Funny how sometimes in life, something that you know is going to happen occurs and when it happens ... it's just is not exactly how you expected...
A couple of years back I was on a visit to New York for a reunion of people I had known for twenty years and we all booked into the Waldorf Astoria at 301 Park Avenue. The organiser of the event had planned everything in meticulous detail... and I mean meticulous! We were each given a schedule accompanied by maps, times, subway routes and of course events that were going to continue to deepen the bonds of our friendship... hmmmm!!
If I remember correctly, at that point in my life, I was tied to schedules and the last thing I wanted to do was travel halfway around the world to find myself on a new schedule. But, being a reunion, you get to catch up with friends and as much as 'S' had scheduled everything - we could have sat in the lobby of the hotel as we just really wanted to catch up and hear about our various lives and what we had been doing for the past ten years - (as our 10 year reunion was in London).
It was a lot of fun catching up and finding out how lives change so dramatically, friendships run their course, people change their job, some lose their hair, some put on weight, others marry, divorce or come out. Some find a higher being on this journey of life, some age gracefully - (and some not!). They have kids, gain qualifications, some lose everything they own and for some who were not present, they were in our memories for their individual battles with cancer was finally over.
After three days of drinks, visits, parties, dancing and laughing much about events past - and even shedding tears for mistakes made along the way... we parted company again.
Now with the schedule placed into my journal, I was able to roam the city of New York and catch up with a new friend I had made and who asked me if I had been to see a show call... 'WICKED'?
When I said I had never heard of it, 'G' smiled, something really did change in his eyes - it was like he knew something that I didn't and he also knew how much it would change my life for good.
Upon returning to Australia, I spoke about this show (experience) to almost every person who had a pulse, and for some I was able to get across the amazement of the show... from others I would get this vacant look as if to say... 'Yeah, Yeah Rafter, I'm sure it's ok!'... they just did not understand.
Anyhoooo...
I was made aware, about a year later, that WICKED was coming to Melbourne. This news was exciting, however I only spoke about it with one person because I knew she ('A') was just as excited about it as I was... because 'A' had even sent me a text message the second she heard the news...
And here's the situation re... events happening and you think you know how it's all going to be ... well... WICKED!
I had, for so many, many months known that at some stage I would overhear someone in Melbourne talk about this show called WICKED and how amazing it all was and how they had been filled with the life changing experience... similar to me...
Well...
During this week, I was on the tram to have coffee at one of my favourite hangouts in Carlton... a place called 'Threshermans' when I came across this young couple who had been to see the show the previous night...
It was at this point when their arguement began... because she was annoyed at him for being over familiar with two girlfriends that had also went along with them. She was NOT impressed with his WICKED behaviour and as if that were not enough... I had to endure their errupting arguement for the length of Swanston Street until it became so heated that she jumped off the tram and stood on the footpath giving an obscene finger gesture to him as the tram departed the stop. (not really the way I anticipated my first response to WICKED IN MELBOURNE!)
So, while editing this week I thought about this young couple and how each person has a different memory of an event. I gathered, while I was writing about a court ball in St Petersburg, that it will be the same with '209 A Story' - some people are going to love it - it's going to be popular... and others won't read past the first chapter ... something bad... and even some will take years to ever hear about it. However, I also learned that the experience I have had with it all has been nothing less than ... WICKED!
Have a good week everyone
PEACE
Steven
ps. Go and see Wicked - it will change your life forever... opps I mean .... 'for good'
pps. The thiry year reunion is in... Melbourne! Can only just imagine what we'll look like then!
