It's all better

Before I left work on Tuesday, I jumped online to see if I could find Lion King tickets for Aries and I. I wanted our time together after our rough morning to be something really amazing. I reserved what I suspect were probably the last pair of tickets that were next to each other. I believe this because the woman at the will call counter snickered when I asked if there was any way to upgrade our limited view cheap-ass seats with anything else.

I must have apologized to Aries four or five times for the seats not being better. Orchestra A, Row K… Far left hand side facing the stage. Definitely could not see the entire stage. But it didn’t matter all that much. Not initially anyway.

When the show began, all the animals of Pride Rock emerged from the wings a few rows behind us. I tapped Aries on the shoulder and told her to turn around.

Her eyes were suddenly as big as saucers, her mouth fell open. Seeing the costuming for the show was breath-taking. Seeing my daughter blown away by it all was even better.

She watched intensely for about 90 seconds, turned and faced me and threw her arms around my neck. She hugged me and held me so tightly I didn’t think she was ever going to let go. I had to remind her she was missing the animals for her to finally release her death grip.

She said later she was almost going to cry she was so overwhelmed. That was the moment I wanted. Not her crying of course but just her and I, connected. It was another of the memories I’ll have with her that will stay with me the rest of my life.

The show was amazing. Unbelievable. Aries made me promise to take her again with Toddy and sitting in seats where she can see the entire stage. I’m such a snob about seating – good seating – that I really had to swallow hard to settle for limited view seats. I actually have a broker in Seattle for Mariner tickets in case I can’t get good seats otherwise. I won’t go to a game if the seats don’t meet my snobby expectations.

So now I have a new mission. Find three tickets to Lion King in Portland before the show ends at the end of the month. Good Lord...this is going to require knowing someone who knows someone who isn’t going to use their tickets. Wish me luck.