July 28, 2004

Things I learned at the Prince Concert

1. It is probably not going to happen between me and Prince.
I understand that now. There was a moment when he looked right at me and it was so moving. I can tell that he feels the pull that I do, and there was no mistaking that we both have regrets about the last 20 years and a real sense of nostalgia for the good times that we've shared, but we both have other commitments now. He has his career, his music, his art...his responsibility to his fans and me, well....I have like, at least 7 loads of laundry.

pstubsock

2. I was glad that Prince searched for me in the crowd so we could communicate our feelings for each other. If he hadn't done that I would have had to use "plan B" to get his attention. Since it didn't come to that, and I'd like to walk away from this with my pride I will not disclose "plan B", except to say that it involved the fact that I wore my "good bra" to the concert.

3. Prince is still a god walking the earth as man. Dude played for almost 3 hours (which is really a long time, I saw U2 last year and Bono totally crapped out before the 2 hour mark). He did all the classics, tons of new stuff and the new band is beyond anything you could believe. There is (for anyone who cares about the music and not what it meant to the desperate yearnings of a beleagured heart) a review here.)

4. Despite the fact that Prince and I recognize that our life paths are taking us in different directions, and that I love my seriously sexy husband very, very much, it turns out that I would still sleep with Prince if he asked me. This is somewhat disappointing on an ethical level, but there you have it.

5. I was, (as nearly as I could tell...there was 17 000 people there) the only one knitting. I knit while we waited for Prince to come on. I didn't knit while he performed. I couldn't remember how.

6. Even though the ticket said "Wear something purple" on it, I am really, really glad that I didn't. Just a little too 1984, ya know?

7. They are very serious about the "no cameras" rule. Convinced by my pals that there was no way I was getting in with my digital camera, I was comforted by my buddy Nick who has a cellphone/camera thingie. He pointed out that they wouldn't take his phone and that we would still manage to secure a picture of the Dublin Bay socks at the concert. During the concert however, as we joyously held the sock aloft and aimed the cellphone/camera thingie at it, we were warned by a largish thick-necked security dude that we should cease and desist from this activity if we wanted to continue to enjoy Prince's company. I did point out to him that technically, we were taking a picture of a sock, not Prince, and that cell phone picture quality was really so crappy that it hardly even counted as taking a picture. I told him people were counting on me. He was unmoved.
(I resisted the urge to point out that he was leaning over a girl smoking a joint to tell me and Nick to put down the phone, it seemed petty.)

8. Item #4 on my "Clear indications that Prince must love me the way that I love him" list (a compelling work that I have been compiling since 1984) has always been "Prince is only 5'2", which is only an inch taller than me". While I have always believed that this was a very, very clear indication of compatibility between us, as an adult I know see the deeper meaning...that Prince would be really easy to knit for.

9. While Prince would almost fit into the Cherry Aran,

caalmost

Jodi (from the comments) is right. Even though Prince lives here in Toronto, I can't really see him wearing a gansey. This is probably the most compelling evidence that our lives have wound their ways apart and that we wouldn't find true, long, meaningful love together. (This does not, for the record, have anything to do with the cosmic rightness of a meaningless wanton one (or three) night stand).

10. While I accept all of this, I am still a little sad. Even though my heart has been wrung out by the king of all things seriously funky, even though it's important that both of us grow and mature, even though I understand that Prince and I had a moment, let it go, and moved onward with closure and dignity....even though when he sang "Come on and touch the place in me, that's calling out your name..." it took all my strength as a woman to walk away from that very clear invitation...

it turns out that casting on a new project can always make me feel better.
Meet my new poncho.

acidpstart

and Prince? I think it's better we take some time apart to get used to our new arrangement. I'll call you.

Posted by Stephanie at July 28, 2004 2:09 PM