Story Time. . .

Ok, so I've had this funny story in my pocket for over a week now. I promised several people that I would blog about it (sorry I'm tardy, Rach) and better late than never, I guess? Plus, it has a visual so that makes it all better, right? Right. On we go. . .

I heart The Fray. They recently came to Utah for the third time and for my third time seeing them in concert (I'm not obsessed. . .), we made our way out to USANA Amphitheater for the show on a splendidly hot Saturday night. This amphitheater is one of my favorite places to see concerts - outdoors, views of the valley, close to the copper mine with one road in and out for thousands of people. . . ok wait, the good things. It's a beautiful venue with great sound and you get to feel all "arts in the park"ish when you are there because you are probably sitting on a blanket on the grass.

So me, my three buddies and every high school senior in the state made our way out to the amphitheater and found our grassy patch of choice. Just as a voice of warning, there can be several oddities when choosing to sit in the grass next to other people in blankets. They are, in no particular order, as follows:

1. The close sitter - people have surprisingly small personal bubbles when it comes to what I have termed as "blanket territory". They think "Well, if we were in chairs we would be right next to each other so it's ok with blankets to lap over our neighbors." I beg to differ. The reason I chose the grass rather than a seat is so that you aren't sharing an armrest with me. Cool? Move over.


2. No inhibitions - did you know that if you bring a blanket OFF your bed to sit on at a concert, it doesn't mean you are IN your bed while watching said concert? Some people don't know that. Or maybe their blanket magically transports them (mentally only, obviously) to it's original resting place like a bedroom or a living room? If so, I could use one of those magic blankets at my desk at work. Reality check - they don't exist. You're in public, not at home, in private. . . you get where I'm going with this?


3. The sqeezers - these people are the 'close sitters' on crack. They come late because they are too indy-pop for the opening bands. To their chagrin, no grass left. "What? Where did all of these people come from?" they are left asking themselves. "Nevermind them! I see a 3x3 patch of grass right over. . ." Um, no. Not only are you choosing to sit too close to me but to the four other groups surrounding your patch of grass! No squeezing in. Because odds are, you will also be 'no inhibitions' girl as well and I'll dry heave.

Ok, enough of that little tangent. back to the story.

So, we make our home on the grass and are having a splendid time just enjoying the sun and the people watching that can only happen in West Valley, UT. As I'm taking a look at the goodies that will, without a doubt, be my entertainment for the night, my eye caught a couple just sitting down about 15 feet to my right. Nice looking couple - very typical Utah. For the sake of the story, let's call them Dave and Emily. Can you see them in your head? Dave with his brown hair, part to the right, 5'9, t-shirt and levi cargo shorts. Emily with her cute shirt and khaki shorts to her knees, hair cut to her shoulders. Both barefoot after having removed their flip flops. You got it?

Well, within the first five minutes, I make an assessment about their situation (as I tend to do when I'm people watching). Dave is clearly a Jr at BYU and Emily just finished her freshman year. . . and she just loved her roommates, a LOT! They had limited interaction last semester and Dave decided to ask her to The Fray for their first date - a concert is cool and shows that he's into music. The Fray is enough off the beaten-path that he isn't the typical "BYU Guy" (hey, it could have been a Colors concert) and they are known for their piano-based rhythms so there is a chance for cuddling by the end of the night.

Good story, huh? I was all set for this scene to unwind throughout the night. I only wish I had some popcorn.

Just as my couple, Dave and Emily, get settled on their levi-patchwork quilt, a large group of people excitedly walk up to greet them. Friends? I don't know. They look a little young to be buddies with my friends (hahaha) but they know each other well. . . well enough that there was squealing upon greeting. Roommates? Man, I just can't figure it out. We'll assess the situation as we move forward and see if we can't figure out a place for them.

Wait, what is this? Two more girls walk up and Dave half hugs, have noogies them. Sister?!? What? You are going to let your little sister sit within earshot of you on your first date with Emily? Are you mad, man?

Sidenote: Are you seeing how into this I am getting? I know, it's ridiculous! But I couldn't help myself! The show hadn't started and I needed something to focus on. Needless to say at this point, i watched VERY little of the show once it did start. . .

So there we are, Dave and Emily, kid sister and friend sitting just below them and mystery group of too-young-to-be-buddies friends off to the right. All nice and settled in for the concert of a lifetime.

As the show started, my BYU theory was confirmed as Dave stood up to dance. He did his very best impression of an airplane all over their blanket. Emily didn't seem to mind it as it added some movement to her rhythmless world. He was flailing all over the place and my mind immediately put him in the middle of a YSA dance.

Sidenote: Let it be known that some of the coolest people I know went to BYU and loved it. But they aren't typical BYU. And if you live in Utah, you know the look that I'm talking about. I'm not saying bad things, I'm just saying there IS a look.

So, we got through the opening bands with Dave and Emily making polite conversation with each other. Dave would laugh at what she said and she would giggle back. You could tell they were talking about the deep things in life like how great the band was and how Dave liked them before they were popular and how Emily was really looking forward to starting her elementary school teaching curriculum in two years, if she wasn't married by then, wink, wink. man, i was LOVING my life! This is way better than anything on daytime TV!!

As The Fray started their set, I saw Emily reach for her camera. . . BRILLIANT! Finally, the touch barrier was to be broken. It was time for the ever awkward 'I'll take a picture of us' move that requires your heads to be close enough that you are both in frame which means. . . you guessed it, butterflies!! Well, in true girly fashion, Emily didn't like the first several pictures they took, requiring Dave's face to get closer to hers each time she adjusted her hairstyle. Finally, it was decided that in order to get the proper shot, Dave would institute the help of Kid Sister ("wherever I go, she's going to go. . ." song has double meaning so I get double points for using it!) to snap the appropriate first-date-but-may-be-on-our-wedding-video picture. So, Dave and Emily made their way lower on the grassy null to pose in front of the stage.

What's this? Dave's arms around Emily for the pic? No, not a typo. I said armS. He was in a full embrace and she certainly didn't seem to mind. My head started racing with all the possibilities of twins and car seats and family outings at Zions. This was going WELL!

Well, Dave clearly took the lack of a slap in the face to me all systems are a go and it was free-range touching from that point on. NO you dirty minds, nothing inappropriate. I'm talking hand on her back when she leaned into say something, hand on her back when she's standing close enough, hand on her SHOULDER. You know, the really exciting stuff. I was so proud of Brave Dave.

Soon enough, the happy couple was sitting back on their blanket and relaxing to the incredible acoustics of the concert when he went for it. Dave crossed his legs and was sitting Indian-style and put his hand RIGHT on his kneecap. Not like naturally rested it there. It was more like a "Hey, I'm putting my hand here so if we happen to bump hands, I can easily grab yours. . ." kind of a placement. It was bold.

In all two of my dating experiences, I've learned that one thing is for sure: if the hand is accessible, it's fair game. Everyone knows that if a girl doesn't want to touch you, she has no issue with sitting with her arms away from you all night!

So, there sits Emily, legs also crossed. Just as I'm ready for her hand to move to her knee. . . nothing. She puts her hands in her lap! What are you DOING, Emily?!?! He can't go fishing around down there, trying to grab your hand! The poor guy is going out on a limb and you are making this really hard! Wait, hands are coming up. . . I'm getting excited. . . WHAT! Crossed arms!?! You are seriously going to cross your arms?! I almost yelled at her. Poor Dave looked completely rejected and she acted like she had no idea. (In all fairness, she's maybe 20 so maybe she didn't have an idea.) You are a tease, Emily! That's what you are. All of this BYU flirty and swaying and pseudo-dancing and you fold you arms? You have got to be kidding me.

Well, this agonizing scene went on for a solid 20 minutes. Dave acting like it wasn't a big deal but secretly being hurt. Emily, folding her arms like we were in the Arctic Tundra when it was 90 degrees outside. I was thoroughly disappointed.

I need to slip in a quick reminder that all of this is going on in my head. I never once talked to these people or found out their actual situation. While the events are real, the attitudes and feeling are strictly coming from Carlee Land and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the actual parties involved.

So, the concert is nearing a close and everyone stands up for the encore. I'm feeling about as dejected as Dave is. I had big plans for this little family and their kids with names like Cooper but spelled with a K and Mendenhall, for obvious reasons.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. Dave was making a final move for it. They were standing next to each other, nearly swaying and he was going to go for the full hug, part two. Here he goes. . . IT'S A SUCCESS! She doesn't punch him or shy away awkwardly but totally embraces it and starts to sway with Dave! That's right, swaying.

It's at this gleeful moment that I can't help myself. I realize that this has been a funny enough experience (again, in my head) tat I'll need to blog about it. And what goes more perfectly with a blog than a picture? Nothing. My blog must contain visuals.

So. . . click.

In the pitch black of night, I took a picture of the happy couple from behind. That's "Dave and Emily" on their first date.

Um, if the story ended here, all would be well, right? Of course it didn't end here. Remember when I said it was the black of night? And there was clearly a flash? Well, just as I took the picture and was reveling in my accomplishment, there was a tap on my shoulder.

Blonde Girl: "Excuse me, did you just take a picture of those two people?"

Me: "Uh, yeah. . ."

Blonde Girl: "I know both of them. . ."

Me: "Uuuhhh. . . (this is the part where I start wondering how feisty this girl is and if she is going to try and play camera police and try and come after me or something. BUT, I had done a lot of work in making up this story and it was too good not to get a picture. So me, deciding that I didn't feel bad for taking the photo said. . .) Awesome. They are both going to be on my blog."

Cricket, cricket. . . nothingness abounds as blonde girl and her date stare at me. What now?!?!

Blonde girl's date breaks the silence:

Date: "Any chance you could send that picture to me because I've been watching them all night and they are ridiculous! He's a total wuss!"

Hazzah! No bar fight! (Ok, there was no bar but you get what I'm saying). They thought it was as funny as we did. In fact, blonde girl snuck up behind them and got a picture pointing at them and laughing. It was so great!!

So, was I right? You better believe I asked about those two and what their story was. It was their first date. Check. They didn't meet at BYU. How is that possible?!?!? They didn't meet at school because they were EFY counselors together!!! hahaha. So pegged. Sister and friend, check. Remember the random group of "friends" that came and sat with them? Those were their kids at EFY LOVING the fact that their counselors were dating. Hence her hesitancy! Hence the awkwardness! She wasn't a tease, she just didn't want to be watched by her EFY kids! Little did she know the biggest spy of all was just to the other side and back a couple of blankets. . .