So the Greensboro show ends and we are heading for the truck... I was with a few of my friends... Dana, Kathy, Brenda, Kathrine and Richard... and we stopped to chat with venue security outside at the crosswalk... As we chat more fans gather... so we are slowly leaving but then I pause to chat with 2 fans from Chicago... a woman and her darling husband... he was actually European and very passionate about Bruce so I almost had to give him my attention... which indeed made our timing perfect!! I look to see a few SUV's drive past us and I see Steve in one... A couple more drive by so I assumed that Bruce was in one of them and had left the building... but that wasn't so... because just a few seconds later, there he is.For no apparent reason the driver stops the truck with Bruce's window right in front of me... There I stood holding my silly little sign MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN Bruce smiles and begins to roll down his window... as I took a step toward Bruce... like a whirlwind... everyone rushed around me and well I had no idea that would happen... I was shocked... and as the fans rush in on Bruce, I say to them,"you guys, don't scare him away"... laughing but disappointed that I hadn't realized the fan reaction! So I simply went to the back passenger window to peek in... all I saw was darkness... the tinted window didn't offer me much of a view... but Bruce's bodyguard opens it so I could see in... that was so sweet of him... I recognized Mr Bodyguard's face immediately having seen him in so many "Bruce" pictures... I said Hi and smiled as I whispered "Thank you". Bruce had his hands full so I decide to chat with his guard... It was a very nice moment... and felt sort of like I knew him not even considering that he had never seen my face before... I hadn't been this close since 1984... before he had joined in. Anyhow... I gave him my sign folded up and asked him if he would give it to Bruce... he said that he would... so I opened it to show him... and he said "aaww you should show him and he can sign it" but I told him that I didn't need an autograph... and that I just would like Bruce to see it. (and play it!)
Right about then I decide to see if I could get Bruce's attention... but everyone is yelling "Bruce" "Bruce" "Bruce" and so I say "Mr Springsteen" softly as there was no need to yell... he was right there... but I wasn't sure if he was able to hear me because of all the excitement at his window... so I slowly yet very naturally reach in and with two fingers very lightly tug on his sleeve near his bicep... suddenly realizing that my finger was resting on a rock hard muscle... and I am now frozen in a moment of bliss... I get no response from Bruce so I simply stand there quietly just watching his kindness toward his overly zealous fans... he was so beautiful... and I was happy just to be so close and watch... I had no idea that one of the girls at the front window was kissing his hands and confessing that he had saved her... which when I did hear of it, I understood his inability to give me his attention... I mean... how could he have turned away from her? Ultimately I saw more of his soul and the beauty of the gift that he has been graced with in that one moment of watching the kindness in his face toward this young lady... (with green hair) than had he given me that moment of his time... my respect for him... not as a musician... but as a person grew 10 fold. Then he gave a little time to some other fans at the front window before he began to roll the window up... I said goodbye to Bruce's guard (I wish I knew his name) and I stepped back... Then much to my surprise... Bruce turns around in his seat and offers me his hand. I reached out accepting his offer and put my hand in his... we smile... and... well for a moment I thought that he recognized me... but how could he... 20 years and a million faces later?
On the plane ride home I searched for the mental picture of that smile... remembering how my hand felt in his... (oh come on... don't tell me that you wouldn't be doing the same?) but I'll admit it... I was in awe... of his gentle spirit... but I was so worried that the memory of that moment would fade away...
I get home and open a thread on Btx... it was movielady's thread and she was telling her side of the story that I just shared with you... she too had been left in the dust behind certain fans... but since she couldn't see Bruce she just raised her camera above their heads and took a picture... wasn't I surprised to discover that she happened to take her picture of Bruce just as he turned around in his seat to offer me his hand!! I'm not in the picture but it's our handshake.
Thanks Katherine!!
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