MOG

So I decided to see Ben Gibbard in San Francisco. My friend couldn't go, so I ended up deciding to just take the Greyhound upstate (I live near LA... it was an 857 mile round-trip) and go it alone. Even though I hadn't been to SF in about 20 years (when I was four or five) and I have an awful sense of direction coupled with (actually probably responsible for) a fear of getting lost. I bought a good map of the city and got directions and maps for the bus off the computer though and did just fine. It was just the one night and I got a hotel that was just a few blocks from the Palace of Fine Arts so I could walk to and from there quite easily.

I got there a little early because after I had checked into the hotel, showered, gotten dressed and watched some Mythbusters (bloopers episode!) there was a danger of me falling asleep in my room. So I wandered over to the PoFA and walked around a bit to keep alert. That killed maybe 15 minutes. So I hunkered down with my shuffle and sat near a door marked "stage entrance" I think. I thought I might catch a glimpse of Ben or Daniel Handler (who was going to interview Ben). I didn't really expect to see anyone though, but I looked up at one point and saw a car pull up with a familiar person in the passenger seat. I thought, "Oh sh1t" and froze. Then I decided instead of bothering them it would be best to just flee.

Not the most rational reaction, I admit. And I berated myself for it afterwards, cos I really had wanted to give Ben a print of the drawing I did in May but all I could do was hope that another opportunity would present itself.

After that there was some more waiting around, not exactly enthralling stuff... but the show was worth it. Daniel interviewed Ben, they took some questions from the audience (no, I didn't ask one, I was totally unprepared).

And then there was MUSIC.

We Will Become Silhouettes Photobooth Title & Registration Why I Cry (w/ DH on accordion) Blacking Out the Friction (ditto) I Will Follow You Into the Dark

Afterwards both of them signed stuff. I bought one of Handler's books (I had all the Death Cab CDs that were for sale, but I'd brought the booklet from Transatlanticism) and got in line.

When I got to the front I gave Ben the print:

He said it was awesome (twice) and that I was very talented. I'm still thrown by that. It meant a lot to hear that come from someone for whom I have well-nigh infinite respect and admiration. I was still dazed when I got to Daniel and thus barely up to conversing at all, which was a shame because he seemed like such a cool guy (and sadly not as big a draw as Ben. ...Is that a pun? Sorry). But I remember he mentioned that he'd seen me before the show ("Oh shit" echoed in my head once more) and that I could've saved some time if I'd gone up to them then. I mumbled something about freaking out and then my memory goes a little foggy after that. I do remember that I dawdled in the lobby until they were done signing and then I approached Ben a second time. I said something about being sorry to bother him, but would he mind taking a picture with me? He acquiesced.

Then I thanked him (again) and walked back to my hotel, exhilarated by the events of the evening as much as by the cold, damp night air.

(Download or just listen to the rest here.)