I'm . . .uh . . . with the 15 year olds

Honest to goodness, I find my way into the silliest situations!

So, to start with, I must say that Torrey Pines High School has graduated some impressive students. They have become quite successful in various fields including, as of recently, the music industry. I was honored to have Tristan Prettyman in my Creative Writing class. She is extremely talented and you should take a listen to her songs (my favorite is "Love, Love, Love"). I also had the great joy of having Dan Layus in my HTML/Web Page Design class. He was also friends with my stepson, Matt, and I can honestly say he was a friend any parent would wish for their own kids--kind, pleasant and very dedicated (at that time, to his church and his band). Well now Dan is the lead singer of Augustana--an alternative rock band with a very popular song called "Boston" playing on the radio constantly.

So Dan and his band come to S.F. to open for The Fray at The Fillmore. THE Fillmore--where Janis Joplin, The Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors have all played. YIKES! They're a serious band! I'm thinking that I'll drop by the backstage door, slip a worker a note to give Dan and hope that he'll come out to say hi. I swung by at 1:00, but they haven't arrived yet. I come back at 2:30 and talk to one of the guys with The Fray and he says they won't be in until 5:00 or so. But I am persistent and I return at 4:00. I think I'm now officially a stalker.

The funny thing--or embarrassing, depending on how you look at it--is that when I arrive at 4:00, I join a group of about 20 teenage girls. Oh no! Now I really feel silly. I approach one of the only two adults there and ask if they are waitingfor Augustana or The Fray. She told me that they were part of a private "Meet and Greet/Sound check" for The Fray and it was by special invitation for only 30 people. Just about then, the magical backstage gate opens and swallows up the 15-year-olds who are panting and giggling.

I continue to hang out by the gate (guarded by very MEAN looking bodyguards who are probably used to groupies begging them to get in everyday). I pace, look stupid, watch more 15- year-olds arrive, sulk, consider leaving, figure out what I was teaching the year these kids were born, etc. It's about 4:30 and a new group of girls has formed at the gate when it opens again. This time I notice that no one is asking for a secret handshake or even a password. The last girl is walking in and receiving a pass to wear around her neck.

Think, Michele! Act quick!

I slide in behind her and am handed the last tag. I actually wonder who isn't going to get her pass now.

So we climb the steep-lawsuit-waiting-to-happen-stairs and arrive at the top. I've never been inside The Fillmore before and let me tell you: it's GORGEOUS! Real chandeliers! Framed posters from all the big shows line the walls. You can FELL the ghosts. I start to veer off towards the main room and figure I'll hang out there until Dan arrives but I get yelled at by an employee. "Hey! Up the stairs!" Where on earth am I going?

"Oops," I apologize. "Lost track of my group."

I get to the top of the stairs and the tweens (with 2 adults) are sitting in a room. The chairs face a small platform with space for 4 people to come up and there's a big Grammy backdrop. One of the men welcomes us and asks if we've come ready with questions for the band. Shortly thereafter the members of The Fray walk in amidst flashes and more giggling. They are adorable, young men and over the course of the next 45 minutes, answer questions with great insight and humor. I have NO idea who they are--haven't heard a single song--but I'm starting to like them already! Heck, I even asked a couple of questions myself!


They take a giant group picture of the band with the giggly girls and then we all go back downstairs. Dan's band still hasn't arrived and I'm trying to figure out a way to avoid being kicked out. I wander over to one of the sound check guys and make it sound like "I'm with the band." He tells me that I can sit "over there." Just to be safe, I turn my hanging tag around so that the white back is showing and I do my best "yeah-I-know-what-I'm-doing-here" impression, even striking up a conversation with another employee who is from Scotland, is three years my junior but looks 15 years older, and is working on being a cover model for Ray Bradbury's "The Illustrated Man." (I actually did ask him at one point if he's read it and he admits that no, he's not really much into reading--has never even finished a book). Anyhow, his presence keeps the other employees at bay and while they sweep the place of people who aren't supposed to be there, I slip under the radar.

Eventually, Dan and his band arrive. I BARELY recognize him and approach.

"Dan?" I say.
"Hi," Dan politely holds out his hand to shake mine. He's got to be wondering what this old lady wants.
"Dan, tell me about Torrey Pines High School."
"Huh?" Of course I've confused him.
"I was one of your teachers."
Now he takes a step back in shock. "NO WAY! Really?" He's reaching back in his memory files. It's really not fair since it's been 5 years and we're not even in the same city where he went to school--this has to be one of the most random things that's happened to him on tour.
"Yeah, I'm Mrs. Paolini--I'm Matt's step mom."
"OH MY GOD!" He gives a great hug and we catch up as well as possible while yelling over The Fray who is doing their sound check. I have to ask Dan how he hasn't gone deaf yet.

Matt and I will be seeing Augustana in September here in the City, so I hope there will be more time then to visit. I'll bring him a baby gift--he's going to be a dad in October.

And I thought that hanging with the 15-year-olds upstairs made me feel old!