Now I do recognize that some of you might be thinking this is now the Canadian Tenor’s blog 24/7. However it is not. It is about the art and craft of writing as seen through the lens of me. Thus, it is a reflection of what is going on in my head and what in my life influences my art. I love it when I get to use the word “thus” – it brings such a pomposity and gravitas to an otherwise mild-mannered sentence.
This week the boys are more than usually present in my life, thoughts and even geographically. Do you know that the boyfriend of one of my co-workers called her from BC Place yesterday to specifically NOT tell her that four famous people just walked by him and one of them said “Hi” to him. Of course, he couldn’t tell her who they were, so she went ahead and guessed. Since she’d been at the dress rehearsal for the Olympic Opening Ceremony on Monday and had watched the four stand-ins for these famous folks, she was fully equipped to shout out “It’s the Canadian Tenors”. Worst kept secret in town kids. After the phone call she raced to tell me. What delighted me the most was not that I got to know what they were up to, since I sorta already guessed, but her excitement at sharing the news and the fact that her boyfriend called them “famous people”. Yah, I guess they are kinda. And after appearing on Oprah yesterday and the Olympics tomorrow, the whole world is gonna know them as famous people. Mind you, the world really should know them by now since they’ve been to 5 continents in the past year. Rats. Now getting tickets to their shows really is going to be impossible.
The Canadian Tenors are breaking big. If I had a dime for every person who told me, with a slightly dazed expression on their face, that “Gee, they really are great.” or “I don’t usually like that type of thing but they are good.” Or “I’m surprised how much I liked them.” “The harmonies are amazing.” “What great voices.” Well if I had a dime for all that I’d have enough to pay for my next concert ticket. Me? I’m not surprised. Me? I’m smug. That’s me Ms. Smuggie SmugFace. I TOLD you they were amazing.
I had the privilege of experiencing the Canadian Tenors be amazing once again last Monday night at a Surry Arts Centre performance that was sold out months in advance. And I use the word “experience” because “seeing and hearing” is a woefully inadequate phrase. I went all by my lonesome and it was anything but. That crowd was happy to see those guys and those guys were glad to be home. A joyful musical mutual love fest ensued. The ovation after their rendition of “The Prayer” was so enthusiastic it brought out a mock apology, “Gee sorry you guys didn’t like that one.” Yah, we liked it alright. And that silence you heard from the crowd after Fraser Walters finished singing his solo “Homeward Bound” was so thick and liquid I forgot to breathe for a minute. I suspect I was not the only one.
Though all in all I’m a little ticked after the fact cause they got me feeling all happy and generous. What happened then as I’m sitting in my little intermission glow is that the CDs for sale in the lobby sold out and the women sitting next to me were crestfallen. So I go and give them the copy of “The Perfect Gift” I brought to get signed. Or I actually tried to give it to them. What’s up with that goofy impulse to give strangers something I spent my hard earned cash on and give up adding to my collection of signed copies, a signed copy for every concert. I was on a roll. Stupid endorphins.
Of course they wouldn’t accept the gift and tried to pay me, but I insisted that I hadn’t paid 20 bucks for it (true, cheaper on-line http://bit.ly/b8jpLQ ) and had no change (a lie, I’m such a liar). So in a flash of inspiration I said, donate the 20 to Voices for Bulembu, the boys charity, the web address is in the liner notes of the CD (http://www.voicesforbulembu.com/ ). So much for inspiration, she forced the 20 on me and asked me to donate to the charity for her as she didn’t have a computer. Cripes. So now I’m out a CD and a souvenir and I have to go to all the trouble of donating the money to charity and I told a lie. Stupid, stupid endorphins. Maybe I should stick with exercise and chocolate. And wine. Wine is good.
But I won’t. The Canadian Tenors are breaking big and I’m going to enjoy my reign as Ms Smuggie IToldYouSo Smugface too much to give them up now. So I guess I’ll just have to shut up and suffer through the fact that they made me an “Instrument of Peace”, just for a few seconds mind you and just 20 bucks worth. Damn signed CD collection just collects dust anyways.
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