My Greenville M & G (Part I): Wait #1

The passes arrived at the Will Call/Box Office at 6:00. The M& G was scheduled for 6:30. We were told to meet to the right of the merchandise stand…first moment of panic…OMG, does that mean to the right of the stand if you’re facing it or to the right of the stand if you are next to it? No fear, we all found each other and security found us. We were then instructed by Aaron (I think that is his name), who was acting as Clay’s security in Jerome’s absence. H gave us the standard instructions and slightly humorously added “Do Not get touchy feely with my client”. He then escorted us through the lobby and into a looooooong hallway where we were instructed to stand single file along the wall facing towards the end of the loooooong hallway. At the very end of the hallway was a small high round table and a door behind it….

Mood at this point: calm and collected

My Greenville M & G (Part II): Wait #2

Quiana and Angela come out and have a lengthy conversation with the people in front of me. They obviously know them and are chit chatting about various things. They talked about how exhausted they all are…just worn out. Several of the fans waiting in line take pictures with Quiana and Angela and autographs (not me…I only have one interest). We are then instructed on how to get our various “stuff” ready. Get your camera ready to take a picture and give it to Nick, who is standing in front and to the left of the table. Get your item to be signed ready and hand it to Mary, who is standing in front and to the right of the table. All I can think of is “God! Just get Clay out here…I can’t take any more waiting…stop talking to me!…”OMG, I need to set my zoom”, “OMG, what if my picture blurs, what if I blink?”, “OMG, I need to stick my finger in the page of the magazine that I want him to sign”, “OMG, what am I going to say?”, “OMG, here he comes”…

Mood at this point: Panic

My Greenville M & G (Part III): OMG!111!!!!1111!!!!!11111

I am the 3rd or 4th person in a line of 15, as I am standing there I see slightly spiky hair quickly go by the glass window of the door at the end of the hall and realize it is Clay. It is time. He quietly comes in the door, jokingly says something to the effect of straightening out the line, and then stands behind the table. At this point, my mind was still with me, so I quickly observed his clothes. He had on a gray t shirt with short sleeves and a white t shirt underneath. The gray t shirt said “Maine” across the front. He had on red plaid pajama bottoms (I hate calling them that, because to me they are just pants…but you know what I’m talking about). On his feet he had brown leather sandals. His face and hair were “done”. He was gorgeous. As the people in front of me are having their M&G, I’m continuing to panic about having everything ready and in place. I’m up to Nick. I tell him “Nick, there is a zoom on my camera…see…in case you need to use it”. I had an Aiken t shirt for Clay, so I give the package to Mary (who smiles at me) and I hand her my magazine opened to the page. She asks which of the 2 pages I want him to sign. I reply “oh, either, it doesn’t matter”. I must have seemed a little excited at this point because she gently laughed at me. Now mind you, I am 1 person away…he is directly in front of me. There goes my mind, EVEN THOUGH I thought I had been prepared…

Mood at this point: totally flustered

My Greenville M & G (Part IV): Surreal (tm Clay)

Ok, so now I am standing in front of Clay. And, I literally have NO memory of the first 5-10 seconds. I don’t think I shook his hand. If I did, I have absolutely NO memory of it, if I didn’t, why the HELL didn’t I???? The first thing I do remember is me saying “Hi Clay”, he replied “Hi!”. Then I remember telling him my name. I have no idea if he asked me my name…I’m assuming he did. So, I said “Jean”. He asked “Jean with a J?”, I said “yes”. Now he is signing my magazine. And, what pray tell am I looking at? His hands as he signs. I have probably 30 freaking seconds with the most gorgeous man and am I looking at his face? No. When I realize this, I quickly look up, but his head is lowered as he is signing. I do remember EYELASHES. At this point there was silence, so I become a blabbering fool…. I quickly say “Jean from AIKEN, SC”…DUH. And Clay replies “Is that so?” or “Oh really?”…I’m not quite clear anymore on his response. Then I become worse and say “Yup, a city with a good name”. God, could I possibly say anything more inane? The next thing I know I am walking around the table toward Clay to pose with him for the picture. I have no idea if he told me to come around or if he signaled it in anyway…I just know I was there. He put his arm around my waist, I put my arm around him and placed my hand on his back. Now I am in major sensory overload here. I realize that I can’t possible concentrate on his hand on my back and my hand on his back at the same time… So, I concentrate on my hand. Mmmmmmm. Here’s what I felt….soft t shirt with the feel of another t shirt beneath and firm back. I did not feel any boniness at all. He felt quite good. He scooted his head down so it would be closer to mine, we smiled, and the picture was taken. Then I said “thank you Clay”, I have no idea what he said…I assume either “your welcome” or “thank you”. Then I left.

Mood at this point: ecstatic

My Greenville M & G (Part V): The Autograph

I had chose my In Tune magazine for Clay to sign. I always loved the interview they had done with him in that magazine. They actually got him to talk a bit about his music and voice. I also liked the remarks made about Clay in a couple of other articles in the magazine as well as the Editor’s comments. Plus, the picture is pretty.

So, he signs it “Jean, Use your voice. Clay Aiken”. But as I am stopped in the middle of the hallway looking at it, I realize he also did something else. The title of the article is “FEAT Of CLAY”, and then in smaller letters “How Clay Aiken Lost on American Idol…and Became a Star”. Clay had taken the sharpie and boldly underlined “Lost” g. I lurve him with all my heart and soul.