I've been volunteering this weekend at the "Celebration" which is an annual streetfest--one of the largest in downstate, IL (besides the state fair). I'm volunteering for the organization that I work with. We are manning the barricades for the vendors. So, on Friday, the highlighting act was Rueben Studdard and Jo Dee Messina. Since we are securing the barricades, I heard over the radio that Rueben Studdard was there. I wanted to see him, but I was all the way across the park. He was there to do sound check.
Later in the evening I was at the barricade and me being the parking nazi that I was, no one was getting past me withouth a parking pass. So a black SUV pulls up. I'm eating a stir fry bowl and I don't see a parking pass so I immediately tell the guy that he needed a parking pass. "I'm here with Rueben Studdard, he's supposed to be on stage at 7pm," the guy tells me. "Oh, ok....is he supposed to be at this gate?" I ask as a little spit flew out of my mouth. LOL. I made a mistake and spit on Rueben Studdard's driver. I told him I was sorry and wiped it off. "You spit on me," he laughed. I apologized and apologized and looked in the car and Rueben was sitting in the back seat. "Hey, Reuben, " I waved. "Yes, this gate," he said and I let them through.
That was memorable!!
Then I had to be back stage for Jo Dee Messina. Those people were....They kept trying to tell me stories of when they went to see her in concert. They wanted me to give them messages for her. WHAT?? I don't know this woman. One lady wanted me to tell her that her music got her through her son's cancer. WHAT??? I'm not even allowed to talk to her. Then one guy comes up and asks, "Is Jo Dee in that trailer there?" He pointed to the huge RV. "I don't know I told him. Her children are in there," I said. Her children were dropped off by the nanny about 15 minutes before this. "I bet she is. That's good she travels with her children," he said. Then we went on to tell me a story about seeing her in concert a long time ago. Then later, about 15 min before she was to go on stage, a guy comes up and just stands at the barricades. I had no clue what he wanted. Then he yells, "Jo Dee, can I get a picture?" And he waits. I had no clue Jo Dee was out of her trailer. The only reason the barricades were open was because a car came to drop off some groceries and they said the would be leaving so I didn't have to close the gate right away. But I stood at the gate to make sure no one would enter. The woman with Jo Dee yelled back, "She's about to go on stage." "It's just one picture," the guy said. And Jo Dee waved him over. The pic was taken and he talked to her for a while. That was pretty nice. I can't say the same about Joan Jhett. From what I hear, she didn't want to talk to anyone. As a matter of fact her security was telling us to get out the way, and I was only volunteering. I didn't want her autograph, pic or nothing. I just wanted to do my job and keep the people out. One person did hop the fence. It was funny.....
After the weekend, my body was beat. I stayed in the bed all day on Monday. I was SO tired!! I couldn't hardly walk, my feet hurt so bad.
I'm so glad the weekend is OVER!!! All for a measely $1000 bucks. The things I do in the name of volunterism.
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