"I do, in fact, like helping miserable children, Mr. Sedaris."

Last Monday, I went to An Evening with David Sedaris in San Jose. Granted I was late a good thirty minutes, but all was worth the trip and the embarrassing journey to our designated seats.


One entrance was for even numbered seats, the entrance on the other side of the building was for odd numbered seats. I looked at our tickets, and of course, it said: Seats 1 and 2! What are the chances, right? Our seats were smack in the middle of the balcony! WTH. It would have been fine if we weren't late, I turned to the usher and gave her a pleading look of seating us somewhere else. She got what my eyes where whining about and told me, "It's a full house, you have to seat on your assigned seats, and we can't have you sit on the steps." That ended that.


So, for what seemed like an eternity, I gathered up the strength to walk through several feet of people laughing, blocking some people's view in the process. With every seat I pass, I had to do the customary, "Excuse us, I'm sorry". It didn't help at all that the balcony was just one long row after another. Seriously, if I ever watch a show at that place again, I would never eat Mexican food... nor drink lots of water prior to the show. OR maybe, that's when the Stadium Pal can come in handy... at least for the water consumption, Mexican food is still a no-go.


Finally, we got settled in: We laughed at Mr. Sedaris' funny stories. May have wiped tears off my eyes once or twice. Applauded non-stop (I did stop... eventually).


I don't know when I'll get to see him read again, I did enjoy it a lot. I had three books signed by him... it was so surreal. At one point, I thought to myself, "I am actually exchanging words with David Sedaris!". Here's a memento from that unforgettable night:



Everything was just so unreal and I was so giddy with excitement. When I got home, I saw a package (and the name of its sender) that it hit me, I did not get a book autographed for my friend. Sob. I was feeling so horribly selfish as I wrap myself in the tartan throw the same friend gave me from his recent trip to Scotland. An autographed book could have been the perfect Christmas present for him. For a minute I was tempted into whiting-out my name and replacing it with his name, but then I realize, that's worse. LOL. He was the one who convinced me to skip school to see the show, and this is how I thank him? What a friend I am. (I scoff at myself)

Wanna be my friend?