This morning I had a realization that I must by definition be a public radio geek. In my years of going to concerts and shows, of all the musicians and performers I have seen, the ones that stick out the most for me are the ones I have seen from public radio. That is not to say that I have not enjoyed other shows, it has been fun to see Weird Al the 2 times I have, and seeing They Might Be Giants a couple of years ago was fun, but when I think back to people I have seen that I truly cherish the chance to see they are all public radio people. Scott Simon, and Paula Poundstone (2 times) I not only have seen, but had a chance to spend time with working their events. Ira Glass and Garrison Keillor I have seen once each, and next week, I get to see Garrison Keillor again with Prairie Home Companion. There is a story there in it.
The first time I saw Garrison Keillor, he was coming to town solo. When I first heard that he was going to be here, I bought 2 tickets. I was not dating anyone at the time so it was a bit presumptuous, but I figured that someone would want to come to see him with me. As the days came closer, I realized that it was simply not going to be an awesome date night, so I took a very near and dear friend of mine. It was a cold December evening, but for me, I had to go. For those not familiar with him, Garrison is an older gentleman who hosts a weekly radio program called Prairie Home Companion which has been on the air it seems for as long as I remember. It was something that I think of fondly from my childhood listening on Saturday evenings. I am not a part of the radio generation, so listening to the radio in that way growing up, was different than some people I knew. It was not staying up and playing video games, but rather, on cold winter's nights listening to Garrison Keillor talk about his Mythical hometown of Lake Woebegone, and the way that he told stories reminded me of the way someone would tell a story around a campfire or around the hearth. For me, it was personal. Like you had a friend, who told you stories about where they grew up, or told funny stories and jokes about things. Several years ago, when I decided that I wanted to be an Author (an ambition that I have since given up) his books were something that I enjoyed reading and he was always an idol to me.
When I heard that he was coming to town last time I saw him, I thought that it was incredibly important that I see him, given that I never knew if or when the opportunity would happen again. So to me, it was something that I had to do. Much like the times I have seen so many of the other people or acts I have seen. Sometimes when something that is magical comes within your grasp, you have to reach out and grasp it for a moment holding it in your hands knowing that after it has gone away, you will be able to think back to it and smile knowing that when you had the chance you did what you could to have that experience. When I first saw Garrison, that was what it was for me, A chance to touch something, even if it was in a crowded theater with thousands of other people, even then, to me it was incredibly personal. I was wrong that it is the last time, as I get the chance to see him and his whole crew this time again, but there is something magical in the experience for me.
It is interesting looking back at it all to me. Sometimes life is about grasping those chances holding them close then letting them go knowing that the memory of it, and the experience would always be there with you. It is a magical thing, and I am happy to have a chance to have a new experience again.
