance!) He graciously said of course!! And pulled me in for a MUCH tighter embrace.
HEAVEN HEAVEN HEAVEN HEAVEN. His hug is SO STRONG. He held me so closely, he LOCKED me in up against him. It felt longer, too… even by just a few seconds, but…
I repeated the words I said earlier in the previous hug, incase he didn't hear me. I said it into his hair, as close to his ear as I could get.
I got such a soft smile and an even softer “aww, thank you…” His hair felt slightly damp, silky soft… I didn’t detect much of a unique scent on him, as I’ve read about before (that he smells like “unicorns and rainbows” XD!)-- he smelt just shower fresh and just… clean and amazing, and… Al-ish.
I think he heard me that time...

And then we were escorted out, thru a door downstairs (I stared back at Al over my shoulder, with every step I took- this was HARD) that led right outside. With every step out, I wanted to run back even more. More words, more hugs, more time with him.

And Cinderella slowly, barely feeling her feet hit the pavement, alighting on grey asphalt clouds, dreamily got into her pumpkin and went home.
Her magical GPS failed and took her down Bartow road a bit further than she wanted, and she still had to drive through some creepy little neighborhoods (again) after she corrected her GPSamajig, but all in all, the fairy tale ended beautifully with her polka prince.


~the end~
(‘til next tour or if I am PROFOUNDLY lucky to see him again this year)