just get the autograph

I still have never met anyone really famous like the queen of England or the president. Going to a lot of shows, I have seen artists who were still pretty new to the music scene and it was much easier to meet them before they got too big to where there were body guards and meet and greets that were sold out before they even went on sale. There were quite a few who I have met. But for some dumb reason I geek out like no one's business. Why does that seem to happen? What is it, like they are not human like the rest of us? Were they from outer space? Yeah, their music is influential and they are known by many, but why can't I have  a normal conversation without getting stupid? Let me draw you a picture to elaborate on this. Once in Salt Lake City there was a huge show that I was in line for. I got there maybe four hours earlier than even the sound and stage crew guys. Thrice was playing at this venue in the middle of the desert right by the Great Salt Lake, Saltair that was the name of the place. There were a few touring buses parked alongside the place just idling. I figured one of them was their bus. So excitedly I went over there and proceeded to knock on the bus door. Out came one of the members of the band! It was Teppei, the band's rhythm guitarist. He signed something for me then was about to leave when without thinking I blurted out my hearts desire, to speak to the lead singer of the band. He nodded sure then went back to get him. While waiting with great anticipation I thought up in my head all the intellectual things I would say like how melodic their lyrics were in relation to their meanings and how their instruments projected such emotion. I imagined it all going down to where we would both be inspired and possibly exchange intellectually elevated ideas on current affairs and foreign policy. We would shoot ideas for their next album and in the end we would fist bump and he would say; "Hey, why don't come hang out with us after the show?" There would be the other band members and we'd play Halo in their bus until the show started. I would be accepted into their group. I was pretty confident that this was exactly how it would go down and was already imagining the nicknames we would come up for one another right  up until the moment he stepped out and stood there. All of a sudden my mind went blank. All confidence blew out my minds window. Oh crap was all I could think. My mouth went dry and all I could yell (yes I yelled with big hand gestures) "You guys rock!"  I then stumbled onto trying to emphasize gratitude for one of their recent songs but again ended up with something more along the lines of; "you are freakin' awesome! ,He shot back a practiced almost scripted "glad to hear that. thanks for coming". I stuttered some more again looking in the direction I didn't want to go in the conversation and ended up saying something similar to "I love you guys!" again. He then mentioned how he was really busy. Out of desperation seeing my fist-bumping, nicknaming, halo playing man fantasy incinerating before my very eyes I blurted out a "hey want to hang out before the show?" This really drew him away; "Yeah. . . we're really busy, gear and sound checks, you know." He left. Well that certainly blew. I totally can sympathize how Ryan Reynolds felt after being rejected by Jamie Palomino.

That's ok, Claudio Sanchez was my rebound. I met him in the break room and he described to me one of his songs which was quite fascinating. Maybe it just takes practice and the will to not get psyched, or make eye contact. Also if it gets really bad, you could have a pre-written script, I don't know. All in all they are just people. . . . who rock. Has that ever happened to you though? The words are ready to go in your head and then spill like dominoes?