ELEVATOR MEN
(a fiction by Cella)
Someone needs to pinch me. I still can't believe it happened. I have no witnesses, but I do have my memory. I should be up with the other gals, but Lord, it happened so fast, I knew I had to write it all down before I forgot one single second of it.
I'm here on the third floor of the Broadview Hotel and all the other Clay Gurrls are on twelve. They tried to arrange it so we would all be on twelve, but I got in way before check-in and I guess the front desk person wasn't paying much attention to me being in the group or something. Anyway, I've been riding the elevator between my room and “Party Central.”
Now, they picked the Broadview because it's closest to the arena. There's been speculation he may be staying here because of that, but in the few out-of-town concerts I've been to, it seems to be only a theory. One time, he stayed at the hotel right NEXT to my hotel, but I didn't find out until it was too late. If I had walked outside and turned my head, I would've seen buses across the street, I was so close. That's just “Murphy” following me around, sprinkling his law in my path.
Still, one should always have hope.
It's about 12:30 a.m. now – it was only about 10 minutes ago it happened. Good thing I always bring this travel diary with me or I'd have to be writing this on some hotel stationery. The gals will be wired for at least another couple hours and that Pepsi I had around eight o'clock should keep me going that long, as well.
Anyway...I was waiting at the elevator. Nobody's around. It's the middle of the week and anyone who's not here for the concert should be asleep by now. I hear the ding and I'm just looking at the bottom of the elevator doors, watching them open. I lifted my head as I took a step forward and I saw two tall men. I recognized Jerome first, if you can believe it. Well yeah, I think one could. How can you NOT notice this brick wall of a man? Then a nanosecond later, I saw Clay, too.
Well, I saw a bunch of other Clay fans loitering in the lobby earlier – I think it's become instinct after all this time to know that they'd want to ride up alone, and I doubt Jerome would want me in the elevator anyway, so I took a step back and just waved and nodded for them to continue on. I think it all happened in about two seconds.
Then it happened. Clay waved me on. At the same time, I saw his other hand come up and pat Jerome, I guess to let him know it was ok. For a second there I didn't move, then I heard Clay say, “C'mon, it's all right.” I smiled – fortunately, not a huge one – and gave a polite nod...or did I actually say thank you or thanks? Anyway, it was late and I'm sure they were tired and I was just trying to keep it low-key. He's got enough to do than to see me get fangirly. I stepped aboard.
They were both at the back of the car – Clay leaned against the back wall and Jerome against the right side wall. Out of habit, I leaned against the left wall next to the buttons and pressed 12. I remember the ten button was already lit. I smiled inside knowing that, but I just held my hands, and my room key, quietly in front of me and utilized “civil inattention” to the best of my ability: I looked at the wall across from me, at the floor, at the door, at the old-fashioned floor indicator panel above the door – anything but them.
The bell dinged again at ten and the doors opened. As they walked out, they both quietly said goodnight and I said it back. They went down the hall to the right, and I thought I heard them whispering.
Well, I don't know what made me do it – could've been instinct, could've been anything. I waited a second, held the door, took a little peek around and watched them from behind. Jerome, as usual, was dressed professional; Clay was dressed...well, let's just say...comfortable. Good thing he has a stylist to make him up all handsome. But he makes a pretty slob, too. It's charming; he's charming.
Am I rambling yet?
Ok, well, here's the even more amazing part. I must've peeked a little too long, because the elevator made its little ding again, and right away Clay turned around. I popped my head back as fast as I could and hoped he hadn't caught me – my God, I remember my heart suddenly started beating like a hummingbird. I went to press the close door button as fast as I could, but then I heard something...someone...I heard HIM.
“Could you come here for a minute, please?”
Oh, Holy God, he did catch me watching.
I poked my head back out and I saw they were both turned, looking at me. Clay's arm motioned me toward him. It was thrilling and scary all at the same time. As I walked the long twenty-five feet toward them, I feared I'd get a lecture on how impolite it is to stare...and he'd be right.
When I got to him, Clay put out his hand. Well, I felt quite humble, but I'm not dumb – I got to shake hands with him. Then...he talked and I talked. We talked!
“What's your name?”
“Mine? Oh, that's ok...it's not important.”
“Yes, it is. I like knowing who I'm talking to.”
“It's...Marcella.”
“Marcella? I don't think I've ever met a Marcella before. It's a pretty name.”
There was no way I could be witty or lecherous at that moment. I just kind of remember smiling a little and staring at his beautiful face.
“Thanks.”
“I just wanted to thank you for being so polite back there. Every once in a while, you get some people who don't behave appropriately, and unfortunately those instances stick out in our minds, but I also want to remember times like this. You weren't gonna get on the elevator when you saw us – Jerome didn't even have time to put his arm up to wave you off, you just automatically stepped back. It meant a lot, Marcella.”
“Yeah, I'm sorry some people are like that. 99.9% of us don't want to be that way. Those people make it hard on us, as well.”
“I know that. Really, I do. But, of course, we'll always have to be careful. So, I'm guessing you're here for the concert tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I am. I'm here with a dozen other Clay Gurrls.”
“A dozen?!? Goodness. Well anyway, I won't keep 'ya from them. Thanks again for that moment of consideration.“
I said, “You're welcome” or something like that. He reached out and we hugged. I got to put my arms around The Clayton! And I do mean around – Lordy, he's so thin. Thin, but surprisingly solid. Maybe wirey is the better word. Oh, all I know is it felt so, so good to feel him in my arms and feel him squeeze the stuffin' outta me. Well, turnabout is fair play, so I did the same thing to him. He giggled as he let go. Can I just go back in time and live in that moment forever? They started walking away and I got my focus back when they both said goodnight. I had forgotten that Jerome was even standing there! I sure would've liked to have said thank you for keeping Clay safe, but I was off in the ozone somewhere. Now that I'm thinking about it, there's a hundred thousand things I would've liked to have said, but, like Sheryl Crow sings, “It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The phone just rang. I thought it was one of the gals wondering if I had gone to bed.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Marcella? This is Jerome.”
Holy Moses. “Yes, hi Jerome.”
“I'm not disturbing you, am I?”
“Oh no, you're fine. Is there something the matter?”
“Clay asked me to get in touch with you to invite you to tomorrow afternoon's Meet and Greet. I'm sorry I can't accommodate the whole dozen of you, but feel free to bring one friend with you.”
I think my brain short-circuited after “Meet and Greet.” His voice after that was nothing but a series of clicks and buzzes for a couple seconds there, then somehow I heard words again.
“Marcella, are you still there?”
I heard a faint giggle beyond Jerome's voice. Good Lord, he was in the same room as Jerome!
“Um, yes...I'm here. Sorry. Yes, that would be fantastic, thank you. What time?”
“Show up at the west stage entrance at four o'clock sharp. I'll be there to take you in.”
“Let me write this down here...four o'clock...west stage entrance. Got it.”
“Ok, good. We'll see you at four tomorrow.”
“Thank you so much. Oh! Before I forget again, I want to say thanks for taking such good care of him.”
There was this little pause on his side, then I heard a bewildered “What?!?” come from the phone, then Jerome spoke again.
“It ain't easy, believe me. Not because of the fans, but because of him!”
I heard that faint giggling again and a bit of giggle from Jerome, too. Oh heck, we all giggled and then we said goodnight.
I guess I'd better call up to Party Central and get Julie down here. She'll be envious as all hell...until I tell her about the Meet and Greet, and then we'll have to pinch each other.
Today is the best day ever.
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~Posted 9.10.2004~
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