In this week’s blog post, I’ll be presenting to the reader a scene once again also taken from my life. What’s different about this post is that it takes place in the past and it displays a time where a situation and or my decisions have negatively impacted my life. An interesting read or listen (if you enjoy podcasts) that tells a story of a scene and accurately represents making choices that impact your life while using creative nonfiction can be found here for the audio podcast or here for the text transcript. It is told by famous writer, Lulu Wang. I had a particular story in mind, but I had to refrain because of the content matter but most importantly that my parents might read that content matter, so for now I’ll tell something else. My legs were shaking with anticipation but also from the strenuous, exhausting day I had. It was the day I saw Twenty One Pilots in concert at the Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing in South Philly. I was 15 years old at the time and my entire world revolved around bands, musicians, tv shows, actors, movies, all of the above. I spent countless hours online, specifically on twitter, idolizing and glorifying these interests, all while making new friends with similar interests. Times were simpler and more pure then. One of my stepmom Colleen’s employees at her bakery back then was about 19 years old, her name was Lauren. From what Colleen had told me, Lauren had shared a lot of the same likings as me, which was nice and a little surprising considering the four year age gap. One of those likings happened to be the band Twenty One Pilots. There was nothing I wanted to do more than see them in concert after spending every waking moment of my adolescent, responsibility free life analyzing videos taken by other concert goers and craving that same exciting and welcoming environment to be at and enjoy the music, almost like a family. “Lauren is looking for someone to take to a Twenty One Pilots concert, she doesn’t really know anyone else who likes them and her dad got her two tickets. Sound like something you’re interested in?” A text that reads from Colleen one afternoon as I’m sitting in my last class of the day, ready to go home. My eyes light up at my phone that I probably wasn’t allowed to be using at the time and I feel a surge of joy fill my body. Suddenly the overpacked, student loaded classroom felt empty, and like the dopamine spurting from my brain was filling up the whole room. It was obvious what my answer was. About two weeks later, I was a little nervous when I got the text Lauren was outside to pick me up for the show, considering I didn’t know Lauren that well in person. We easily had grown on each other the way there, both our passion for the band so visible as we conversate about which members we admire and screaming lyrics in the car as their new album blasted in preparation for the show. “You excited?” She exclaims questionably as we find our parking spot and make our way to the line for the entrance.. Fast forward to after the show, where believe it or not is the most interesting part of the story. The show was amazing though, worth talking about in a whole separate blog post. From the presentation of lights and graphics all the way down to the way Tyler, the lead singer, back-flipped off his piano and the red and white confetti that rained down on the audience as he did so, it was easily one of the best shows I’d ever seen and a life changing experience. I knew every single word as well as Lauren and everyone around me, who also took my side when some ignorant people began to push a little too hard in the pit since it was general admission. It almost felt like a support system, or like I had made a little concert family. It was comfortable, and nothing but pure happiness surrounded every square inch of the pier. This was all the backstory, now here’s where it really goes down and where the decision comes in. It’s known that after Twenty One Pilots shows, if you stay after the show is over and you happen to be in the right place right time, you have a chance at meeting Tyler and Josh (the members, Josh is the drummer). Me and Lauren were all for it and we had even found what looked like the spot everyone was waiting for the band to come greet them for a few moments before they venture on the road to their next venue. The only conflict being, I was 15, so sure enough I had a curfew. I was told to come home as soon as the show ended, and no excuses or funny business as my mom would say. It’s well past midnight and I’m in South Philly surrounded by many different interesting characters, not all in the right mind state. My mom had every right to feel worried. Me and Lauren had pushed the limits and waited by the gate for about 40 minutes, aching and sore, sitting bare legs on warm summer night concrete, before I finally decided they’re probably not coming out anytime soon, and she should take me home. Lauren had work in the morning also, as well as my mom blowing up my phone, she agreed it was a good time to leave as well and better luck next time. Sure enough this would come to be the worst decision I ever made. “I’ll bet you 10 whole dollars, as soon as we get on the highway, they’ll come out to meet fans.” I tell her in exasperation, leaning back in her car gazing at the city lights out the window. Sure enough, I check Instagram and the first post that appears is one from 4 minutes ago from a friend of mine named Sara who also attended the concert. The caption read: “FJBCJBFWJ LOOK WHO I JUST MET YALL!!!!! THANK YOU @tylerrjoseph @joshuadunn FOR A TIME I’LL NEVER FORGET *heart emoji*” In the picture above the caption was Twenty One Pilots, posing and hugging Sara along with an abundance of other fans in the second picture aside it- in the exact same spot Lauren and I had waited for the guys about 20 minutes beforehand. Part of me almost urged Lauren to turn around, but they probably would have left by the time we made it off the exit considering the tedious traffic around us from the show letting out thousands of tired fans. Not to mention I was too shy to ask. Easily, that decision impacted my life more negatively than anything else I could think of at the moment, this stupid reminder was the first thing that popped into my head when I looked at this assignment. I could’ve met the men that formed one of my favorite obsessions when I was 15 and made all my dreams come true, if I had just waited 20 more minutes. These images aren't the best quality, but at the time they meant a lot to me. The last one also shows little 15 year old me and Lauren.
1 Comment
Andrew Moskowitz
10/8/2018 11:32:45 am
Your scene was great your description details were very well put. But Ive been to a logic concert at penns landing, they are good time
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AuthorHi! I'm Taylor Kriebel, a current student at Delaware County Community College. You're currently reading my blog assignments from my English Composition I class. Enjoy! Archives
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