I still get a chill go up my spine every time I think about this one...

It was my last year of medical school and I had been looking foreword to
this run of shows in Landover for a LONG time. It happened to fall on my
birthday and I had vacation for the week. I was PSYCHED! A few months
earlier I had gotten two ferrets and named them Rubin and Cherise. I had
also had a new girlfriend named Debbie. Not a Deadhead, but I was working
on it; she had potential. I'd played her alot of my tapes and she liked
them, but what she REALLY liked were my Jerry shows. She was nuts about
both my ferrets as well as the song Rubin and Cherise.

I mail-ordered for tickets on the first day and told GDTS that it was my
birthday (even sent a copy of my drivers license to prove it) hoping they
would send me something better than my usual nosebleed seats. It worked and for all 4 nights I had floor seats. The *worst* were 20th row center!! My best friend and I were SO psyched!! Debbie had said that she would go to one show with me (not being a head she didn't see the point in doing all
four) and chose the 17th.

Dave and I were SO excited that day! Though we had each seen more that 60 shows, neither of us had ever had seats so good. On the drive there we
talked about what we hoped they would play, and Debbie, knowing nothing,
said, "I hope they play Rubin and Cherise!". Dave and I laughed at her, explaining that it's not a Dead song, it's a *Jerry* song and the Dead don't
do it! She said, "Well, maybe they will tonight since you got your little
fuzzy guys not long ago." We laughed at her and told her that, although the
karma is there, under NO circumstances would they EVER EVER EVER play Rubin and Cherise. It's just not an option at all. She just crossed her arms and looked pouty and said, "Well, *I* think they are going to play it tonight
for *ME*, " and didn't say another word for the rest of the ride. We teased
her for a while and then a really good help->slipknot->franklins from a
Buffalo show back in '77 came on, and the conversation stopped.

We forgot all about it when we got in to the Cap Center and got to our
seats. We were so close we could see that Bob's amp really DID go up to 11!
The show started with a nice strong Hell in a Bucket-> Sugaree and then a
great Walking Blues, Peggy-O, and Queen Jane. Then there was about a minute pause and the crowd began to chant "We want Phil". That died out after about 15 seconds and there was quiet again. Out of the quiet came three very distinct notes. The Capital Center fell silent. Chills went up all
three of our spines (as they are doing as I type this). I think we were the
only three people who knew what they were starting to play. Could it be?!?!
Oh SHIT!!! Dave and I went NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jerry went... "Cherise was
brushing her long hair gently down...." and the rest of the crowd joined us!
It was one of the most exciting and memorable experiences in my life.
Debbie turned to me with her arms crossed and said quietly, "See?"

Peace,
Ed

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