Garth!! (!!)

Boo, Charing and I went to see Garth Brooks this weekend!  It was a madhouse downtown with him doing four shows over two days.  Our show started at 6:30 and we got downtown at 4 and every restaurant within reasonable walking distance was booked until show time.  We ended up walking an unreasonable distance (especially since, you know, Boo just got out of the HOSPITAL) to eat, drink and laugh for two hours prior to the show.

I actually think boo used her refusal to miss this show as motivation to get herself out of the hospital on Friday night.  Every time I mentioned that, you know, she MIGHT be too sick to attend, she just gave a deep annoyed sigh and said, "No.  I am going.  Period." 

And she did!  This is actually the third time in my life I have seen Garth Brooks, and the fact that he hasn't toured in 18 years really allows this fact to show my age.  The first time  I saw him I was in the 8th grade and everyone who was anyone was going.

 I was NOT going. 

So I sat in my room and sulked and brooded and looked all together too pitiful for my father to stand.  About an hour before show time he opened my bedroom door, stared at me for a long minute, let out a deep breath and said "Put on your shoes.  We will go get tickets."

Come to think of it, Lord only knows what he paid to scalp those tickets and take me to the concert of my dreams.  Whatever it was, it was WORTH IT. 

The second time I saw him was with Boo and Missy. (And other people, but I mainly remember the three of us being there.)  I think I was a senior in high school, and by some miracle Boo got us third row tickets on the floor.  And we went CRAZY.  Missy in particular.  At one point Garth Brooks just stood still and watched her, pointed then waved.  Then he laughed as he walked away. She loved him so much, and I have thought of that concert a lot as this one approached.  I worried a little that her love for him and our memories of singing his songs together might make the show a little too difficult. 

That wasn't the case though.  While I thought of her often, especially during her favorite songs, and while I shed a couple of tears for my sweet baby sister, I will say throughout the show, as waves of emotions rolled through me, I felt her there, right beside me, singing to all of our favorite songs together. 

It was a really great night and an amazing show.  Three times seeing the same guy sing the same songs.  I hope he tours again so I can make it four.