The Fateful Counting Crows Concert.. Abridged

7/18/99 Sunday 1:57 a.m.
This will take me FOREVER to write and I'm so SICK of writing but it must be written!

Editor's note: The original entry was 15 pages long. Can you believe that? 15 pages.

Well, first of all, I cut my nails short.

Seriously, HSS? Why did you feel compelled to keep a record of this? We're skipping this paragraph. Oh, you did it AFTER the show, so I guess you get into how "symbolic" this is later on. On page 15 or something. Good God.

I got in line @ 4:50. I felt so out of place -- I mean, I was alone, and a group of 6 was behind me, and the people in front of me were huge out-of-state Crows freaks. It wasn't so bad, time flew by quicker than I was expecting, and I was REALLY glad I had my tape player. I just couldn't EAT the food I had gotten at Walgreen's and when I watched the cars pass I felt dizzy, which was probably because I couldn't EAT! It was a Catch 22 situation.

Yes, being hungry but not being able to eat, how perplexing.

I had figured thought that I'd be alone until at least 6:30 -- nope. At about 5:50 or so guess who I see across the street: Brendon and Fred. I realized just how much I wasn't expecting this to happen and finally when they began to cross the street I sorta waved my arms. I wouldn't have guessed from their responses that I'd be spending most of the next 5 hours with 'em.

Ooops!! Spoiler alert!! OMG, FIVE HOURS!

Fred barely looked at me and Brendon glanced at me and looked away. I was sooo sure they'd just pretend they didn't see me and keep going. Amazingly, they didn't. But Brendon didn't say much more than "Hey, Beth" before he said "Where's Laura?" I said she had a family thing and he asked how long I'd been there, which I did.

Um, you did what? Tell him? INCORRECT SYNTAX! How'd you end up getting a college degree? Come on, HSS.

Fred and him exchanged mumbles (which I'm guessing were along the lines of "I hate her but she's DAMN close," and I told them that I was and had been alone and it would be great if they could join me. Then I said, " I know FRED doesn't want to sit by me."

This is one of those things that just makes me cringe, high school self. It's one of those things that I completely forget happened, and then there it is, in your own handwriting, staring me in the face, making me remember that you were such an awkward, gawky little asshole, high school self.

They exchanged mumbles again and I somewhat gleefully realized that they WOULD be joining me.

And clearly, completely willingly! They were just thrilled!

Brendon sat right next to me -- our legs were touching -- and Fred sat a couple feet away and sprawled out on the sidewalk. Fred would ask questions every now and then ("What's that Adam guy's last name?" "Duritz." He asked that one twice).

Brendon talked to ME more than he did Fred. He mentioned how he had heard Adam Duritz was an "ass" (which ended up being the running joke of the night) and that he went out with Courtney Cox. Fred said, "Didn't she marry that one guy?" **Most of Fred's conversation was relegated to questions** I said "David Arquette?" but mentioned how girls always want to date rock stars. Brendon said to Fred, "Does your cousin get the ladies?" He grunted and I asked who his cousin was.

He was the drummer for a popular band. We certainly don't need any identifying information here, do we?! So then Laura shows up, right high school self? And you reveal that you were bummed you wouldn't be alone with the guys, cause um, you know, it was going so well or something. Pages pass, you give Laura some pictures, etc.

Okay, anyway, Brendon loves "She's All That"..they went to get drinks and Fred got like a "Powerific" bottle and the powerade didn't come out when he tipped it upside down but Brendon's DIDN'T have a cool cap. Of course, it was 50 cents less..Fred started listing off his scars -- ' This one's from hockey, this one's from soccer.' What he said that was REALLY funny was "they better not suck!" He said if they played "10 Spot" he'd be happy.

You know, I think you wrote about this, high school self, because it really showcased Fred's sense of humor and personality. Between the grunts and asking questions over and over again that any person with any sense of pop culture would have already grasped, I mean, the powerade bottle! Watch him move it upside down! That's so crazy! Oh, and his scars, and THEY BETTER NOT SUCK! So witty! Also, how did you not notice that he said he hoped they'd play AN ENTIRE LIVE ALBUM (which was called "Live at the 10 Spot")?

I asked Laura if she caught the replay of the World Cup on ESPN and she apparently caught on for my pathetic ploy for Fred's attention and asked him (after telling me she'd only seen highlights) if he was a big World Cup fan. He responded with something that included the word "suck" and we were both like, WHAT?! Then he bitched about how they had incorrectly done a throw in.

Right, that's what everyone was talking about after women's soccer won the world cup in 1999, the incorrect throw in. Why did you like this guy?! So anyways, you're telling me about the show, and then three pages later...

Adam Duritz came out to introduce the opening band and said that he just wanted to hear cheering now. Brendon was like, "You're an ASS!" and Fred said, "Jerk!" It was so funny! Ha ha. Fred took a pee during one of the opening bands.. hmmm.

Yes, hmm. OMG! He's so like us! He goes to the bathroom.

OH! During the opening band the singer mentioned "Have you ever had a crush on somebody and they don't like you but you'll do anything to get them?" and I just felt REALLY uncomfortable cause it's like, the answer is yes and he's sitting one seat over. Fred totally got into the show; he was just staring at them usually, but he WAS tapping his foot, clapping, and a lot of times he was the first of us to stand up. When the house lights shone on the balcony, he had his arms up. It made me smile.

The show ended on what I considered to be a rather negative note; Brendon said "Gimme My Glasses," they left, that was it. I don't know, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth..

I told Laura how symbolic it was (see! you know we were getting to this symbolism, future self!) that of the nails I'd been "farming" for the show (wow, what a gross term), two were broken at the end. When I got home I took all the polish off and cut them short. I feel like I don't know what I am anymore.

Dear high school self,
You'll never know what you are. But you won't be quite as fucking dramatic about in the future.
Love,
Beth