2004-03-18
4:57 p.m.

BEVR: K in RI - Worcester, 03/08/04

K in RI's Big Whiney Worcester BEVR

I was awakened the morning of the Worcester show at 5:45 AM by a phone call from my friend and PP lurker, KLA. She said there was a contest to win Meet and Greet tickets at 92 PRO FM (a local radio station). You had to dress in Clay and Kelly paraphernalia and go to the station. "PUT THE CLIG ON!!!", she cried. For those of you who have not yet seen it, I present 'THE CLIG'....

I stumbled out of bed, donned the Clig, bathed my face in bronzer, applied freckles with eyeliner, drew on thick eyebrows and side burns, curled my lashes, wore layers of T-shirts (topped by Kati and Erin's LBFCA shirt!), a hoodie, and baggie jeans with a sock stuffed there in, for good measure;-) Is it strange for a 34 year old woman to dress up as Clay??? Don't answer that! KLA dressed as Kelly, wearing a red T with CLAY ROCKS written on it, torn jeans, no shoes, a pony tail, and pounds of eye makeup. She picked me up and we were at the station by 7AM. The Beu Sisters were in the studio, judging the contest. I've never done ANYTHING like this in my life!!! When it was our turn to present ourselves to the DJs and The Sisters, we did our best impersonations of Clay and Kelly, and BEGGED. ON AIR! I tugged, I clutched, I had my feet at 10 and 2, I attempted a NC drawl. In short, I made a complete a** of mahself! Oh, the things we do for that MAN! But it was so worth the ON AIR humiliation (and it WAS humiliating!), because WE WON!!! We hung out at the studio for a while after and talked with The Beu Sisters. They were incredibly friendly and down to earth! We asked about Clay and they said he is very sweet, but VERY shy, and that he walks around backstage in his PJs and slippers after the show. Here we are with the Beu Sisters and other fans......

We left for Worcester, buzzing with adrenaline and no sleep. We were understandably NERVOUS WRECKS with anticipation to meet OMC! All day KLA kept saying, "I just want to SMELL him!" I wanted to see him smile. Hear him giggle. Share a laugh. Hear his lilting voice. Feel his.....energy (ahem). HUG HIM!!! It's impossible not to have expectations. We arrived at the arena at 5:30, were taken into a room and put in a line. Security went through a long list of rules. It was intimidating. Basically, you couldn't do much of anything. "No pictures, no talking, no breathing...one false move and you will be taken out". I refer to it as the "Drive By Viewing". Everyone in line was given a piece of white paper with their name written on it. We waited about 30 minutes.

Finally, Kelly entered the room in a baseball hat. I didn't know it was her at first. Clay followed. He was wearing a light blue stripey, jeans and sneakers. There was a soft gushing communal sigh when he walked in, but everyone was VERY quiet. No one wanted to risk ere...oops...ejection. It felt like a court room. He looked a little uncomfortable and gave the room his wide eyed, raised eyebrow, half smile and sat down. The line began moving. I was straining my neck in every direction to see him at the table. He looked shockingly young, unfairly pretty, and androgenously elfin. His skin is flawless like a child's. His eyes turn up at the outside corners in such a particular and magical way. It's much more apparent up close. His smile makes you gasp. He struck me as very shy, and I remembered the Beu Sisters' remark.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. When I reached the table, I put down my piece of paper with my name on it (as instructed by security) and they each began to write it on their photo. Kelly looked up smiling and broke the silence by saying I had a great name. I told her I had seen them in Uniondale and really enjoyed her set. She was very gracious. Clay's head was still down as he signed "Kelly, All my love, Clay Aiken" on his photo. I drank in the top of his head (his hair is BEAUTIFUL) and then gestured toward him as I attempted to speak. He looked up as if he had been lost in thought and put his hand out. He must have thought I wanted a handshake. Of course I did! AND MORE, but I didn't think you could. I reached out and took his hand. I grasped it tightly. I was looking right at his face, into his eyes, but it is all a blurr. My sight was blinded, but I could feel his hand so strongly. It felt soft and gentle, but not weak. By the way, Clay was not speaking. He was conserving his voice, so he just mouthed his words silently. I kept shaking his hand and was sputtering what may have been senseless jargon as he nodded along, mouthing words I couldn't make out (and believe me, I WANTED TO MAKE OUT!). Through my daze, I could faintly hear someone telling me to move it along. I had to leave. I somehow let go of his hand, and reluctantly left the room.

We were taken out of that room and put in a hallway where we were broken up into large groups and told to put our cameras on the floor. "Make sure your camera is on! If it's not on, you won't get your picture!" We were instructed to wait until Clay and Kelly joined our group, we would get our shot, and then would have to exit IMMEDIATELY. Oh, the rules! I watched Clay walk down the hallway, flanked by security. He came to our group, and knelt down beside KLA. She nuzzled into his neck and smelled him!!! I watched the whole thing in awe! She had been saying all day that she wanted to smell him, and she went for it! Kelly stood next to where I knelt on the floor. I opted not to smell her. The shots were taken and I watched Clay walk away as a security guard kept telling me to hurry up. We were nearly shoved out into the arena. It was over so fast. I didn't hear him speak or giggle, didn't share the laugh that I had hoped for, didn't get my hug, but I shook his hand and saw him close up! IN THE FLESH! He has an unearthly quality that I can't quite describe. He looks like an elfin angel. He seemed delicate and a little fragile. You long to hold him. It is enough to drive you to tears. He is breathtaking.

After some adolescent squealing/crying/ranting and raving in the bathroom, we took our seats. The Beu Sisters were on. At one point, they started talking about the morning's contest and shouted out to us by name! I am in love with them for that! It was such a thrill for us!

Then *came* Clay...Dear God! He was SO ON. I was amazed that I had just seen this MAN so close up, only a short while ago. He had seemed so demure and shy at the "Drive By", and yet here he was, SO POWERFUL! Overwhelmingly so! I couldn't help but wonder why I felt his presence more in the arena than I did two feet away from him. I felt jilted for a moment. But I loved him even more! His shyness only intensified my yearning. What a TEASE! He is a true entertainer. He was saving himself UP. Our seats were 5th row, but we snuck up to the front row. Clay was on our side of the stage for the majority of the show, looking like a God, filling the room with his energy. There he was, only a few feet away from me yet again, but he was not the same person! Clay Aiken blows my mind! He was very chatty between songs. I would go into detail, but you can download it. I'll just say that he was more playful and giggley than I had seen to date. His voice was back, and he was GLORIOUS!

PS. I do not hold Clay Aiken responsible for leaving me "unsatisfied" at the 'Drive-by Viewing'. It was all securities fault! They have to protect him from any potential psychos! After all, there are people out there CRAZY enough to put on a wig and make public spectacles of themselves just to shake his hand! Hey! Wait a minute!!!

-Posted by Erin