GK and me

Let me begin by clearly disclaiming that I am a dork. In case you were operating under some other pretense, let me set the record straight. Now on to my story...

I found out Monday night that Garrison Keillor (of Prarie Home Companion fame) perhaps the greatest story teller of our life-time, was going to be in town on Tuesday night. Now for most people this may be neat or even a little interesting, but for me it's just plain exciting. I LOVE good stories and he's been doing great stories for a really long time and he just plain knows how to write and tell good stories. Therefore, upon recieving the news of his appearance in the great place of Overland Park, Kansas, I got a little giddy (dork meter is spiking).

Upon a few inquiries I recieved the news that the show had been sold out. Despite my dampened spirits I pressed on in my pursuit to see this great man and show. With no other recourse before me, I showed up at the theater with hopes of charming, cajoling, lying, sneaking or buying my way in. As I walked up to the building I realized that I was excited and nervous and just plain giddy the way many people get when going to see their favorite band of all time... except I was going to see a story teller (dork meter at full!).

As I walk in the door an hour before the show starts, there are several signs posted, "Tonight's Show is Sold Out". The Box Office has all their mini-blinds of protection drawn and closed (the universal sign for "you can't even see light for hope so forget about coming to this show"). The only window open was the "Will Call". I got in the line. It was kinda long and full of people whose hair color had long left them. I pressed on. When I finally arrived at the window, I looked the man in the eye (through the bullet proof 6 inch glass), and said (through the cheese grater hole), "So you really don't have any more tickets, huh?" I was expecting the "here's your sign" look as he pointed to the sign right above the window that said "Show sold out". But he responded, "Actually... I have 1 ticket left." I smiled from ear to ear and said, "I'll take it!", trying not to sound like the soon- to- be-16 yr old who has been asked if he wants a new car for his birthday.

After purchasing the ticket, I proceed to the theater, grinning ear to ear for my good fortune (praying does work kids!), and with the thought that I will be sitting in a folding chair in the tunnel in the upper deck behind the 7 ft. tall man with a giant head. Oh well, I'll still get to hear him in person.

I hand my ticket to the usher who looks at me, then looks at the ticket and then says, "take the first aisle and they will help you". Hmmmmm. My seat is good. My seat is really good. It turns out that my seat is the very seat that I would have chosen had they given me the chance to pick any seat in the entire theater. I'm 7 rows back in the very middle, pretty much eye to eye with Mr. Keillor himself.

The show was amazing. He spoke for almost 2 hours and I barely thought 2 minutes had passed. He sang a few short songs that he had written himself. He told stories. He made us laugh. He laughed. He took this group of many hundreds and made us all feel like we were in another place, right there in the story. While you knew others were around, somehow you also knew that no one else was there with you in the story. I'm so glad I went. It was just fantastic.

If you've never heard Garrison Keillor before, you should. As I told the season ticket holder who was sitting next to me and had never really even heard of GK, "You're going to like it." And when you do listen, your response will be the same as his as we walked out, "You were right. I loved it!"