Hello, friend…
I’m just home from a concert. I do not know when I was last at a concert, at the beautiful Winter Garden theatre no less. A place I once worked as an usher. It’s a gorgeous theatre- it’s a garden indoors! Who doesn’t love that?! But I went to see a musical comedy duo called Ninja Sex Party, two guys I hadn’t seen in YEARS.
MANY moons ago, I was dumped by a guy I really thought I was going to marry. We had met at the theatre I was at tonight. And hours after my heart had been busted I answered an email from a friend asking if anyone had room to house two guys for the upcoming Toronto Sketch Fest. They were visiting from the States. And I vaguely recall what I wrote in the email, but I think it said something like I have room for guests, but I just got dumped so I don’t know if I’m the right person to stay with but maybe it would be nice to have some company.
And Julianne wrote me back, to say thanks and that she’d send the guys my way. And then she told me to listen to this song, as it would be sure to make me smile. This was the song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcmBALxDkRY
It did the trick. The guys arrived a few days later and were the absolute kindest guys, eager to eat the meals I had made and be like two big brothers, listening to my stupid stories about my dumb ex-boyfriend. I took them to my favourite spots to eat (a few of which no longer exist), they met my brother, I saw them perform at Comedy Bar where I’m pretty sure I was THE MOST enthusiastic person there.
And there I was tonight, in the top balcony, amongst A TON of VERY ENTHUSIASTIC fans. Looking down at Dan and Brian just crushing it, and remembering how a few blocks away they stayed in my very tiny condo. Brian’s blow-up mattress taking up the majority of my living room, and Dan claiming the couch and being so lovely to talk to.
I’ve seen these guys play in comedy clubs, in dive bars in New Jersey where I thought a guy spent the night staring at me, only to be told by Brian’s wife afterwards that the guy I thought was staring at me all night was A MANNEQUIN. That was the last time I saw Dan, at that club, I had hoped we could have another of our chats after the show but some ladies wanted to see him and he had to be the guy to be seen. So off the rest of us went, to a diner post show in New Jersey and ordered pie from a salty waitress who made it clear she had no interest in being where she was.
I fell asleep on the car ride back.
All of this was coming back as I soaked in the roar of the crowd. All of them singing along. One of whom was boldly disobeying the no filming policy the ENTIRE show.
I remember staying at Brian’s lovely apartment in NYC with him and his wife for a night or two. I looked forward to returning. And then they announced they were moving to California. And little by little, I lost touch with them both. But I knew their star was rising.
I marveled at what I saw them do tonight, remembering Dan sauntering on that stage at Comedy Bar a long long time ago- but much as he did this evening. And I can only imagine was all of this feels like to THEM- but as someone who knew them when… It was a trip to experience this tonight. The looooong lines for merch. Being amongst a handful of fans who waited for them post show at stage door… until I realized the time, remembered I am 44 and got my ass back on the subway home. A young man, and fellow fan, wishing me “a good night” as I walked away. He was probably thinking okay mom’s gone now, there’s one less person who will take my time away from these guys.
Oh, if only he knew that Brian and Dan once sat with me on my floor and they played me songs…
I’m not sure if our paths will ever cross again, but oh what they’ve accomplished impresses me so. (Even what I’ve done since I met them impresses me so!) It was wonderful to see old friends working at the theatre, and to see old friends on the stage of the theatre. And when they inevitably play Madison Square Garden one day… I will be there in the crowd… marveling at the places we’ve been and have yet to go.
And humming the heck to this tune, that cuts a bit close to the bone. 😉
https://youtu.be/3YXUWWZJXpE
xo.
Marriage & the Single Girl 