Words Fall Through Me

Friday night I realized that two fabulous duos were going to take the stage at the Hollywood Bowl and I scrambled around to find someone to go with me. Okay, maybe I didn't start scrambling until Sunday morning, a mere 8 hours before the concert. Shocker, but everyone 1) already had plans, 2) didn't want to spend the money, or 3) was too tired to venture into Hollywood. So, after about ten failed attempts to convince my friends to Be Spontaneous! Forget your Budget! I started looking for a single ticket because this show was too good to miss, even if I went solo. At which point, my loving husband cursed under his breath that he was such a pushover and said, "Fine, I'll go with you."

It's not that he didn't like the musicians. Apparently Zooey is even on his exception list. But the concert came at the end of a long birthday weekend of exhausting fun and he had to be up early for work the next morning. Plus, his birthday wish was for a bicycle too extravagant for a birthday gift, so instead of unwrapping something this year, he had to make due with the thought of money being saved in our bank account. So, I'm sure the thought of spending $40 on a ticket to a concert he wasn't exactly thrilled about wasn't exactly....thrilling.

YET. We ended up squeezed like sardines on a bench at the Bowl anyway. The seats weren't terrible, considering we bought them off Craigslist about 50 minutes earlier. And I probably would have been content with them, had we not spotted one of Ben's work buddies, Johnny, being escorted down to a box seat TWO ROWS FROM THE STAGE. Apparently some rich dude's friends flaked on him, so he walked up, up, up to some of the worst seats and invited two lucky dogs (Johnny and his girlfriend) to come sit with him. I remind God all the time that I would be this kind of steward of such gifts. It's the same reasoning that caused me to think tonight, "You know, in this economy, it's really a ministry to hire yard and housework help." I'm altruistic like that.

But I digress ... once I swallowed the bitter pill of envy and after I uninvited Johnny to dinner for texting us a picture of his view, I was able to actually enjoy the concert, as snug and far away as I was. Because sounds like these make you close your eyes, snuggle up to your love, and sway anyway.