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2004-03-25
12:20 p.m.
BEVR/SOC: Penny & Van in TX 3/19/04
After nearly 15 years of marriage and three children, and surrounded by a thousands of screaming onlookers, we lost our virginity together-and it was fabulous. Well worth the wait and leaving us hungry for more.
Getting There
We'd prepared with the "instructional" videos we'd watched off the internet, and all the spread BEVRs we'd admired. Penny's parents came over from Louisiana to tay with our BITs so that we could enjoy the first overnight sans-kids getaway we'd had since our oldest was born nearly 11 years ago. At least the drive, estimated to be about 3.5 hours, didn't seem too daunting. The weather was great as we whizzed down the road at 70 mph, munching a nutritious lunch gleaned from the convenience store where we tanked up the Mom-mobile (red '89 Ford Aerostar) and excitedly talked all things Clay together. True partners in crime! Then suddenly, about 65 miles south of Dallas, the freeway of love ground to a halt. Guys in pickup trucks start veering off the interstate across 30 feet of grass to get to the feeder road. Should we try it? In the Mom-mobile? We sighed and waited , alternating between full stop and 10 mph. After about 30 minutes Van decided his time was better spent in slumber. After another 40 minutes we were still nowhere near the supposed construction zone and the heat indicator on the Mom-mobile is getting pretty high. (Despite being built like and heating up like a greenhouse on wheels, it has a radiator capacity slightly less than a pregnant woman's bladder.) We had to get out of there. We edged into the right hand lane, spied a viable path down the grassy slope to the frontage road, and went for it. Whew--60 mph again! So long suckers! A few miles later�Oh no. "Frontage road closed." "I-45 detour." **sigh** We followed the signs through rural east Texas, grateful that at least we were moving, though we had no idea where we'd come out. Or when. The answer to those questions were, respectively, Corsicana and 5:15. It took us over two hours to get approximately 15 miles closer to Dallas. Penny called Amy on her cell phone to tell her we won't be making the planned LBFCA pre-concert gathering, but we still figured we'd have no problem making the show. By 7:00 pm we were still about 10-15 miles out from the venue. Penny was beginning to freak out until Van reminded her that the Beu sisters would be opening. Based on internet reports Clay takes the stage at 7:40. Whew! By around 7:30 we finally pulled into the grassy back forty that Nextstage considers a parking lot worthy of $12 admission. Penny ripped off her civilian T-shirt and threw on her purple LBFCA "It's all Clay Aiken's Fault" T-shirt (Van having already changed into his "Texas Loves Clay" shirt en route) and we started charging through the tall grass, up and down the drainage ditch, and up the many steps to Mount Nextstage. It's clearly the break before Clay's set, so we hit the restrooms, and then were directed by venue staff to our seats. Butts in seat. Penny put her cell phone in one pocket and her camera in the other, breathing a huge sigh of relief. Before there's time for a second breath, the lights dimmed�Random Thoughts
If only the memory of the concert itself was as coherent as the memory of the drive to the venue. If only it were as long! While reading BEVRs had warned us of the phenomenon of lack.of.coherent.thought during the cloncert, nothing can truly prepare you for it. Penny: Opening notes of Kyrie. OMG, OMG! If he comes down our aisle I can so take the beeyotch next to me. My hands are shaking too much, so I have to give Van the camera. Biting my tongue to stifle tears during Perfect Day. The trauma of the last few hours is forgotten and it is the one of the most perfect days of my life. I Will Carry You! My favorite song! Perfection! Recovering the camera back from Van, I get some shots during the next few numbers. I cellcert my oldest BIT during the priceless water bottle and cell phone banter and WYSYLM. (BIT said later that it was really funny and that the fan screams were so loud he had to hold the phone away from his ear several times.) Without You is beautiful. Quiana can sang! Invisible: triumphant, even the Kelly fans are singing and bopping along. Gaahhhh! **drool** I Survived You. DomClay! No words! Acoustic set is gorgeous, but I know that it's the beginning of the end. L WDC is so hot, and I am able to get photographic evidence of the Clangela. Clay dedicates The Way to the fans, and I get all choked up inside, fighting back the tears the whole time. I look around hopefully at every purple-shirted woman I see during the intermission. I am too spent to get up and cruise the venue. Van gets drinks to sooth our scratched throats. Some nice ladies in the row in front of us admire my shirt and want to know if it's still available for purchase. They take our picture for us. I spy some of Van's co-workers from the college where he teaches, and they come by to say hello. One said her 17-year-old daughter wanted to become a Lecherous Broad, and I agree with her assessment that the BIT needs to wait at least another year. Kelly is pleasant enough tune-wise but I can hardly understand a word sung. They must have had those amps turned up to "11" (TM Spinal Tap) for her set. Why is her show 90 minutes long when Clay's is only 15 minutes? It sure seems that way, at least. I want me some Open Arms. When Clay comes back onstage the whole crowd erupts. I feel like the sun has finally peeked back out from the clouds after a spring thunderstorm. Clay trips over some equipment and falls on his rump while backing offstage, then springs up like a gymnast trying to convince the judges he's stuck his landing. I sure hope someone got that on video! Van: This may not be the biggest SOC in the world, but I guess every guy owes it to himself to take the plunge once in a while and work what he's got, right? After the concert, lying in bed, all warm and worked over from the, uh, concert, Penny kept thinking of Clay being alone. The poor dear. I think I asked her if she wanted to tuck him in�. Silly me, asking questions to which I already know the answer. I had a grin on my face during Clay's entire set. The young man just exudes goodness, charm, humor, a light spirit, happiness. The evil Clay-Dom Clay-who came out during ISY just made my evening. Where'd he get the acting cajones, the moxy, the wherewithal to cop such a pose? He was playful nd endearing and just slightly menacing all at the same time. He was in earnest and yet he couldn't have been-maybe that's how the song REALLY makes him feel and thus he IS during that song DOM CLAY. The performance was magnificent. As Master Sedaka himself has suggested, the guy HAS to branch into acting; he's a natural. I'd love to see him start doing more small cameos, as he did with ED, taking acting classes, and just start flowering that aspect of his talent and career. He's got enough smarts, personality, and charisma to pilot his own FOX variety hour! A show the whole family could watch where Clay would sing a song or two each week, invite guest performers, AI alums, etc., and just have a Smothers' Brothers, Sonny and Cher, Art Linkletter, Carol Burnett, Andy Williams, Bob Hope Special, kind of evening. Yes, it's nostalgic and old fashioned, but it could be updated, tuned into the times, and fun to watch. The phone call. Clay speaks to Mary on the other end of the line (she's somewhere in Michigan) and mimics her voice, high pitched with excited tremors, fanning himself in mock imitation of the trembling female in New York-it was a hoot and, again, terribly endearing. I want my daughter to marry Clay. I want little Clay grandchildren. Old folks in wheel chairs, little kids, young couples, Moms and daughters, whole families, female teen groups, and grown women with their gal pals out to see their new champion-all these different kinds of people were brought together in a wonderful way. This wasn't your typical concert with alcohol, varieties of smoke, and cavorting, drunken gropers.Afterglow
After the concert we made our way to the motel and then headed out for a late, light dinner at the Cracker Barrel next door. After dinner we repaired to our room for to discuss our impending SOC-BEVR. (That's our story, and we're sticking to it!) "Lying here with you, listening to my brain�" Van may be endowed with the trait shared by many of his gender to knock off to sleep readily after an exciting evening, but Penny lay awake for another two hours many thoughts and emotions whirling through her brain. She felt a little sad to think that while Clay has brought together families, friends from across the country, and, yes, probably a few BEVRs and SOCs, Clay himself was spending the night alone. But then she remembered that Clay had dedicated the love song, The Way, to his fans, Penny reflected that Clay didn't really spend the evening alone. He gave love to us, his fans: he gave us his all and we reciprocated, he wanted to hear our laughter, as much as we thrill to his giggles; we basked in a mutual glow. Penny finally drifted off to sleep. Morning came all too soon, and brought serious post-Claytal depression. One evening with Clayton is not enough! Penny fought back tears much of the morning home. Van seemed to find this mildly amusing and endearing. The drive home was otherwise uneventful and three BITs and two tired grandparents were relieved by our timely arrival. P.S. Sorry not to get to meet any of the Grand Prairie Broads and Misters. You were in our thoughts. Heaven and TXDOT allowing, hopefully we'll hook up next time!~ Penny and Van
Posted By: Wendy in FL
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