Worth the Trouble? For the Friends, Yes. For the Play, No

For my roommate's birthday in July I gave her her choice of seeing a play/musical playing in the area in the near future. She chose The Secret Garden playing at Hale Centre Theater. I ordered the tickets for myself, Loralee and my cousin Alyson (who wanted to join) a little over a month ago online. I saved the confirmation page, which I almost never do but I had a fear about ordering tickets online because I know it's a new thing for them. I should have just called but if I can do anything without contact with an actual human being then I go for it. Loralee's sister Melanie wanted to come with us and since she has a season pass ticket she needed to book her own. So I gave her the date and the seat she should ask for and she got it. So we were all set.

I was really excited when the day came, which was last Thursday. However, the day before I had talked to Alyson and she was really stressed about school and hinted at maybe not being able to make it. The next day she left a comment on this blog telling me she would let me know whether or not she would. I called her later where she confirmed that she just wasn't up for the drive and she still had assignments she needed to get done. I was disappointed but completely understood. So then I set about finding a replacement that according to Alyson would be free of charge since she backed out. I didn't think it would be so hard. I first called Carrie, thinking she would snatch it up but she wasn't comfortable with not paying for it and she didn't have the money at the time. Even after much insistence that she didn't need to pay for it she then said that she just wanted an early night. So I said okay and I would try someone else. Next Joni: out of town, Jeneil: no answer, Lacey (twice): no answer, Tonya: doesn't like the play, Lindsay: had plans. As I was about to call my last resort I got a text message from Carrie saying if I hadn't found anybody yet that she would go, with the understanding she would pay Alyson back later. Hooray!!! The Four Musketeers together again (that's what I call us). I gave a sigh of relief because I really didn't want the ticket to go to waste.

So we meet up at my house at the appointed time and head to the theater, stopping along the way for Melanie and Loralee to get a little snack. We arrived plenty early, like we usually do. Melanie and I head to the Will Call line to pick up the tickets. Melanie gets hers just fine and dandy but oh no they don't have mine. They look me up in the computer and show that I had purchased tickets for the 4:00 pm show not the 7:30 one. That couldn't be! I would never do that. They don't have matinees on Thursday. I swear I looked at that thing several times before I hit confirm, buy, place order or submit. I was handed over to the person dealing with people like me. She put me on the list for standby but I was worried because she said that the show had been sold out for months (why they had a matinee on Thursday).

Anyway I explained that there had been a mistake somewhere, not mine but maybe mine. I maintained my composure only because I wasn't sure I hadn't made a mistake (I knew I should have checked my confirmation page earlier). The lady was nice and said that we could watch the first little bit of the show on a monitor and then if there are available seats then we can be seated. Melanie went and took her seat (after a little grumbling of having to sit by herself, suck it up Mel. I had to do it when your family came to town.) As we watched others getting their tickets there was a couple talking to the lady that had talked to me. The man got very irate and yelled out to the crowd "This theater is being very difficult giving people their tickets!" I can't stand people who act like that. Mainly because you know that they are going to get their way over the nice people. Also, we felt really bad for the lady. It's not like it is her fault. I was definitely upset myself. This was supposed to be a birthday present and it wasn't turning out very well and if it was my fault then that was even worse, but I can't handle confrontation like that.

A few minutes later the lady came back (after seeing the upset couple receive tickets and go up the stairs to go in, what'd I tell ya) to talk to us. She said that they would have general admission seats that they don't sell so there was a good chance we would get in. Whew! She led us upstairs and we sat and watched the first five minutes of the show on a t.v. We were each given a card that would get us two free concession items at intermission. Alright!!

We were led in and we weren't all quite sitting together but close enough (and some ladies made arrangements at intermission to have all three of us sitting together for the rest. Melanie had to be all by her lonesome the whole time. She was in another section.

I'm glad it worked out. I was happy to spend time with my friends. Loralee was really nice and knew that I was getting upset because it was like I messed up her birthday present but she helped to calm me down. The show was alright. I enjoyed hearing a few of the songs I was familiar with but I was confused a lot. They seemed to focus more on the past of Archibald Craven and how he and his wife Lily got together then on the children and the garden. Very different then the movies I had seen that weren't musicals. Not my favorite.

p.s. I checked my confirmation page the next day and it did say 4:00. So it was my fault. But that is just something between you and me.