First, it was so nice having guitargirl there ready to hold my hand. You need someone you know to try and share this with - 'cause it happens so damned fast there's no way to take it all in, process it, and then actually remember it. My concert bud, dee ayy, kept getting on my case because every time I'd retell the adventure, the details became more vague. Well, it was a wonder I remembered my own ding dang name! (Thank goodness I had it written on my tote bag…seriously, but I'll explain.)

The first part of the adventure was getting the pass. Both guitargirl and I had misread the directions and thought we were to pick them up an hour after the box office opened. No, it was an hour before the actual venue doors opened. Okay…more time for me to drop some (did I say some? Ahem…) quarters in those funny machines that don't ever "ding-ding-ding" as much for me as they do for everyone else! Anyway, after eating and hooking up with Jules, Garfield's Friend, and Jessica Aiken (and her adorable BF!) we finally hooked up with guitargirl again and after some minor confusion ("Oh, no, they haven't delivered the M&G passes yet," to which we responded "but it's 6:00" and then someone behind us in line pointed out that someone else had picked one up at another window…So we look at the woman and tell her to please go check. She collects our driver's licenses and leaves. Guess what she returns with in her hot little hands…yup, our passes. Nothing like the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. ugh.

So, we leave to go on line, but of course there is no line as yet, and guitargirl and I both determine to stake our places at the end of what ever line forms. In fact when the 18 of us (yeah, 18 - we had stubhub winners with us, too) were taken inside, we were waiting in a hallway.

So we're lined up outside of a room and suddenly, from inside the room, we hear that very distinctive, "Hey, there! How ya doin'?" Lord have mercy, I thought I was listening to OFC greeting playback! I know this sounds silly to say, but it sounded just like him! g

So people are finally starting to move into the room, maintaining their places in line. We're straining to see him; he appears so uncelebrity-like that he really does just kind of blend in - of course that was until guitargirl realized he was wearing something like four - yes, I said four, shirts. A button down on top of a polo on top of colored tee on top of a white tee - or something like that. Mr. Aiken must get some serious chills (and gives 'em, too, I might add! hee!) Mary was standing next to him, helping to get the next person in line ready with whatever (s)he'd brought to have signed. (Nick was out in the hall for the most part, apparently organizing the small groups for the group photo when we were all done. And no, Jerome was no where to be seen.)

So, people are finally starting to move a bit forward some more as he meets with each person for a couple of minutes when suddenly we see a family group move behind us in line! Huh? Well, apparently all good plans do not always go to fruition, and the family was StubHub winners and directed to stand last in line. Oh, well - best laid plans and all that…

Anyway, guitargirl actually ended up going ahead of me - and while I'm sure she'll share, let me just say, she provided Clay with Clack that he'd not seen as yet. She had the large TV Guide (cable version) for him and he was mighty pleased. She had him sign her own copy and he was delighted to keep the other for himself. While I know guitargirl had so many questions to ask and things to convey to him, it was over in a flash. And then it was my turn.

I had the OFC photo - as yet to be signed - in my hand. I told Mary, jokingly, that I wanted Clay to "write a book". Well, apparently I'm not that funny, 'cause she looked at me with a very confused expression - I suspect she was looking for my "Learning to Sing" copy in my hands for him to sign. I quickly explained, "I'm a teacher, and I'd like Clay to write on the photo "To Mrs. Proto's Class; Use your voice: Clay Aiken" as I use that 'expression' as an opening day activity with my class. Well, she started to explain to Clay what I wanted, but she got a little confused, and I said, "Here - My name is here" and pointed to the "Mrs. Proto" that was hand painted on my tote bag (that my inclusion student from last year had made for me - go figure!) and then restated what I wished for him to do. When I'd explained that I used the expression "Use your voice" as an activity, he responded with a very enthusiastic "That's neat!" I replied, that yes, it is - the kids come up with some great responses. He then asked, "What grade do you teach?" and I said "Fourth" to which he replied, "That's a neat age." (At least I think that's what I said…dee ayy said I kept changing the details…but I know he responded twice to me - once re: the activity and once re: the grade I taught. I love having mind made of Swiss cheese!) So, he signs the photo (he's doing this while he's talking to - I'm impressed that he can write and talk at the same time - remember, this is me of the Swiss cheese brain that's impressed!) I take the photo from him and as I'm about to turn I realize I had something to give him. I took out the extra CH black key chain I'd purchased and as I handed it to him said, "Oh, and here - Stop losing your keys!" He chuckled, said thank you, and then I moved out into the hallway with the others to wait for our group photo.

Well, now. We waited for a few minutes as he visited with the stub hub people. Guitargirl let Nick know that he was adorable (and he is, folks. He really is!) Another woman asked Nick if she could take his photo. He looked at her and rather than say yes or no, said, "Well, if you could tell me why." He then qualified and said something to the effect - "And don't tell me for the usual reasons." (To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what he thought - perhaps because he worked with Clay? I dunno - I’m a little dense…g) He went on to say, "Can I sing? No. Can I dance? No. So, why do you want my picture?" Well, long story short, the woman took his photo anyway, saying quietly, "well, he didn't say 'no'." (Funny, to my mind's interpretation, he was saying 'no'. I didn't think 'Swiss cheese brains' affected my common sense.)

Finally, Clay comes out and stands in front of our little group and says, okay, how are we going to do this?(Mind you, we'd all placed our cameras on the floor in front of us so that Nick and Mary could take the groups photos with Clay.) So, Clay comes forward, kneels down in front (GG and I are off to his side, so I'm really not anywhere near him) and the flashes start going off. It took a second, but I realized that Clay was directing us where to look - "Okay, now ,Nick"…"Now, Mary"…."Now, Mary"…."Now, Nick"… "Now, Mary,"…"Now, Mary"…."Hey, how come Mary's taken 6 pictures and Nick's taken 2?" Nick tries to defend himself in vain - we all have a good giggle, and then I try to remember what the heck my camera looks like!

And as suddenly as it started, that's how quickly it ended.

It was too short - but not because I wanted to stare at him or hug him or anything like that - I really and truly just wanted to sit down and shoot the breeze with him. I had teacher stuff (really - certification ideas and shi-stuff) that I wanted to talk about. I desperately wanted to know if he'd actually ever read the children's picture book I had Carmen bring on the bus back during the Nassau AI2 concert - but feared the answer and certainly didn't want to put him on the spot if he didn't know what the hell I was talking about. And I wanted to 'remind' him that he'd spoken to me once before - at that very same AI2 concert, when having read my sign (from second row, center - ahhhh, heaven!)which was longer than 'War&Peace' but ended with "…But get the degree!" he'd replied from the stage, "In December." I wanted to say I was proud of him for that.

But there was no time. It was over in a flash. And as guitargirl so wisely said, "It was, what it was." And I've decided that it was pretty damned special - it's all v. v. good.