Chris Botti...to my life

Pikes Peak Cultural Center, Colorado Springs, March9, 2006

When I saw his tour schedule, I saw that he's coming to Colorado but it was far away on the montain and Colorado Springs on week day nights. I was not going to the show.
One Monday at break room of work, everyone was talking about Bronco game the one they lost. One guy said, "Yoshiko's friend played national antum" (because I have Chis's pictures on my desk) Bonnie said, "Yeah, Chris Botti." I said, "Do you know him?" " Yeah, I like him." "Do you know he's coming to Colorado?"
Bonnie said at someone's funeral, they played his song, she did not know who it was then but the sound did not come off her head. She asked who's it was and she got CD. She never gone to his concert and she wants to go, she's going to take me to Colorado Springs.
I have been telling assistant manager I was going to a concert, on March 9, since before Valentine's Day. It's Thursday and usually I stay late. The7 day weather report started saying it would be snow but they said on Wednesday and Friday. What about Thursday? On Wednesday, it snowed. I started to worry about the road. "Are we going to make it all way to Colorado Springs?"
In the morning,I told the manager that I was going to concert (meaning I was not going to stay late, hopefully, he got what I mean.). He was happy for me asked "who's concert?" " the guy played national anthum at AFC championship" " Oh yea. what kind of music he would be categorized?" " Umm, jazz, smoothjazz." "Have a fun time."
The day goes by, ofcourse we got busy, One called in, One got hurt and left. She ususally comes in at 5am.manager asked me to come in 5o'clock to cover her...."The show starts at 7:30, a couple of hours maybe. I want to meet Chris, one hour dirve..." inspite of what's in my mind, I said "yes" .as long as he let me go .
The weather turned to nice. warm and sunshine. That's right now on Wednesday and Friday. Bonnie was stopping at her house, she lives on the south side on the way . She was picking up her daughter and grand daughter."They are going too. Didn't I tell you that?" Her daughter took the wheel, her daughter is about the same age as mine, ex-husband situation is similar to mine. I had a good time with her.The day is loger now, going on freeway, nice montain view.
When we got to the town, I had a map quest print out, Tonya, Bonnie's daughter had instruction. I could not match the streets with map but Tonya was quick, "get off exit, turn left, go 3blocks..that's it." We saw people started parking and going in to the building. Is it free at meter park or what? Tonya drove into event parking. It's a lttle after 6pm.
We wento inside and there were some peole, the show starts at 7:30, 1hour priore to that, they are supposed to serve food and drink. I had something for Chris. I asked ticket counter how I could give it to him. The lady behind of window said, "The only way you can do that is go to delivery door to the back of the building." OK, Bonnie offered to walk with me.
There was a door on the side of building but it's locked. We went around dock, The big green bus parked, went up the stair and there's door. Ofcouse it's locked but there's door bell.After a little while, a guy came out and I handed out the flower and uni(sea urchan). "You are gonna give it to Chris right?" "I cannot let you in and take to him but I'll give it to him." I thought about take his name but I did not. Bonnie said he'd better...

 
After we hung around eating and drinking, the door was open and we got to the sheet. What it was the box sheets. It was not floor closed to the stage but I never seeted like that and it was different. By the way, I knew wine and sprite makes like wine cooler but I don't recomend red wine and pepsi.

Besids Chris's play, I enjoed his talk. He's so funny, he can be a comedian. "We had a concert at beaver Creak lastnight...actually, we never made it. We got strunded in a tour bus.. March in Colorado, snow,why we did not think about it.." " The Bronco game, I'm sorry, it's my fault that they lost. It was freezing cold and I was playing national anthem like this..(pssss)"

I liked the song he siad it's Miles' it's not actually song, lots of code changes. somthing framenco or framingo? Can anyone tell what song it is? And I forgot which song was on, the pianist,Billy Child started scratching string of piano. Some guys were laughing but I and Tonya agreed it wasn't funny, it sounded like harp and very nice. Chris even seemed to surprised that he did. "I never know what that guy does..."
The security lady came, "Are you recording?" "No." "Is that caera?" "Yes." "You are not supposed to take picture,either. Turn it off." "OK."
"Is that end of line?" " I guess." "I got home work.""What time do you go to work tommorrow?" "at 9" " That's easy, I said I would come in 5am."
Finally, we see Chris up there! Tonya found out I had the camera set for 'seen' Oops.
I asked Chris if he got the flowers. He siad " wow, is that you? Thank you! and thank you for the note. Let me give you kiss!" He hugged me and gave me kiss! I got lost and I 'm not sure what I reacted. Isn't that honor like Opra, Katie Couric or Caroline Rea?

He does Meet and Greets for fans. He deserves it. I got a whole bunch of white roses called Anastasia. It's smells good. Not all the roses smells A couple of them broke so, I brought home. That means he got 23roses.When he said they ride bus around. I thought it's good so that he can keep the flowers in there. I was expecting he might have to give away when he leaves town.I was glad I put a note and he read it. So many people were on line for meet and greet and time passed so quick. I did not even say how great the concert was.

What about uni?" " I saw the cracker but I did not see it." " "It's in the box. It's like a little bottole and I put a knife, too. " I'll find it . Thank you." In 2002, when he was signing CDs, he asked my name, I siad "Yoshiko" he said " Ah, I know how I spell Yoshiko, I signed plenty of Yoshiko when I went to Japan." Then he sarted to talk about the chef brought freshest uni for him. I siad then, "when I was child, I went to beach in Japan, rode boat, the man dived in to the sea and caught uni. We came back to the beach, cracked shell and ate them. That's even fresher.

We took off Colorado Springs headed to Denver, I had my boyfriend, Don come get me from intersection of freeway because Bonnie lives south west I live north. I got home, he recorded American Idle result. I tried to watch but I fell spleep. The alarm was set for 3am, I did not even hit snooz, I turned off and went back sleep. Don shoock me "it's 4:07! you can get ready in 20minuits can you?" " Yea." I jumped up took shower, yeah, I made it 5ish. Bonnie must have told about the cncert. The other girl teased me " Yoshiko got reunited with boyfriend." The sales lady I had charge the roses asked me how the concert was, if he liked the roses since I said I was going to take roses for Chris. I told her how it was and she was happy for me. We got busy and they started to come in Saurday. Well, how about now? I ended up staying till 7pm.All day long I was happy thinking about concert night. And I like flowers. Chris must love misic, going around the tour, he gets audience reaction. I get phone call complementing the flower sometimes, this time, My flowers made Chris happy. That added another meaning to my life. That's my life I enjoy..