Monday, May 22, 2006

I'm the ultimate nerd

Becoming the ultimate nerd starts out small. First you have no friends answering your calls, your emails, your texts, or even your IMs. Okay, maybe thats not such a small thing, but bear with me. Then there comes a Sunday afternoon that you want to spend at the movies and you can't find a single friend to go with who is willing to sit through 2 or 3 movies. Hell at $10.50 nowadays, you need to get your monies worth. So on that cold December day you trek out to the movies for the first time all alone. I remember hiding in the back of the theater scared to death I'd run into someone I knew. I even formulated a story about where my mystery movie partner was in case someone asked. I heard phantom snickers and imagined everyone staring at me. Of course I was just coming to terms with my schizophrenia but so be it. Anyway, I got through that experience and realized that in New York, its a pretty common occurrence. All types of people go to the theater alone. True Nerds Unite! I'm now the expert solo moviegoer. I no longer have any shame. I'll bring my own microwave popcorn and pull the bag out of my backpack even before the lights dim and the previews begin. For some movies I even prefer to go alone. When I saw Rent I sang along to the music so loudly that I knew if I was with someone they would have died of embarrassment.

But today was a dark dark day for my self esteem. I was browsing Craigs List to help a friend find some theater tickets when I came across a guy selling 1 spare ticket for the concert of the year. Tim McGraw (and Faith Hill, blah) are coming to New York. For those of you unaware, Tim McGraw is a god in my book. I worship him. "I burn, I pine, I perish" for him. [Lucentio's line from The Taming of the Shrew Act I Scene 1] I am truly an obsessive fan. His picture is on the wall over my bed. I say hello to him every day. Of course his poster is next to Kenny Chesney but I like to let them fight over me. So when I realized I could not buy a ticket to the sold out show in NY I tried to formulate other ways of seeing the show. I discussed with DJ the prospect of buying tickets and attending the show in Hershey PA a mere 4 hour drive from NYC. Tickets to his shows are being scalped for upwards of $200. Thats nuts in my book. So when I saw that this dude had posted his extra ticket for face value I jumped at the opportuinty. I have in the past bought two tickets to country shows and found (or forced) a friend to go with me. But I realize all I do is stand up and sing the songs at the top of my lungs usually ignoring them, and the sneers from my surrounding concertgoers. I tend to annoy my companion. So who gives a crap. I have no shame. I survived my first movie experience, I can survive this. I'll admit, the idea of attending alone is embarrassing, but I'm willing to risk my street cred for an incredible evening alone (okay, within 100 yards of) my main man Tim McGraw. Wish me luck. Peace.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My friends and I, 8 people all together saw RENT and sang the words and did the dancing too... have no fear, nerds travel in packs as well.

SusQHB said...

Phew! Good to know. Thanks for the support. That was cheaper than therapy!