We Shall Be Free

When the last thing we notice is the color of skin
and the first thing we look for is the beauty within
When the skies and the ocean are clean again
Then we shall be free

-We Shall Be Free, Garth Brooks 

“WE SHALL BE FREE! WE SHALL BE FREE!!” is what Garth Brooks yelled as he grabbed both my hands and got right into my face. This instance in time, actually the entire series of events leading up to this instance in time, is vividly replayed in my mind immediately upon hearing this song. 

 My good friend Dan and I just happened to be dating ladies were huge fans of the world’s greatest entertainer (at the time), Mr. Garth Brooks. The man was going to make his way to Auburn Hills, MI for a few shows, and both our girlfriends had hinted about the fact that it would be nice if we all attended this do not miss concert. Dan was finishing up a semester while away at school, and I was attending school as well but, in our hometown, so, the need to coordinate getting a total of eight tickets was paramount, as we had a limit of purchasing four a piece (his four allocated to him, his girlfriend, her sister and her sister’s boyfriend and mine allocated to me, my girlfriend, my sister and my sisters best-friend). The time period we are talking about happens to be pre-high-speed internet days, so Dan and I actually were required to either go to the ticket office and stand in line or call the 800 number, hope we got through and then just request the best tickets available, being college students who appreciated sleep, we both chose the latter and called promptly at 10:00 AM the morning they went on sale. 

At 10:20 AM, my stressful endeavor was over as I was finally able to get through the line and secure four tickets! Even though the seat location was not the best (Section 221, Row Q), the elation of being in the building had me riding high! Now, all I had to do was wait for Dan to give me a call to let me know whether or not he was able to secure 4 tickets as well. Approximately 10:25 AM, the phone rings and it is a somewhat sad sounding Dan on the phone, saying he was unable to get tickets. My heart sunk as I was anticipating a fun tailgate and all of us hanging out together after a long year of school. He then burst into an elated laughter, “Just kidding, third row, floor seats!” he exclaims. “Wait. What? Did you say floor seats? Get outta here!” I stated in a stunned voice. “Where are you guys sitting?” he asks “Section 221, Row Q” I stated with about the same sad voice he had used during his false “I was unable to get tickets” statement. Which he promptly followed with elated laughter and a “wow, that is so far back… compared to mine.”  

After ticket purchase day, there was a couple months wait until we would actually be able to attend the show. Dan would use this time to remind me of our different seat locations on almost a daily basis. “Where are your seats?” he would say, to which I would give the answer “Row effing Q!” followed by us both laughing. On the day of the show, we met to tailgate and again, the entire time we were tailgating the lucky/unlucky seat location conversation would arise. On our way into the venue, Dan and his group began their exciting journey down to floor level as he held up three fingers (to signify his row three fortune) and then yelled Row Q! 

My sister, her friend, my girlfriend and I began our long treacherous hike up to the second level in search of our nose bleed seat location. Upon finally hunting down our location, we noticed we would have had to make about 10 people get up in order to get to them, so we told them to stay seated and would walk around and come from the other side. My sister mentioned the need to go to the bathroom but when she glanced at the long line for the women’s room, she said there is no way she could wait that long, so she knocked on one of the suite doors and asked if she could use their restroom, to which they said of course. The three ladies used the restroom as I walked over to look at the overpriced t-shirts while waiting. All of a sudden, the three of them came rushing toward me, my sister with this huge smile mixed with shock or confusion displayed upon her face. “Bri, this guy says he is part of Garth Brooks crew and wants to give us four front row tickets!”  she excitedly exclaims. My initial thought was somebody was trying to scam my sister, then the guy comes over to me and says it is true, he has four front row tickets and they are ours (Garth apparently does not sell the first two rows and gives them to people that were not so fortunate with getting tickets… or as I came to find out, they go to good looking ladies, as I was 1 of 2 guys in the front row). I quickly snagged those tickets out of the guys hand and said, “Thank you!” before he changed his mind. 

We make our way down to the floor level, slide into row one. As I start getting adjusted to my surroundings, I look back and two rows directly behind me, is Dan and his group. I cannot help but ask, “why are you guys sitting so far back there?” Dan had a happy and shocked look on his face and started laughing about his horrible seat location.