I arrived at the Corestates Spectrum around 1:30 pm, having heard the evening before how sick Tori was. I was told if she did do the meet and greet, that she might do it as early as 2:30. My daughter and I parked the brown beast (73 Chevy) in the parking lot and went in search of the barricades. Where I found those, I would find Tori. My daughter and I had to walk quite a ways and stopped for a small break from the sun. We sat on a huge air conditioner vent in the shade and were quite comfortable in the 90 degrees. :) We met a security guard (hi Bob!) who told us where to go, about a block away. There it was, the driveway to the parking lot, surrounded by a group of maybe 25 Toriphiles. I ran into a few EwF also, (hi Steph, Richard, Anthony, Mike) some I knew from email, some from meeting before. Around 3 the security guards put up two barricades, one on either side of the driveway. We seperated into two groups and waited calmly for Tori to arrive. I found myself popular with a squirt bottle of cold water, spraying down whoever asked. All of a sudden, we saw Steve, and some others setting up a single barricade about 25 feet inside the parking lot. When told to move there it was like a cattle stampede. I grabbed my daughter's hand and pulled her along and somehow managed to get on the far side in the very front. I was pushed and squashed from all sides, and my daughter was having fits from being so closed in. Steve told us to be calm and Tori would be arriving shortly. There seemed to be some jostling for position, but no true rudeness (well, except for the women who kept telling my daughter to take the room she needed for taking pics, but was elbowing her at the same time). The bus pulled in and stopped. John W. and Joel came out and we were told that they were going to pull the bus in farther and walk Tori back. In about 5 minutes I saw her. I was surprised that I didn't feel a real "thrill" at seeing her in person. It was more like seeing an old friend that I hadn't seen for years. I was alarmed by her paleness, with two hectic spots on her cheeks. I saw she was speaking very quietly and gesturing a lot. But she smiled and signed everything, posed for pictures with a few who asked. My daughter couldn't take the crowd anymore and handed me the camera, but I couldn't get a good pic so I gave up. She finally reached me last. I held out a letter that explained what I do in her org to help out and my LE CD to have signed. She stopped in front of me and looked at me with the same little smile she had on. I handed her the letter and told her what it was about. She smiled wide and said very softly, "Thank you, Thank you" and took the letter and signed my cd booklet. While she was signing it I said, "Tori, I gave you a book last April called *Fairy Blessings and..." She looked up sharply and put her hands to her throat. I could see tears in her eyes as she nodded and said in a very normal voice, "Thank You! Thank You" We looked into each others eyes and saw a recognition in each other. I impulsively said, "Tori, Can I have a hug?" She stepped back with her hands out and said, "Oh No Beth, you don't want what I have..." She may have said more, but I spoke out and said, "Save your voice Tori". She looked at me and put her hands on her chest, reached them out to me, and as if exchanging the power in our hearts, brought them back to herself. The look on her face and in her eyes is indescribable, but it was as if the face she always wears slid to the side for a nanosecond and our souls touched. Joel took her away and I walked away in a daze, shaking slightly and almost crying from the intesity of our encounter.
After I had gathered my senses, I met up with some dear friends and we went wandering off to put some luggage in my beast, park it closer to the venue and search out other Toriphiles. We ran into many, I can't even remember all of them and hung around the doors listening to some of the soundcheck. When that was completed, we all left to have lunch at a cafe/lounge in the building where Tori was having a private M&G in another room. There were some singers there, but I can only remember "Loud" instead of names or if the music was any good. Our table did it's best to converse, but that didn't cut it, yelling across the linen. I then took my ready to collapse car to the hotel so we could get cleaned up or whatnot before the concert. So the concert was great, but you aren't reading this for a concert review, you are looking for the magic. After the concert, we went back to the hotel to clean up and figure on where we were going. We ended up going to a 24 hour place in Center City and we all ordered some sustenence. The only thing that could make this night more perfect was to find Tori on the jukebox. And We Did!!! The Twister Soundtrack!!! Unfortunately, the cook had Aretha Franklin full blast in the kitchen, but we could hear a little small bit of "Talula". There it was, the magic. Tori and bonding with some of the most wonderful, intelligent people I have had the pleasure of knowing.
So in the morning, the beast started, got me home and as soon as it was parked in my apartment parking lot, died. Forever. The fairies had held the timing chain on just long enough to make it home. It is being towed out on Saturday, Aug 1. I am now the proud owner of a crimson 89 Merc Topaz, who we promptly named "Topy: The Wonder Car". It has all these really neat features, like a stereo/cassette, and 4 doors, and no horrible shuddering and roaring. We took it on a 50 mile trip to the river and back just for the hell of it and only wasted a gallon and half of gas. The brown beast got 200 miles out of $20. I can't afford it, and have my soul up for collateral till I pay it off, but is it ever nice to drive a vehicle that doesn't clog my head with the smell of burning rubber and exhaust.
So that's the whole Story. When Tori Cries, she releases little fairies into the air that come and protect and give you luck. And when Tori cries, it just about breaks your heart.
Leaving This Page
~~*Fairy Blessings*~~
Tori Trades--Audio Concerts and Boots
