One Short Day

Several months ago, I got suckered into suckering Ricardo. Perhaps the temptation of the fact that WICKED was coming back to town will do strange things to me.

In retort of said suckering, I pulled out enough gumption to ask for four tickets to the show. I wasn't sure I'd get them. But lo, as mentioned before, those are some powerful ladies.

"Oh you're trying to call our bluff? Ahem, here's your tix."

FOUR. TICKETS. LOWER LEVEL. TO. WICKED.

I asked for four tickets because I had a plan to bring in two of my girlfriends from out of town and then of course, JulzHOLLA! It was a righteous plan of girlfriendness. And if you know the storyline of WICKED then you should know that the two girls from out of town are ladies I met when I was in college. It was all the perfect storm.

And then life with kids and responsibilities happened after 10 months of planning for this big weekend. It turns out spouse's work travel schedules and school activity calendars don't really care to rearrange their schedules because, "We had it planned first!" They don't care. So, my two gal pals had to stay home. I was bummed because it's such a cool show and just perfect for us all to see together. But their families come first. Mine too. So, I get it. I hope, sooner than later, they can get to see the show.

Meanwhile, a few months ago, Lucy the lottery winner, was listening to me wail along to Popular. And she fakes a question so that I'll stop singing. I'm sure of it:
"Mom, why does she want to make her popular? What's the importance in being popular? Isn't it just better to just be kind to the friends you have?"

Methinks Lucy is old enough and mature enough to see the show now. Don't you? And she's still making me feel guilty about that whole "thanks for the tickets, sorry you're too young" bit from two years ago. So, I promised her if she wanted to go this year, I'd take her. That meant I'd have to buy tickets and go to the show twice...again. A sacrifice I was willing to make.

As Lucy has just completed the third grade, she's also unfortunately been schooled in the subjects of caddy girls, jealousy, and possessive crazy of "she's my friend, not yours". All just while in class. It's been very difficult and confusing for her. What better prescription than to go see WICKED.

But then, my pals couldn't make it, so I told Lucy she could go with us. Even better, when I explained that I asked Gramma to go with us as well, I think she was more excited to see WICKED with Gramma than she was about actually getting to see the show.

So, we turned it into an all out affair and took Lucy to see WICKED, but also taught her the ways of Girls Night Out. We went to dinner and she barely touched her meal but we let her have cheesecake for dessert anyway. The girl could hang throughout the entire conversation and dinner.

Although my original plan with my gals from college to come with us was foiled, I couldn't help thinking in the opening act, as I glanced over and saw my JulzHOLLA, my mother-in-law, and my daughter side by side, Lucy with her eyes wide, and smiling while her jaw dropped open in awe, that this was absolutely meant to be.

The next day, we saw the ring leader of the third grade friend drama. I watched Lucy interact. She was different. What had once paralyzed her, she was now carefree. That issue seemed so petty and resolved all at once for her. I think she had a moment of complete clarity, because she'd just been a part of something way bigger.

Ricardo, thank you for getting green. Had we known you were doing it for the chance for Lucy to do this, I know you'd have done it twice even.

Thank you JulzHOLLA! for sharing our special WICKEDness with my daughter. For including her and welcoming her into our sisterhood. And my powerful ladies in the locker room at the gym, thank you for the opportunity to take my mother-in-law, my JulzHOLLA!, and my daughter to WICKED. It did everything it was supposed to do and more. The seats were amazing. The experience I'll never forget. The show was amazing, and the look on Lucy's face even more so.

I've said it before, I'll say it now - if you can get to a WICKED show - here's the link to check - do it.

That's how I roll.
Song of the day: Y'all saw this one coming, right? One Short Day from the Wicked soundtrack.