The Boys Are Back In Town

Nashville, TN:  Just take a look at that picture above.  Take a long, hard look.  Do you see what I see?  You may just see a girl standing around six guys.  If they look familiar to you, you may also see a boy band from the 80s/90s.  But if you look deeper (as in, into my soul), you will see a 20 year old dream fulfilled.  In 1989, I received a cassette tape copy of Tiffany's self-titled album and on the flip side was a copy of "Hanging Tough."  From that moment on, New Kids On The Block became my obsession.  I had posters on the walls (and ceiling), I recorded every TV special they were on while learning every dance move, I camped out overnight in front of the Civic Auditorium to get 2nd row seats to their concert... hell, I didn't do drugs in high school because Donnie said it wasn't cool.  

And one of my fantasies was to get a picture with them.  All five of them.  Not sure why it was such a priority, but somehow maybe it would justify this crazy neurosis?  Over the years, I've met them and taken pics with them separately, but never together.  Once I stood in line for 13 hours (outside.  In Boston.  In January.  F'*ing COLD.) to meet them all... and I did, but no photo to show for it.  So yesterday, 20 years after the goal was set, the dream became a reality.  It was just as I had envisioned it.

Well, almost.

If you look closely again, you'll notice another guy.  No, it's not another Kid, but rather, my date.  Yes, I actually had a date to bring with me.  This is huge on many levels:

1)  I had an actual date.  With a boy.  Who I like.  And who likes me.  (!)

2)  I brought said date to a New Kids On The Block concert.

3)  He OFFERED to go with me to a New Kids On The Block concert.

Originally, a girlfriend of mine (who is also a Tour Manager) was going to go with me.  At the last minute, a work thing came up, so she was out and I was stuck with two tickets.  I've learned my lesson about bringing someone backstage who doesn't know how to act backstage, so I decided to go solo.  I was telling the boy about it and he offered me his company.  "I'll go with you if you want," he said in passing.  "I don't think you understand what this means," I retorted, in disbelief.  To him, it was just going with me to a show.  To me, it was going with me to THE show.

However, I took him up on his proposition, mainly to see how he would react at a NKOTB concert, but more so he could see how I would react at a NKOTB concert.  I figure if this doesn't scare him off... nothing will.  

We made our way into the VIP room where we discovered an open bar and 198 females (only 2 other guys showed up... one because his wife made him and another because HE really wanted to meet them!).  Things started looking up for the boy (though I do add the disclaimer that he can't pick up another girl while he is there, please).  After a few drinks (on NKOTB, thank you very much), we wait our turn for this magical meeting to take place (magical for me, that is).  My heart is pounding and I feel if I open my mouth to speak, it was come springing from my throat.

The Kids notice the boy (a single, straight male -- someone they never saw back in the heyday) and immediately welcome him and give him the international  "what's up?" hang exchange.  I am thrilled at the interaction, though a touch pouty that my date is getting more attention than me!  Go figure... I finally am at the place in my life to be comfortable enough to bring a boy to this concert and I'm getting jealous of him.  I think I've officially lost my mind.

But the moment happens and I am in some sort of crazy bubble of teenage hormones and grown up determination and then it's over as quickly as it started.  We move (rather, I float) to our seats for the show.  It's loud and fun and cheesy and sentimental and ridiculous.  I'm dancing and singing and laughing and loving and thinking.  And through it all, the boy stays near.  He smiles when he sees me beaming.  He laughs when I lip synch "Please Don't Go Girl" to him.  He kisses me when I can't figure out how to explain to him - in words - what this moment means to me.