catching up, part 4

Maria and I took off on another adventure earlier this month, driving to Greensboro to see the Boss (Bruce Springsteen) in concert. I was the designated driver, not so Maria could get smashing drunk, but because she had knee surgery in April, so she wasn't allowed to drive at the time. She had anticipated this when scheduling the surgery (injury in December) so we ended up purchasing tickets in the handicapped section to accommodate crutches and maybe a lent wheelchair for her to sit in.

Well, we parked at a spot across from the venue so we could park for free. (Maria and I are bargain hunters.) This proved to be both good and bad, as we discovered the will call window where our tickets were being held, was at the opposite side of the building from our car. So we walked around, which took a while because I walked and Maria walked with crutches. I asked someone working the event where we could get a wheelchair so Maria wouldn't have to use the crutches much further. This was ill fated as well. The arena uses an outside company to work the handicapped assistance, and we waited around for help that never showed up, even after they radioed the people several times. Maria and I ended up missing the first half hour of the show but only about 15 minutes because Bruce opened the show a little late.

We got to the section where our seats were supposed to be and there was no room. How ridiculous! Our tickets had a seat number on them, what the heck? We were given folding chairs, but if we sat down, we could not see anything because everyone in front of us were standing. This is really poor planning by the seating arrangements. We stood for a while but that was hard for Maria. We ended up getting moved to another section where there was room, but no view because yet again, everyone was standing. Maria and I kept moving our chairs back and forth trying to find a space between swaying people. Had we been able to see well, these would have been fantastic seats!

We were also the beneficiaries of an extra side show next to us. There was this large, tall woman with bleach blonde hair and an equally tall boyfriend. Let's call the boyfriend Groping Ken doll because they were all over each other. They were also drinking beer the entire time we were there. Maria and I were so afraid that Amazon Barbie was going to fall on her. They were swaying, both on purpose and from the influence of a few beers, and good God, Groping Ken was all over her. I mean, get a room please, and how about one far from us? I used the time to keep an eye on our large Barbie doll, praying she'd stay off my sister, especially when she fell onto her own chair once. I also entertained myself coming up with nicknames for her. I'll list some here...feel free to choose your own favorite. I won't mind.

1. Amazon Barbie (Maria thought of this one)
2. Betty Bunyan Barbie (hey, Paul needed a wife, didn't he?)
3. Big Boned Barbie
4. Beer Babe Barbie
5. Big Bubblehead Barbie

I could go on, but you get the picture. In spite of all this, we could at least hear the show. Bruce sure gives you your money's worth, because he sang a 3 hour show, including encores. He went into the audience a couple times to grab signs from fans, which Maria told me were song requests. Some smart aleck put Hang On Sloopy, which is an oldie but not one of Bruce's songs. Well, Bruce showed him because he and the band knew the song and the music. That was cool. I finally located people who were supposed to help us from the beginning worked out with them for us getting out of there. this time Maria got a wheelchair ride outside and I got to move our car into one of the parking areas right outside the doors so she wouldn't have to repeat the crutches marathon a second time. I went out early and she got to hear all but maybe one of the final encores.

I'm happy to report Maria got the chance to fill out a customer satisfaction survey for the concert and did she give them hell! The concert music was great, the environment in which to see the show, not so much.