The Finale

Tonight is the American Idol Finale.  I don't usually pay much attention to the show.  Until something happened two years ago to change that.   

Several friends came to gather at the funeral of a colleague who drank himself to death on a sad May day.  It's a blunt statement but factual.  I gave his family credit for not hiding the pain he, and they, went through as they reflected on his life at the service.  He was a great guy who had a serious disease.  He also had this terrific voice and they played a recording of him doing "Tomorrow's a Brand New Day" for the recessional.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house.  I called alot of friends I hadn't talked to in awhile on the way home that morning.  One of those phone calls went something like this...

"Hi Tim.  We haven't talked in awhile, what are you up to?" 
"Hi. Hey, I'm glad you called. I have a favor to ask of you." 
       Since favors are Tim's specialty, this is no surprise.
"I'm helping out with a daschund rescue charity auction." 
       This is a new twist to favors.
"And you are the only person I know who could buy two tickets, backstage passes and wrap party tickets to the American Idol Finale next week. They really aren't that much." 
       American Idol?  That's still on huh? This can't be for real. 
"Well Tim I can't go because I have a board meeting." 
"Oh."
       Disappointment seeped through the line. 
"Well I just wanted to help out the daschunds and my friend who is organizing the auction."
"So how did these tickets get into your friend's hands?"
"Someone connected to the show has daschunds."
       OK, that makes sense.
"Well then, given the morning, happy birthday."
"SERIOUSLY?"
"Sure, consider it a thank you for all the design work you've done around the house at no comp."
"COOL!  But I don't have anyone to go with."
      And I thought this would be easy. 
"I'll find you someone to go with."

The first person I called - who knows and likes Tim. 
"I have Season Finale tickets to AI, want to go?" 
"No, I wouldn't know anyone." 

Next text message. 

"Do you watch AI?" 
"Yes, why?"
"I have Finale tickets for next week." 
"Really?" 
"Yes."
"Can you take time off work?"
"Yes"
"Happy Birthday and btw you're going with Tim."
"Nice!"

I sent them on their way the day of the show.  I got a text picture of them holding their tickets in a cab they'd taken to collect them.  Two rows back from where Seacrest did his audience shots.  Nice. 

Let's see, Black Eyed Peas, Steve Martin, Lionel Ritchie, Rod Stewart, KISS, Queen Latifah, Keith Urban, Cyndi Lauper, Queen rocked the house.  Nice.  Better than nice actually. 

Sometimes good things come during sad times.  Sometimes good things originate with daschunds.  They had an awesome time and I was just a touch envious of their ability to go at the drop of a hat and experience the moment.  I had my own moments though on that drive home, reconnecting, and the AI story was only one of the many I gathered on that day.   Perhaps tomorrow is a brand new day, but so too is today.