Live and in concert!

[seanan_mcguire]

This year for her birthday, my mother requested tickets to see the Norton Buffalo tribute concert at the Fox Theater in Oakland. She's been a huge fan of his for longer than I've been alive, and a whole bunch of his friends, musical partners, and former bandmates had put the concert together as a benefit for his family, since Norton left some pretty hefty medical bills when he passed away. This seemed like a fantastic birthday present, since it didn't require any real thought on my part, and I got her tickets. Life was good.

Yesterday morning, Mom came out to Kate and GP's to clean the bathroom. (My friends are gradually starting to hire Mom to do basic housework. This is awesome for everyone involved, as it means Mom has money, and means things wind up glitteringly clean. She's like the 409 Fairy.) Once there, she informed me mournfully that she'd mis-read her tickets, and that she felt like a total idiot—she thought the concert was Saturday, and it was actually Friday that she had tickets for. She was trying to stay cheery, but she was pretty clearly depressed about it.

Enter Craigslist. Within ten minutes, I had a guy in Alameda (about a twenty-minute drive away) who had an extra ticket in hand, and was willing to sell it to me. Kate printed directions for us, and I hauled Mom away to Alameda. She spent most of the drive looking pole-axed and telling me that I didn't have to do this, thus proving that she doesn't always know me very well.

Somehow, we didn't get lost on our way to perform what really looked like a drug deal: we pulled up to the curb, I hopped out of the car, and a man in a parka ran over to me. He handed me a bright green envelope. I checked the contents, handed him cash, got back in the car, and drove away. I am amazed we didn't get pulled over.

(My little sister called while we were on the way into Alameda, very worried about Mom, and wondering if there was anything we could do. I said we were on our way to pick up a ticket right that minute. Nothing I have ever done in my life has made Rachel that happy.)

During the drive back to Kate's, we actually drove through a rainbow. It ended on the freeway; it ended on us. I have never seen anything like it.

Mom picked me up from Kate's last night around midnight, after I got back from Burns Night and she got back from the show. She was glowing. They played for over five hours. She wound up two back from the stage. Her camera is full of pictures. She got a concert poster and a T-shirt.

Best birthday present ever.

Comments

[hsifyppah.livejournal.com]

Awwwww, that's awesome.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It was necessary and morally obligate.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

Yay for you.

And yeah, most Craig's List exchanges remind me of drug deals in that "two people meet, do a furtive exchange of money for goods, and never see each other again" sense. Except I think you're more likely to see people writing checks in a Craig's List deal than a drug deal.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I don't know. Most of the folks who've sold me goods through the List haven't been willing to take checks, whereas many drug dealers know where you live and will happily break your fingers if you cheat them.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

Hm. Point taken.

[sweetmusic-27.livejournal.com]

Oh that's so great! Yay happy mom!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

She was giddy. It was adorable.

Log onto IM sometime, darlin'.

[deakat]

It's so wonderful that you were able to do that for her!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

And now I don't have to get her another birthday gift until I can afford to take her to Disneyworld. ;)

[ladyqkat.livejournal.com]

You is spiffy!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I try to be. :)

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

Oh yay yay yay! This makes me grin and grin to hear. Your mom deserves such happiness. :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

If it were a Counting Crows memorial, I'd want people to move heaven and earth for me!

[valdary.livejournal.com]

That's so nice, glad she had fun.

Very short rhyme I wrote a few years ago:

Magic lives within this world,
It's not just a story told.
I've stood at the rainbow's end,
And watched raindrops turn to gold.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Oh, nice!

[magsmom.livejournal.com]

great story. happy ending.

I saw Norton Buffalo live at the LA Coliseum when I was in college - many many moons ago. They were opening for someone, but I cannot remember who. Good music and good fun, even in that cavernous place.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Wow, neat!

[magsmom.livejournal.com]

I just heard the DJ's on KFOG talking abou the Norton Buffalo tribute. That was a great thing. And it made me recall - it was Steve Miller headlining when Norton Buffalo opened that show I saw so many eons past.

[trektone.livejournal.com]

Fabulous You!


Your mom cleans houses? Hmmmm ...

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

She does. She's cheerfully crass while she does it, and she swears like a longshoreman, but when she's done, you could eat off any surface you desired.

[adb-foldem.livejournal.com]

You are a good and virtuous daughter.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) I try to be.

[sheistheweather]

That's so cool. Your mom sounds like an amazing lady, to inspire such a daughter. :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I'm fond of her.

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

"...telling me that I didn't have to do this..."

My standard response to such claims is, "Of course I don't have to. I want to." (With really good friends, I sometimes throw in, "You wanna make somethin' of it?")

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[smoooom.livejournal.com]

Very cool. Very cool indeed. If your Mom lived closer I'd hire her. I hate cleaning, I can do it. But sometimes I need some one to help me sounds like your Moms just the ticket.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

She's very good at adjusting her cleaning style to the people she's working with. She accounts well for crazy.

[lysystratae.livejournal.com]

Too cool. And the rainbow was a nice touch.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It was WOW.

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

BRAVA and Well Done!

"She spent most of the drive looking pole-axed and telling me that I didn't have to do this, thus proving that she doesn't always know me very well."
What IS it with Moms/parents not knowing their daughters/children very well after a certain point? Neither of my folks seem to realize that their daughters would happily move Heaven, Earth, and probably a couple of rings of Hell for them, if it was needed.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Well, my Mom had a period of several years where we all hated her. That's normal. I think she's just amazed that we all came back.

[bigherman.livejournal.com]

Hey... probably not the thing you were expecting me to ask about, but does your mom really do the cleaning for hire thing? I was thinking of paying my cousin to give me a hand with spring cleaning, but I seriously doubt her abilities. And I know it's not going to get done with just me.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she really does. She's incredibly thorough and awesome.

[bardling.livejournal.com]

You rock, and this is a wonderful example of why! I'm really glad you were able to sort out the near-snafu and make both your sis and your mom happy! :)

Also - wow, the rainbow thing sounds... awe-some! :)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It was just breathtaking and strange. Totally wonderful.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

That's awesome!

I'm so glad you were able to send your mom to 'the dentist'. And double plus good on the rainbow!

[batyatoon]

Somehow I have no trouble at all believing that a rainbow ended on you.

*hugs muchly*

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

It was so cool.