Another month has rolled on by and I found myself thinking girl, you got to
get this column written. Truth is, I've had it in mind for a while now. I've
relished the idea of sharing it with you all. It's the perfect way to take a
walk down Garthmemory Lane. Ready? Here we go!
Ever since I went to my first Garth "event" I've saved those precious ticket
stubs. For a while, they were put in scrapbooks. Then, they got put in a
photo album. Then, after Garth played Ireland a beautiful gift arrived in the
mail. It was the pencil drawing of Garth done in 1993. For those of you
who've seen it, you know what I mean. Its absolutely breathtaking. The
likeness is uncanny.
I took the drawing and had it professionally matted in blue and put in a gold
frame. It has hung since on the right side of my computer desk in our
extended living room. I was sitting here one day and I thought, this would
be a good place to hang my ticket stubs.
Out they came and soon I found myself sticking them around the edges of the
frame surrounding the drawing of Garth. When the tour ended in 1998, those
ticket stubs totally surrounded the frame. I just wasn't satisfied with that
though. They'd fall and I always worried about losing one. Now, mind
you...they are used tickets. They hold no value except in my mind...and in my
heart.
I was looking at a catalog a while back and found some display trays. They
resemble a food tray with handles on the ends. Yet they are wooden with brass
handles and have a black velvet type background with a glass front. They were
ideal for the ticket stubs!
When they arrived I took them out of their shipping boxes and cleaned the
glass. Then, I took the tickets down from around the framed Garth drawing.
I sat down in the floor rearranging the tickets from the first show till the
last. It took me about seven seconds to realize that this was not going to
be a quick pop them in the tray and be done job.
Everyone was outside and I had the house all to myself. I put Garth Live From
Central Park in the VCR and settled in for a trip through my memories.
Every ticket stub I picked up took me somewhere in my mind. I relived the
journey there. I felt the anticipation of getting the tickets. I recalled
the happiness as Garth took the stage. I remembered every look, every smile,
every hug, every friend met along the way.
October 9, 1992, I had won two tickets to see Garth the first time at a show
in Birmingham, Alabama. I entered a radio contest called "What Would You Do
To See Garth Brooks?" The answer? Let's just say, it involved a cow, my
favorite pair of boots, a hat, peanut butter and jelly, whip cream, cake
batter, jello and the absolute stupidest thing I've ever done in my whole
life! Jason and I drove down for that show and God above knows, I've never
been the same since.
Martina McBride opened for Garth that night and I just remember that little
gal with the big voice. After that, its a blur. A fantastic, wonderful,
awesome, amazing blur! I looked at Jason half way through that show and I
said "I can't believe the way I feel."
After the show, I remember walking to the car with Jason and I was so quiet.
He knew it wasn't like me to not be rambling a million miles a minute. He
questioned what was wrong. I stopped walking and I looked at him and I said,
"I'm speechless." I can't explain it. I don't know what I can say. I can't
believe what I just saw...what I just felt. I can't believe that a man and
his music can make you feel this way."
Poor Jason...he knew then....I was a goner. He also knew beyond any doubts,
that he'd, willingly or not, climbed on this ride with me.
I rattled and babbled and gushed for days after that first show. You couldn't
shut me up. I was like a preacher on a street corner shouting the good
message. I really thought that the whole world should do themselves a favor
and go see a Garth concert. My family was ready to have me committed to a
little white room with no windows and cushioned walls. I had it and I had it
BAD! And, I had to have it again.
That chance would not come again till December 3, 1993. Garth was playing
The Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee. I'll give you one guess what I asked Jason
to get me for Christmas that year? The sweetheart ended up taking me and my
sister. In a pouring rain. With me totally freaking out cause I was getting
to see Garth again. My sister to this day still swears she will NEVER ride
with me again to a concert. She swears it could be a mile from my house and
she still wouldn't ride with me. She says give me twenty-four hours before a
Garth show and I turn into a possessed woman with Garth on the brain. Geez,
you're NOT supposed to be like that the twenty-four hours leading up to the
show?
Nobody got any sleep the day of the show. Nobody got any sleep the night of
the show. Again, my mouth flowed like a fountain. I swear they were ready
to sedate me. It was like shut up already! I babbled nonstop all the way
home. Only thing was, I'd had dose number one in 1992. Now, I'd just gotten
does number two. I truly did not think I could survive waiting another year
for dose number three!
But, I did. There was one single solitary vision that kept me going during
that wait. I was bound and cotton picking determined that I was going to
meet Garth Brooks. I didn't know how. I wasn't sure when. But, I knew for
sure it WOULD happen. From that night in Memphis on, it was never a matter
of if. It was a matter of when.
December 3, 1994. Ironically, a year to the day since that Memphis show when
I promised myself looking out a rainy car window that my path would someday
cross that of Garth Brooks, he played the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Amazed I made my way to the stage. He was so very close but oh so far away.
Touchable, just not reachable. I knew that I'd be seeing him again in just
few days and I remember thinking to myself, "you're fixing to meet Garth
Brooks."
December 8, 1994 was the most amazing day! A friend and her husband and
Jason and I were going to a taping of Music City Tonight, the old Crook and
Chase show. I woke up that morning. Excited, stomach churning. I looked in
the mirror and said, "YOU are going to meet and hug Garth Brooks today." It
wasn't that I had this sure fire method or plan. It wasn't that I had a way
to get this accomplished. I just knew that it was going to happen. My wait
was over.
During the question and answer segment of the show they picked my question.
I asked Garth what he'd say to someone who'd done the crazy stuff I'd done to
get tickets to see him in concert. I was standing there shaking. I couldn't
believe, that here HE stood. Talking to me...looking at me. He laughed at
the question and looked at me and said, "What would I say????" I couldn't
speak. Speechless. He'd done it to me again. I just stood there and bobbed
my head up and down like an idiot.
The next few minutes are frozen in my memory. I went totally numb. I saw
Garth stand, sling his guitar strap over his shoulder and hand it to a
security guy. And, my friend Julia was trying her best to get me to let go
of her hand and push me out into the aisle.
All I remember from that moment is Garth bounding up the steps to where I was
standing. Next thing I remember is his hands going on my cheeks and him
tilting my face up. Next thing I can truly say I recall is those blue eyes
coming closer and closer, those lips coming down and his head tilting
slightly and that hat coming down over my face. (I think I really died at
this point and went to heaven but I am quite sure I'm still alive and
kicking.) He kissed me on the lips and wrapped me up into my first sweet
GarthSqueezie. We exchanged a few words that I will forever treasure during
that hug and in a flash, he was back in his seat on the stage, winking and
telling me thank you.
Honey, I just THOUGHT that I was speechless and numb after that first
concert. I had no idea. Thank God I was not driving home that night. I was
totally incoherent for days. I was in a trance. Looking back now I swear I
had to look like a total fool. The phone rang off the hook for days and when
we got home and I watched it on TV for the first time, I really just lost it.
I just kept saying "I DID IT!"
And we wonder where that believe concept comes from? Is there really any
doubt?
The next appearance I went to came again in December on the 16th in 1995.
The Grand Ole Opry featured Garth and again, I knew what I wanted for
Christmas. So cherished are the shows at the Opry. Its such a different
feeling from the concerts. There's a reverence there that cannot be
duplicated and it always shows on Garth's face when he stands on the Opry
stage.
In 1996 that wonderful World Tour we all traveled together began.
During the winter of '95 I'd spoken with Garth and we talked about the tour
getting underway and our expectations of what the tour would be like. I told
him then, wherever it began, I wanted to be there but worried about tickets.
We all knew that tickets for this tour would be an exceptionally hard item to
obtain. Garth in his sweet calming manner promised me that I'd be there. He
said, "Don't worry. You'll be there. You gotta believe!" My fears about
getting a seat in Atlanta disappeared that day and were replaced with a "I
will be there and I'll be on the front row" frame of mind.
Tickets for Atlanta went on sale. Armed with more determination than should
be humanly allowed, I got through to an operator. The Thursday March 14th
show sold first. Where were my tickets? Stage side left. Row one.
Believe....believe...believe.
My dream during Garth's down time was to let him know how much this tour was
worth the wait. We made a huge poster that said "IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT."
The way this unfolded was almost errie. But then again, it wasn't. It's just
one of those memories that I looked back on as I held those ticket stubs in
my hands and smiled.
Garth ended up selling a show for Wednesday March 13th. During that day in
Atlanta, he did an interview, which did not air till the day AFTER we went to
the show on Thursday. In that interview, he made a comment. He said, "I just
hope somebody let's us know that this was worth the wait." Remember...this
did not air till Friday night and he said it on Wednesday.
That Thursday night, the lights went down and when Garth came on stage, we
held up our sign. "IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT."
Garth came over to our side of the stage with the most astounded look on his
face. (Little did we know why till we saw the interview that next night.)
He turned and looked at the band and just beamed. Colleen and Raymond were
sitting beneath us and they saw Garth looking at us and turned and looked up
at the sign. Both of their faces instantly turned to smiles. Garth said
"thank you" to us, patted his heart, and walked away with a smile...shaking
his head.
Before the show, we'd given Colleen three red roses to say thank you for
sharing your son with us. Gracious lady that she was, during "The River" she
walked up to the stage and wiggled her little finger at Garth. He reached
down to kiss her and she handed him the roses and pointed to us. I will
never forget her smile or his...at that moment. It was truly two smiles with
the same heart.
Just a few months later Garth visited the Great State of Alabama. Here we
were again. So much had happened since that first show back on October 9,
1992. Traveling to concerts, the Opry appearances, and I'd been blessed to
meet and talk with Garth occasionally at the gates in Nashville.
May 17, 1996 I took a friend and we went to see Garth in Birmingham. I was
so excited to go back to the same venue again where this wild ride I was on
had started for me. I was more excited because I knew that the next night,
I'd take my little girls to see their first Garth concert!
On May 18, 1996 I took great pleasure in dressing up my little girls in their
Roper boots and setting off to the city of Birmingham. They curled their
hair and wore matching red shirts and each had made a poster board sign for
Garth asking him to sing their favorite songs. We took pictures of them
outside of Garth's bus holding the signs and then gave the signs to John
McBride who had saw the girls and graciously said he'd make sure Garth saw
the signs they'd made before he went onstage.
I guess as Moms there's lots of proud moments. There's the usual birthdays,
class plays, getting a home run hit, dancing in a recital, that kind of
thing. Then, there's those moments where you watch your child fulfill a
dream that you have for them. This was the case that night.
I had long wanted to watch my girls, watch Garth. I will never forget the
looks on their little faces as the countdown began. When the music started
their little mouths fell wide open and their eyes were even wider. The
watched the lights and listened intently. The music grew louder and then, in
the beat of a heart, I knew that my girls GOT it.
Lindsey and Kayla were standing in between Jason and I. They were stretching
so tall and jumping in their seats. Lindsey looked at me and she touched her
heart and she says in her little four and a half year old voice, "Mama, I
FEEL the music right here." I think you could have lit up the arena with the
smile I had at that moment.
When Garth rose out of the piano it was the absolute sweetest moment for me.
Kayla, who was seven and a half at the time, and Lindsey both jumped so hard
we had to grab them to keep them in the seats. They were pointing and
screaming, "Mama, THERE he is, its Garth!"
Some kids may have grown tired after a while. But not these two. When the
show ended, they were still standing. Tired, but standing. Exhausted. Garth
had done it again. Two more hearts...that were goner's.
The celebrity softball game held annually before Fan Fair took place on June
9, 1996. We went to watch Garth play and hopefully talk to him afterwards.
Garth was in rare form that day. Silly. Happy. And playing the crowd as he
does so very well. A rain delay only resulted in more fun as Garth and Kenny
Chesney decided to use the tarp on the field as a big water slide. Garth
almost gave us more than we bargained for that afternoon. He slid down...and
so did his pants!
After the game we went out back to where the artists were leaving. Before
long, here came Garth and Mick. I found out that day, Garth doesn't
recognize me in my glasses. I handed him my shirt to sign and he looked at
me. He kind of thought a minute and said, "Girl, is that you?" I took off my
glasses to a big ole smile and a GarthSqueezie. Ain't never wore glasses
around Garth again.
A sweet precious Garth fan who was a pen pal of mine at the time gave me a
very special birthday gift in the fall of '96. Garth played Knoxville,
Tennessee's Thompson Boling Arena on November 2, 1996. It was bitter cold
that day and we went to bed the night before with frozen and broken water
pipes. Jas got up at 4:30 that morning to repair the pipes and restore our
water. We took the girls to my parents and off we went for one of those
there and back trips to see Garth in concert. I was sick with pneumonia and
needed to be home in bed but wasn't about to pass up another chance to see
Garth perform. Besides, it was my birthday present! I left hoarse and came
home not able to talk. Tired and completely exhausted we pulled back into
our driveway at 3:30 that next morning. It had been a long day but one that
was full of sweet memories.
In the year of 1997 I experienced a Garth drought. I do not wish it on my
worst enemy I assure you. Garth was totally out of my traveling reach that
year. At one time, I thought I was going to make it to a show but family
responsibilities needed to be met. I had to remember too, that 1996 had been
a totally awesome year and I had no call to complain. So I waited and
waited. Finally, Garth came back to more familiar territory.
On March 7, 1998 Garth once again played The Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee.
This time, with the help of a GarthAngel we ended up with some awesome seats.
Jason and I also agreed it was time that we took the girls back to see Garth
again. They'd wanted to go to each show since that their first one in
Birmingham in 1996.
Again, I sat bursting with pride as my girls watched Garth take the stage and
turn that arena into a playground. They smiled. They danced. They stood in
the aisle and did the hula to "Two Pina Coladas." Garth saw them and flashed
one of those seven million dollar grins their way.
This was a special night for me because I got to introduce my girls to
Colleen "Mama" Brooks. My girls went straight into her arms, called her
"Mama Brooks" and she beamed as she hugged them close. She looked up from
that hug and told me, "Honey, I see why you are so proud of them. They are
angels." The girls and I took a picture with her that night and its hanging
here on my wall now. My Kayla has her head laid on Mama B's shoulder. Of
the many things that I've done in my life, this was one of my proudest
moments. Having my girls meet Colleen Brooks meant the world to me. I am
forever grateful that they had that opportunity.
Next came the three most phenomenal days for me. Garth was coming "home" to
play Nashville, Tennessee. With Garthluck and Garthangels I was able to get
tickets for two of the three nights. I was also so pumped up because I had
managed to get tickets for my parents and my sister and brother in law.
Here, finally, my family would be able to see what I had totally lost all
sanity about. So, with Saturday and Sunday tickets, the search was on for
Friday tickets.
The GarthAngel of all GarthAngel's smiled at me with the bluest of eyes. At
a taping of a radio special Garth and I had a chance to talk. He asked if we
were coming back up for the shows. I told him that we'd be there for
Saturday and Sunday and that we were still searching for Friday and we'd be
there too...no doubts. Well, he would have none of that and assured me that
we'd be there. Friday night May 8, 1998 was a gift from Garth. Jason and I
were treated to seats and so began the three most surprising special nights.
When we arrived that Friday evening, still amazed at Garth's gift, I had no
idea what the night would bring. Unknown to me, a stranger was lurking.
Unknown to me, I was being followed. Unknown to me, I had been set up in the
sneakiest of ways. Garth knew how important it was for me to be there on
Friday night. Never let it be said that Garth, his fans, and your
Garthfriends are not the sneakiest people on earth!
There was going to be one special person missing for me at the Nashville
shows. A lady I'd gotten to know via our love for Garth and his music. Judy
Humphrey from the great state of Pennsylvania told me there was no way she
could make it down for the shows. Judy Humphrey lied.
Standing in the crowded lobby of the Nashville Arena, surrounded by sneaky,
conniving, sweet Garthnutts, I see a friend walk up with a man on her arms.
She explains to me that its her boyfriend, Dave...Dave Humphrey.
About this time, from behind me, just as my mind starts to reel with the
possibility, I hear a familiar voice yell, "GOTCHA!"
I whirled around and I don't know which of us ran to the other quicker, but
there was Judy smiling from ear to ear as I cussed her for all she was worth
for pulling that on me. The hug we exchanged can only be described as
industrial Garthstrength. I cried the first of many delightful and shocked
tears that three days.
The feeling I had at that moment set the tone for what has now become in my
memory, the sweetest of the shows during this last World Tour. The show that
night was awesome. Garth performed to a crowd that loved him. I proudly
held up my sign "Garth, I love you, thanks for the dance" when he sung "The
Dance." I stood that night blessed with a seat in the arena from Garth. I
stood that night in shock that my dearest friends in the world were all with
me in that place...sharing that time. I stood that night with my husband's
arms around me and I felt so very blessed and so very grateful. But, it was
only the beginning.
Saturday May 9, 1998 I left Jason behind and me and my girlfriends made the
trip to the Nashville Arena. Armed with gifts, cookies, a sign, and that
determination called believing, I was on a mission. I had something in mind
for the night and with my floor seat I not only believed, I knew it would
happen. As Garth started singing "We Shall Be Free" I made my move. Cookies
in one hand and a sign that said simply, "I got cookies. You got kiss?" I
made my way to the stage. Garth saw me coming. After a grin and a game of
catch me if you can with security, Garth made his way to the corner of the
stage and wiggled that finger. Hell nor high water could have stopped me. As
I exchanged the bag of cookies for a kiss on my cheek I went numb. All I
could hear was the crowd. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. Walking away I
was laughing as I saw my friends smiling and cheering me on.
Wow...the effects that man lips have on me!
Tired, I made the drive back home again for the second night in a row. I
remember both looking forward to and dreading the next night. Looking
forward to it because it was the night I shared with my family what Garth was
all about. Dreading it because the time had been so extremely sweet and I
didn't want it to end.
Thinking that this couldn't possibly get any better I loaded up my parents,
along with Jason and my girls and on Mother's Day May 10, 1998 we set out for
the last night of the Nashville Arena shows. My sister and her husband drove
because, like I said, she has refused to ever ride with me and my hyper self
again before a Garth concert. (You just thought I was kidding about that? I
was dead serious!)
We got to the arena and I had the joy of introducing my parents and my girls
to so many of you who had made the trip for this special set of shows. We
went in and I helped my parents find their seats. My sister and her husband
ended up with stageside left front row seats. My sister had made a sign that
said, "My sister Teresa is the cookie maker." Garth saw it and cracked up.
It got her a heart pat and a big ole grin so she was happy.
As for me, I had no idea what surprise was still in store. We had awesome
seats already and I was so excited because it was the closest my girls had
ever been to the stage. Suddenly, I found myself surrounded again by
Garthangels...disguised as Garthfriends. One angel in particular took me
completely by surprise as she wished me the sweetest of Mother's Days and
placed a third row floor ticket in my hand. My girls and Jason then gave me
the most precious of gifts as they gave me their blessings to leave the seats
with them and go enjoy the third row floor seat.
That night, Garth was too sweet to even describe. He winked. He smiled. He
played. He grinned. I got to hand him a gift and got a sweet hand squeeze
and an "I love you" from the stage. That dream of being there...that awesome
aspect of seeing him from that viewpoint was totally just the greatest!
The Grand Ole Opry rolled around again on June 27, 1998. Garth was so
sweet that night too. As he took the stage he walked to where we were
sitting. I looked up and he was smiling that smile that we love so much.
Next thing I knew, he was holding his guitar and he reached around and signed
"I love you" to me. I was stunned. Speechless. Again. Damn that man...he
just keeps being the one human on earth who can totally leave me speechless.
As I began this tour...this ride in Atlanta, I ended it in Tampa on what was
to have been the last stop before a decision was made to book College
Station.
Garthluck once again shone its face and Jason and I ended up with two spots
on the now infamous bus trip to Tampa. Those days on the bus and traveling
with the wonderful people that were along for that ride are forever etched in
my memory.
October 29, 1998, just three days after my thirty-fourth birthday, I found
myself thirteen hours from home sitting in the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida.
Like those Christmas wishes, this was what I wanted most of all for my
birthday that year...to spend it with Garth, the fans, and the music.
The first night some of us traded off a floor seat to get gifts down to
Garth. I made my way to the stage with a pizza pan sized chocolate chip
cookie wrapped in Major League Baseball paper and a Cookie Monster puppet.
Garth reached down took it, winked and flipped open the card. "A cookie?!"
What a smile and the "I love you" that came with it was extra special.
The second night, October 30, 1998, is the one with Garth that will always
stand out in my heart. It was, as I choose to remember it, the last night I
saw Garth on stage in concert. He was happy. He was a little bit melancholy.
He was so into the music and so into the crowd. We were sitting to his left
stageside.
This was the night that he honored so many requests. The first that got my
attention was the request, or should I say, demand for the "Shameless
Swivel." Garth looked up at one point and some of us held up a sign that
said "Garthnutts need Shameless Swivel now!" Poor man. He giggled and shook
his head and walked off. Next thing we knew, he was launching into
"Shameless" and he swiveled and thrust for all he was worth to our delight.
On the ride to the venue that night on the bus there was something in the
air...and I ain't talking about the overwhelming smell of magic marker.
There was a feeling that I still can't capture with words. But, I sat on
that bus and as poster board after poster board was handed to me, through my
falling tears, I wrote on each one, "It's Your Song."
When Garth took the stage that night, he was met with the sight of many
matching signs. We held them up hoping against hope that he would honor our
request and sing the song that he'd only sung once before on this tour. The
song request was not only because we wanted to hear it, but because we wanted
him to see the response as he sang the words that we felt so deeply towards
him. If he felt it was "our song" we just as deeply felt it was "his song".
The show wound down and Garth started playing audience requests. It was
plain that he was in no hurry to leave that night. He was feeling I believe
the same things we all were. That "don't let it end" feeling that was washing
over us in waves must have been washing over him too. He walked to our
corner of the stage and he mentioned the signs.
Then, he began to sing, "standing in the spotlight on such a perfect night,
knowing that you're out there listening" and our tears flowed like water from
a fountain. We stood and sang every word with him. Feeling it, meaning it,
singing it back to him in tribute for all he'd given to us. Of all the many
moments that his live concerts had brought to me, I truly believe that this
one is the one that will, fifty years from now, still give me chills and make
me smile when I hear this song. I can hear it right now, and it takes me
back to that night, standing there holding Bev's hand and we are both bawling
our eyes out.
October 31, 1998 is precious to me for one very beautiful reason. This was
the last time I got to see Colleen "Mama" Brooks. Before the show, we were
able to talk to her and Mr. Brooks behind the arena. I spoke to Mr. Brooks
first. He reached out and wiped a tear from my face and told me not to cry.
In him that night, I saw so much Garth. He knew what I was thinking without
me saying a word. He told me that Colleen was his hero and I told him she
was also mine. Then, ever gracious, ever beautiful, ever full of faith, she
made her way towards us.
I'd told her that the next time I saw her I was going to squeeze her so hard
with a hug. And, I did. Today, as I did then, I can still feel that hug. I
knew that night, that hug would have to last me a lifetime because I had no
idea when I would see her again. I told her how beautiful she was, inside
and out. I told her how proud I was of her and most importantly, I told her
how much I loved her.
I will always hold in my memories, the vision of her and Raymond as they
walked away from us, hand in hand. She was happy. She was smiling. She was
an angel.
That is what I choose to remember about the last show in Tampa. Not the show,
but the time with and the hug from a woman who strongly influenced me and my
feelings about my girls and what is truly important in life. She showed me
what grace, courage, and dignity are all about. That is what I will take
with me every day of my life from that night.
Garth made an appearance on the Crook and Chase show on October 7, 1999 and
we took the girls with us to the taping. Garth, as he always finds a way to
do, made the day special when he walked onstage.
We were sitting up directly in front of where he walked out on the next to
last row. I was on the end of the aisle. When Garth walked out, he saw me,
circled his heart, patted it and pointed. I smiled, shook my head "yes" and
patted my heart and he smiled back.
The Grand Ole Opry featured Garth again on December 11, 1999 and we wanted to
take our girls so they could experience Garth in the Opry setting. We made it
down to the floor so they could see the show. Afterward we waited for Garth.
The girls were freezing cold but were determined to see Garth. As
determined as I was, I think they were more so.
Garth came walking out of the truck and after hugging a friend who went to
greet him, he came straight to my girls. He was like "Wow they've grown!"
Then, he leaned over them and he grabbed me for a major GarthSqueezie. I
kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "What the #@*% took you so
long?" He jumped back laughing. It seemed like forever since I'd saw him.
After we shared a laugh he went and talked to some over fans.
A while later, Garth and I managed to get in some time to stand to the side
and talk. Once again the blue eyed angel granted me a dream come true.
Thanks buddy...you know for what. I will never forget the gesture. It means
the world to me how much you continue to care and give yourself to us.
Speechless? Yeah. He did it again.
The last set of ticket stubs that went into the glass trays were from the
Crook and Chase show on December 15, 1999. So many of us had gathered for
that taping. Fans who had become friends over the last few years of this
tour. We came early to visit in the parking lot. It felt so good to see
those friendly faces again! Hugs and gifts were exchanged as we celebrated
not only a day with Garth, but a day BECAUSE of Garth. He'd started this
ride, he had shared it with us. He'd brought us all into each other's lives.
We all went into the taping and shared a special time as Garth whispered of a
possible impending retirement. Some were surprised, some expected it...but
all supported his decision to do what was best for him and his family.
After the show we gathered to wait in the parking lot. Garth came out and
spent a long time talking and laughing. There were many gifts given and
pictures taken. First timers to meet Garth were astounded at his relaxed
manner and his quiet manner with them. They were equally astonished at his
joking, his carefree say whatever you like attitude and wisecracks with those
of us who have been around for a while. A few commented that he treated us
like friends not just fans. Along with Garth, we all smiled.
I'll always treasure that day with Garth as the wind blew around us all. Cold
as it was, my heart was warm.
Taking the time to put the ticket stubs in the display trays was one of the
best gifts I've ever given to myself. Little did I realize when I started how
much it would affect me. Little did I realize how many things I would recall
and relive. Little did I realize how much I would enjoy the walk down Garth
Memory Lane.
I don't for one minute think that there will never be another ticket stub. I
believe. There's an empty tray just in case.
However, if this part of the ride is truly over. I can honestly say I have
loved every mile, every step, every moment. I have treasured every
friendship, every hug, every tear. Most of all, I have learned to trust
again and to believe; in the music, in Garth, in family, in friends and in
you. That is where the blessing lies.
Teresa Morris
