There Are Awesome People

A month or two before the Keane concert, I joined the forum on their official website. Well, I had "joined" ages ago, but it was just in May or June that I started posting. Almost immediately, I developed a rapport with a fellow 30-something Keane fan named Maayan. It got so I looked forward to bantering back and forth with her, as we hold many similar views on the band and seem to have a similar sense of humor.

She was the first to post the obligatory "OMG THAT'S AWESOME" post when I bragged to everyone about the infamous "I like your shirt" comment, and in the week leading up to her chance to see them live--in Brooklyn--I helped her to stay calm...somewhat.

Anyway, the day after her concert, she asked for my cell phone number, as she had a question for me. She let me know she didn't want to come off as Internet Stalker-ish, and I totally didn't take it that way.

What was her question?

"How would you like to have something signed 'To Meg' from Richard?"

I think my answer was something like this:

"OHMAHGAH!! SHITYEAH!!!" followed by maniacal giggling on my part and satisfied laughter on hers.

She had called to get my address so she could mail me the tour book (she had an extra freebie) she had Richard sign for me. See, in Oakland, I could have had him sign something but was really only interested in talking to him and getting a picture. I had no regrets about not getting an autograph, but I certainly wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by.

Today, the autograph arrived, safe from New York. I actually giggled like a schoolgirl as I walked back to my apartment from the manager's office (wouldn't fit in my mailbox), ripping open the envelope and reading the sticky-note Maayan had attached ("La la la enjoy!") and reveling in this lovely gift from a lovely person--who really didn't have to think of some semi-stranger on the other side of the continent, but did anyway.

Whenever I get depressed thinking about some of the truly awful people in this world--the murderers, the thieves, the liars, the assholes--I remind myself that for every nasty person out there, there are more people like Maayan, and indeed, all of my other friends around the world, who more than make up for the baddies.

And I smile.

(Pardon the sweat and the red face and the running gear and the messy ponytail. I worked out this morning.)