I knew it was only a matter of time.
Things were just going so...perfectly!
But it's been awhile, so it was simply inevitable. We all knew that.
This last weekend I took Travis to San Francisco to celebrate his 40th birthday. Other than the fact that he knew I was getting a sitter and taking him away for an overnight birthday celebration, it was all a surprise. Where we were going, where we having dinner, where we were staying, and the fact that we were going to see "Wicked."
I spent hours planning this weekend and was so careful to make sure everything was in place and organized. I read so many reviews for hotels and restaurants, pouring over every detail.
Ticketmaster has this really cool feature. You can pick a section of the theatre and it shows you a picture of what your view will be. A wonderful little detail that I did not miss! Since it was Travis' 40th, I wasn't going to just get any 'ol tickets. Nope! This was going to be a memorable and very special weekend!
So, after waiting a couple of days to make sure that buying tickets to "Wicked" was what I really should do for him, I got back on Ticketmaster and bought the tickets. To my disappointment, the seats I wanted were no longer available. So, I took the next best, though I was wishing I wouldn't have been quite so careful and been a little more impulsive, as I generally am. Naturally.
A day before we were to leave, I decided to check the tickets again and *WHOA* the tickets I wanted were available! Did someone cancel? Or did I make a mistake when I ordered the tickets before? Naw...that couldn't be...well, maybe. Shoot!
I called Ticketmaster. No returns, no refunds, period. Not a single thing I can do, other than buy 2 more tickets. That would be utterly foolish, so I would just have to settle for what I had.
Craigslist! Yes! I could sell them on Craigslist for a little less than I paid, then buy the tickets I really wanted. It would be worth a litte more money to make this weekend most special.
The tickets sold in 1/2 hour! Whew! I ran off to Starbucks, traded tickets for cash, headed home, bought the tickets I wanted, and sat at home looking like the cat who swallowed the canary.
Off we went the next morning. Our hotel room was perfect. Dinner was AMAZING!!! (No, amazing does not even begin to describe this restaurant! If you ever get a chance to go to Grand Cafe, DO IT!!! I don't know that I'll ever enjoy going out to eat again after that.)
Then, off to the show!
As we walked in, I saw the couple that I sold the tickets to in the will call line. I tapped the gentleman on the shoulder to say hello. The couple looked at me for a moment and didn't recognize me. I explained that I was the one that sold them the tickets, then they looked at me...
and said what I did NOT expect....
"They said these tickets were for TUESDAY!"
That would be 3 days before.
"WHAT?!?" I took the tickets, looked at the date, and sure enough, they said, "Tuesday, April 6."
No! No! No!!! I was shaking. Seriously shaking. I would NEVER, EVER try to cheat and steal like that. What am I going to do? They must hate me! Do they believe me when I say that I didn't know? Why should they?
They went to the window and asked if they could trade the tickets for this night since the tickets they were holding had not been used. Manager came.
I went to the window to explain. My voice and hands were trembling. I...I...I can't believe this is happening!!! Oh, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me get out of this and PLEASE let them agree to trade the tickets.
The manager finally said, "We can do that, but you'll have to pay $30. These tickets are more expensive than the ones you bought."
Naturally.
I didn't care. $30 to save my reputation is a very small price to pay! I paid it, then pulled a $20 out of my purse and gave it to the couple for their trouble.
To my utter surprise, Travis laughed and said, "Oh, my Rachael. I love you."
Maybe I should take him out every weekend!
I'd do the Math for you, but I'm too embarrassed to say the total amount of what I paid for 2 tickets to "Wicked." Let's just say that had that amount been the face value of the tickets, I should have been able to go backstage and take home an autographed copy of a CD...and a T-shirt...and a mug...and been entered 10 times into the raffle they had going. (Winner gets to go onstage with them in their next production. omGOSH that would be SO amazingly awesome!!!)
Well, despite my efforts to be detail-oriented and level-headed, in the end I could be none other than myself.
Perhaps that's exactly how it should be.
And maybe I should go into show business and leave the ticket ordering to Travis!
