2003-12-10
5:29 p.m.

BEVR: Michelle/Tacoma Jingle Bell Bash

Broad's Eye View Report: Presenting the famous tag team of Heather and Michelle

Part I - The scene is set - Michelle flies without wings across the Pacific carrying an orchid lei...

Where to begin? Arriving Friday night at Sea/Tac wearing my BIRD so Heather can identify me? Beautiful sunshine & blue skies Saturday touring Seattle? Having cosmos and gimlets at a dockside restaurant when Heather accidentally ends up live on KISS 106? Deciding to go to the Dome early on Sunday to try to get into the sound check & breezing right in? Spending the entire friggin' afternoon at sound check and failing to connect with Pam and Mare because we were afraid if we left Clayton would sound check and we'd miss him? Being strangely compelled to leave our lovely reserved seats halfway through the show to go down to the VIP GA section? Being mere feet away from.... I cannot even describe.

I cannot believe the emotional catharsis I experienced when that luminescent man appeared above me. I believe I grabbed Heather (who was behind me) by the head and we bounced up and down. Then I realized that tears were streaming down my face. I didn't even know I was crying. I reached up and touched my cheek and was aware that the floodgates were open. I was smiling. I was dancing. I was reaching up to him. I did become aware that when he came near and the girls and women raised their hands toward him that my hand was doing a gesture that is universally recognized as "c'mere" or "gimme gimme!"

I feel so blessed to have experienced the glasses. How gorgeous he looked. His skin was luminous. I was transfixed. He looked down. He pointed. I suppose I was gesturing "come here" or "gimme" and I think the sound I was making was "UNNHH!" He smiled and with his eyes he appeared to be saying "Look at that crazy lady!" No, the message he was really transmitting was "You want me, don't you?" And I was answering "Oh yeah, Baby!"

Run to Me - I suppose he sang that. Heather asked me what he sang besides I Will Carry You and Invisible. I said "I can't remember!" We can't even remember how he got out there. He was just suddenly above us and all was right with the world. Later I said "Run to Me! I think he sang Run to Me!"

Since we were neither contest winners nor incredibly clever fans, we got no further than the foot of the stage (well, Heather did get a little further!). The lei was taken back to him. One security person got another security person to go get another security person to retrieve it from us. Since she was a woman, and she promised she would take it right up to him, we'd like to think that she did. At the last moment we realized we had no note, so Heather retrieved a merchandise receipt from her purse and wrote a note with a black Sharpie. I think it said "We love you Clay! Heather from Seattle and Michelle from Hawaii." Later Heather worried that the receipt was for something embarrassing (for Clay!) like tampons.

I'm so disappointed for him to have had no band. He deserved a better showcase. And I hope the Broads at the upcoming shows will hear more than three songs. I'm afraid I'm greedy. Enough is never going to be enough.

And instead of being happy, and gratified at the opportunity I had, I feel unexpectedly bemused. I had a tremendous weekend with a fun, generous, funny, wonderful Broad. But I bet in the end we will both admit that most of all we both miss the Clayton.

The next morning, as I rode the airport shuttle in the predawn darkness I noticed some condensation on my window. I am almost embarrassed to admit how much of a goner I am that in the condensation I wrote "Clay."

To all the lucky Broads out there who will be seeing him soon, I have one request:

My tears are fallin'
'Cause you've taken him away
And though it really hurts me so
There's something that I've got to say
Take good care of my Baby
Please don't ever make him blue
Just tell him that you love him
Make sure you're thinkin' of him
In everything you say and do
Just let your love surround him
Make a rainbow all around him

Michelle

Posted by Nelle

Michelle extends thanks to the KISS 106 website for the photos, as they appear to be taken from the approximate distance she was from The Clayton. The photographer is reported to be Shawn Garrett