| I was in a BIG ice skating rink with seats around it, waiting for an Al concert to start. As we waited, they announced the winner for Best Guitarist. Well, they tried. There was a list of names up on the scoreboard, and the janitor attempted to put numbers with the names. There were two names, Steve (Jay) and someone else…we’ll say Mike. Mike got 5. Steve, on the other hand, got ##. (The janitor was a bit confused...) I was more than a bit upset, because our seats were located in such a way that we’d be able to see the back of Rubén’s head better than we could any of Al. And even that would be blocked, because they had a big wooden shell around them, so no one in the back could see them. I was seated with a person from my mellophone section, Mollie, and her family-except she's caucasian, and her biological family were all black. Figure that one out. The stage was tiny. Really tiny. So tiny that, when Rubén snuck out during the preshow, there was almost no room for him. The preshow number was a linedance that ended with the line of four men falling flat on their rears. Rubén attempted this, and got up, making a face and rubbing his butt. (I about died laughing.) Then, Al came out. I screamed “HEY AL!” “What?” “Look at all the empty seats in front of you!” “Man, that’s like a performer’s worst nightmare!” “It’s because we’re all behind you!” “Oh. Well, come on down!” We all ran to the front of the stage (the seats were located directly on the ice) and cheered for Al. Al bowed modestly. His pants from the knee down were made of the same material as his Hawaiian shirt. Then he left the stage so everyone could be introduced. “WE NOW PRESENT….RUBéN VALTIERRA AND JON “BERMUDA” SCHWARTZ!” boomed the loudspeaker. Rubén and Bermuda ran out on stage, took their places, and grinned. “STEVE JAY AND JIM WEST!” Steve and Jim ran out, took their places, and grinned. “OUR FAVORITE AND YOURS, WEIRD…AL….YANKOVIC!” We stood up and cheered. He came out and started singing. (A new song, that I can't remember for the life of me.) Through the whole song, he stared at me. And then I woke up. My Take On It Next Dream |
| Ice Concert 10/11/01 |