Caller 9

This is How the Story Went:

I drag myself out of bed last Friday morning wishing someone would sing me a late morning lullaby so I could go back to the comfort of my pillows, but look to the clock on the wall—it’s after 7:30 already. Only a half hour before I have to leave! First thing’s first—turn on the radio. There, that’s better. I slather my toothbrush with toothpaste and just as the electric toothbrush takes off, Blake of Blake and Jennie in the morning from 92.9 The Mountain says without introduction, “Let’s give those Brandi Carlile tickets away now. Caller 9.”

Kurt’s shower and the radio compete for attention with me as I screech with an unprepared hurriedness. Usually, I have two phones in hand and have the number dialed and ready for when Blake says those magic words. But not this time! I'm foaming at the mouth with toothpaste as I quickly stagger through the house to find a phone. The office phone is good and charged, so I dial what I think is the number: 880-9292... If it’s busy I’ll know it’s the right number. I listen intently, fearful I may wake someone if I dial incorrectly. It was busy! Whew! Normally, I’d think it were a tragedy. Okay, redial. Wait, it's ringing! What? That's weird. Hallelujah!

I quickly spit my minty-fresh glop of gel into the guest bathroom sink and on the other end of the phone, the familiar Blake voice says, “Hi! Who’s this?” I answer rather loudly, “This is Dawn!” trying to disguise my just-woke-up-and-haven't-used-my-voice-yet voice as one that's been up for hours.

Here’s how our conversation went, although I wish I had been a bit more clever in our dialogue, but what can I say? I was too excited for cleverness!

“How are you?” Blake asks me. (If he only knew!)

“Good! How are you?”

“Happy Friday!” he says.

“Happy Friday!” I repeat, anxious to hear what possible good news could be in store for me.

“Would you like to go see Brandi Carlile in concert on June 3rd?"

"Oh my gosh! I would love to!" There was a pause, so I continue, "I’m shaking, I’m so excited!” The DJs carry on about tickets being for sale and I say, “Thank you!” in disblief, feeling very grateful that I followed my inclination to try to call despite the unlikely possibility of actually winning.

Ah, my 30 seconds of fame! Turns out my sister, my friend, Tamara, and my cousin, Jillian, heard me on the radio!

Have you ever won tickets? I happily can say that now I have, and it was very exciting! Have You Ever is the title of one of my favorite Brandi Carlile songs. Take a listen!

Hopefully her new album will be out at her concert in June! I'm really looking foward to that. If you want to read my last post about her and see the nifty T-shirt I bought at the last show I went to, click here.

(The picture at the start of this post is one I took from her concert in April of 2007 at the Rilalto Theater.)

It Blew Me Away,

Dawn