Kat's Story | Review
Part 1 | PART 2
It has always been Maria’s and my dream to meet Hanson... always knowing it would
happen but never knew when or how... when Maria’s Aunt (Jeanette) invited us to stay
with her for a week in Atlanta so we could make this all happen, we jumped on the
chance... though parent’s don’t always see it the same... Maria was free and clear, but my
parents for some reason just did NOT want me to go... Maria and I were struggling for the
next week trying to figure out what to do... when finally I got my parents to understand
and then we cried, yet again! We were going to Atlanta to do the “impossibe,” it was
truly a Hanson Vacation! While in Atlanta more happened than we could ever imgaine...
we went to two hanson concerts... a tv appearance on Peachtree Morning... we camped
out and recieved backstage VIP passes... we stayed in their hotel... and the list goes on. It
was definitley a dream come true for two girls in Michigan!
________________________
18 August, 2000
Departure Time: 7.06pm
Maria and I are on the plane... we were supposed to leave and 5.50, but with out luck the
plane was delayed, so we won’t make it to Macy’s as scheduled- we’ll be a few hours
late... hopefully not too late!!
Our plan as of now is that we will arrive (should arrive) at 9.30pm in Atlanta... we RUSH
to her aunts house... do what we need to do and get what we need to get and then we’re
at the mall by midnight? Let’s hope...
10.30pm
We leave the airport and HOUR after landing... i hate baggage claims!!
12.15am
We arrive at Macy’s just after midnight and we find out we’re technically the 3rd people in
line. Security has been kicking people out all day, so we’re immediatley stopped from
setting up our hammock by other fans telling us to “hide” in our cars- we set it up
anyways and leave it there long enought to take a few pictures... security startes to come
so we take down our hammock, but all they do is drive by... they didn’t say anything... we
get out picnic basket and sit on a nearby stairwell to have a midnight snack... maria and i
haven’t eaten anything yet that day!
Security drives by a few more times... and whenever we laugh we’re immediatley hushed.
Finally a little bit later security comes to talk to maria, jeanette and i. They guys says
“Wow, you want to go to that concert bad, real bad!” and we say yah, duh. And then he
says that he won’t kick is out as long as we’re not rowdy. If we keep cool and bla bla bla
everything will be alright... he even showed us where some bathrooms and vending
machines were... we had all the luck! And even better... to keep all of our spots in line
while waiting in the car, the security guard (Mr. Walker was his name...) told is to start a
list.. so we did. Wilson made out the list but he put us on there second... so we were
second in line! We couldn’t believe this!
We met tons of people and took lots of pictures... all to just pass the time... we still had
about 9 hours before they’d open the doors.... maria entertained us by playing keyboards...
sh learned all the hanson songgs just by listening to the on the cd... we played monopoly
with Wilson, Annelle and Dayna... we met Magda who i’ve been talking to for awhile...
and did anything and everything to pass the time, but sleep! At about 3.30 they told us it
was okay to line up... so everyone did.
7.30am
Macy’s even workers came out and told us to out all blankets, pillows, coolers...etc back
into our cars because it was getting closer to 10.00am and they needed to get things
started.
10.00am
After struggling for the past hour trying not to pass out because we were soo tired, it was
finally time to start “our mission!” All tiredness was immediatley gone, and we were
freaking out... and incredibly impatient... They came to the door and repeated “Walk...
don’t run... if you run you’ll be kicked out... you must stay calm.. bla bla bla...” We did as
tey said... for the most part... and we went indside... we grabbed 2 ppair of jeans and
“rushed” not ran to the register... we were pretty mad/suprised that we were about 10
people back in line and the line for the VIP passes was already pretty long considering...
people were screaming things like “I don’t care...don’t fold it... just throw it in the bag!”
another girl just grabbed everything from the door to the register and told the clerk to
“Stop when you get to $100.” To get the VIP passes you had to be in the first 350 people
to buy $50 worth of clothes... and then take your reciept to another line where you still
has to be within that nuber to get the pass... to get a ticket to the concert you had to be
within the first 1500, but that wasn’t an issue, anyone could get one.
We finally get to the register and get out reciepts... but the VIP pass line was out the door
and way into the parking garage! We tried to meet up with Annelle in line who was going
to save us a spot... but there were just wayy too many people doing the same thing
(cutting) so we just went to the back of the line... after what seemed like a eternity...
(about 20 minutes)... we got to the front and I was in shock almost... i couldn’t believe
that this was happening... i was getting a backstage pass to MEET HANSON... i couldn’t
even fathom it... i was just like “....oh...myy.... godd....” Maria made me go first... when
the lady handed it to me i almost walked off without the rules and green braclet (ticket
into concert) and all the promo stuff... i said “Thank you soo much... you don’t even know
what this means to me” and they looked at me like i was a freak and started giving maria
all of her stuff.... we clinched eachother’s arms and walked out of the store... not saying a
word... it seemed like we were sleepwalking because we were so tired and so dazed and at
the same time trying to make sense of all of this... we got to the car and let out a little
sqeal... but that was it... it didn’t even seem real so we couldn’t even really get to excited.
We talked to some security people and they asked us about where we were from and all
that... then they told us where the concert was going to be so we went there and got our
picture taken with our Macy’s bags and passes....
>>>See pictures from the Campout and the Macy’s
maddness
______________________________
20 August, 2000 | And the excitment begins....
11.15pm
We leave the club called “Red Light Cafe” after watching a band called Blueground
Undergrass. We talked to their people and them and were telling them that we were from
Michigan and all that....we talked about Hanson and they thought it was so cool that we
came all this way to do this and support them. They told us good luck meeting them
tomorrow and to have a good time. We asked them if they knew anything about their stay
here or if "their people knows Hanson’s people" but no luck :)
We get into the car and start off to the Tabernackle. Mark and Jeanette promised to take
us by there that night so we could see what it looked like and could do and neccessary
planning. It was kind of a crappy night... it was POURING rain... we were talking earlier
that day about how Hanson was prolly getting there that night... so we were joking around
and "looking for their busses" down every road and in every parking lot from the club to
the tabernackle. We were totally joking and never thought we would actually find them.
We drove past the Tabernackle and did the whole "wow, cool." thing... we were driving
past CNN where Mark (Maria’s Uncle) works and he was telling us about it... we turned
the corner and he was still talking when we spotted 3 busses!!! We instantly recognized
them as Hanson’s, their’s being the maroon one and the other 2 blue ones the crews. We
were F R E A K I N G O U T ! ! ! We found hanson... no one else knew where they
were... they were in that hotel... prolly getting ready to go to bed... omg... We difinitley
had out little teenie-bopper moment... which was much needed at this pont. We were
holding it all in the whole trip, it was time for us to explode. Mark drove back and went
into the parking lot where the busses were. It was now almost midnight and it just started
to rain even harder. Maria got out and took some pictures first- i had to wait for my
camera to rewind... we had to hurry because there was security not to far away and we
didn’t want to get in trouble... i looked up at the hotel because i saw some lights on in a
few rooms near the top of the hotel.... as i looked up i saw a dark figure in a window
glance out at us and then quickly close the curtains... i got my film in just as maria was
getting back into the car i told her what i saw then i got out and took a picture and them
we left the lot... we couldn’t believe this!
We were freaking out and shaking all the way back to the apartment... everything was
working out too perfectly... everything was going right... this was unheard of! We knew
where Hanson was... it was so weird to think they they were inside of that building... we
were some of the very few people, if not the only people, who knew where they were. We
got back and started to plan the next day... we wanted to get up early but decided against
it when we overslept... oops!
_________________________________
21 August, 2000
We got up and got ready and took off to go to Macy’s a little later than we hoped... we
wanted to see how many people were there already. To our suprise, there were very few-
maybe 20-25. We got there about 12.30 and decided to go check out the stage area. We
talked to some of Hanson’s people and some of the Macy’s even workers for a little
while... they were asking us tons of questions and telling us all about everything that was
going on... they were very nice and patient with us and were talking about how nice all the
Hanson fas were... finding out that hanson wouldn’t be at the soundcheck we went to get
our clothes from the car to exchange them...
This is where it gets interesting, folks...
As we’re walking Jeanette turns to us and says: “I was going to wait until after the signing
to tell you this, but we might not have time... Mark called the (hotel name) this morning
and booked 2 nights there for us... we’re going to go check in after we exchange our
clothes.” We went into shock... the booked us 2 nights in Hanson’s hotel!! We could not
believe it and thought she was joking... how is this possible? What?! it was crazy. The
room were fairly expensive and the fact that * WE DIDN’T KNOW FOR SURE
HANSON WAS THERE * was a major issue... we kinda freaked for a few minutes
but promised a million times not to tell anyone we were going and not to tell anyone
where hanson was... of course we agreed... we weren’t going to their hotel to stalk them ir
hunt them down... but we might get a glimpse of them :)
We exchanged out clothes and walked through macy’s on a hanson high... this was truly
the best i ever felt in my life at this point... we just couldn’t stop smiling... After we got
what we wanted we left to go check into the hotel and then have lunch at CNN before the
concert.
A little after 3pm we got to the hotel... This is the best part... see- Mark called earlier that
morning and said that when he drove by the hotel on his way to CNN that morning the 2
blue busses were there, but not the maroon one (hanson’s). When we left Macy’s, the 2
blue busses were there but not the maroon one... so totally joking again we were like
“wouldn’t it be cool if their bus was at the hotel?” not expecting it... as we turned the
corner, yet again, there it was. Plain as day. Hanson’s bus. They’re at the hotel. OUR
hotel. (that is... if it wan’t a decoy which we still weren’t sure about).
We calmed outselves down totally and the vallet guy came and took the car and we went
inside to check in. The hotel was very cool... it’s hard to describe... it was like a
rectangular box with the middle cut out... and it had glass elevators. Perfect. You would
be able to see Hanson, or anyone for that matter, without even trying. That is a good, and
a bad thing. ( | see pictures | )
We walked around the lobby while Jeanette was waiting to check in. There were buisness
people everywhere having meetings and just hanging out. It was weird to think any of
them could have been with Hanson. Also, we noticed, no teenage girls! No hanson fans
were there yet... but we knew after Macy’s there would prolly be quite a few. As we were
walking we saw a man who resembled Mr Hanson (Walker). As we got closer we realized
it wan’t him. He was leaning over a blacony in the 3rd floor talking on a cell phone... that
little experince pretty much was getting is ready for the event to come.
Jeanette called us over and asked us if we wanted to go check out the room, of course we
did!! We got in th elevator and went to the 6th floor. We walked by what we would soon
find to be hanson’s rooms to get to ours. We got into out room, check it out for a minute,
and then we left to go to CNN.
We walked the “long way” around and as we were approaching the elevators we saw a
man standing by them talking on a cell phone and another lady. We were joking like...
“omg, walker?!” whispering to eachother... not making a big deal... as we got a little
closer we were like... no, he’s too young, and doesn’t Mr Hanson have a mustache? so we
were like okay... forget it. We’re being too hopefull. Just them, I saw another figure out of
the corner of my eye... I look over and it is ZAC FREAKING HANSON....I said
(whispeing) “Maria... omg... that is walker... because that’s ZAC!!” she saw him the same
time i did and we were freaking out inside but keeping cool on the outside... Zac was
across the hotel... but as you can see from the pictures it’s all open so we could see him
perfectly... i’ll never forget that moment... he was just walking around looking down & up
from the balcony to check things out... just like we were moments before... he had his hair
pulled back into a pony tail and was wearing his red Colorado shirt.... we got to the corner
and lost sight for a second but we were still keeping cool. Mr Hanson and hanson’s tour
coordinator Patricia were talking and Mr Hanson was still on the phone.... Zac wansn’t
there anymore... we figured he saw us and went into his room to be safe. (or possibly... he
saw us walkng down in the lobby before and went to check it out again and that;s why he
was looking down but then saw us coming to the elevators and hid- who knows...) As we
stood only a few feet away from Mr Hanson we acted as if nothing was happening, and
that we were totally oblivious. At that point, I had no feeling in my body.. .all i could feel
was my heart beating. It felt like everything drained out of my body... we didn’t stare at
him or anything... we just pushed the elevator button and calmly got onto the elevator..
and as soon as the doors closed we started shaking so bad!! We could NOT believe it
now... we were going to see hanson in concert in a few hours... then we were going to
meet them... then we were going to be in their hotel for the next 2 days... but not only
that... WE WERE ON THEIR FLOOR! It was... insane.
We left to go to CNN and saw Mark waiting outside for us. We ran up to him freaking
out and thanking him non-stop. We had lunch and Jeanette told us she heard Mr Hanson
say on the phone that they were going to leave at 4:45 to go to Macy’s. We at lunch and
got back to the hotel at 4:30, and the vallet guy went to get the car. We were waiting
ouside in the pick-up/drop-off area, and Patricia walked outside! A few minutes later, the
maroon bus pulled up and she got on. We could see the elevators in the lobby from where
we were standing and kept checking them every few seconds to see if they were coming
down yet. Just then, the car came and we had to go. It was off to the apartment to get out
passes and then we’d head for Macy’s, very excited.
We got to Macy’s about 5.15pm. They were supposedly letting us into the area at 5.30,
beucase the Seventeem Fashion Show was starting at 6pm. There were 2 lines, and we got
into the first one. I guess where the first one ended the second one was going to start, so
we got into the right one. Some lady infront of us started yelling at us and throwing a fit...
and then we saw Annelle a few people ahead of her and she waved to us to come over so
we got in line with her... ahead of the screamer. We saw Magda again and said hi... and
saw a few other people we talked to only a few days previous. We wanted to tell about
seeing Zac so bad, but knew what we couldn’t.
A little after 5.30 they started letting groups of 10 or so into the parking lot where the
concert would be held. When we got in there wasn’t really a whole lot of people in there...
granted everyone was not in yet, it was still dissapointing to see Hanson in this situation.
Playing small....maybe 500 people mall parking lot gigs... and not even selling it out. After
we were in for a few minutes, we saw Hanson’s tour bus go by, and hardly ANYONE
noticed... it was probably a good idea on their part... lock all the fans in this little area so
that they can actually get hanson inside with no problem.
Hanson wan’t going to perform until 6.35 so we had a little while. The Seventeen fashion
show started... it was pretty... yahh.... but it guess it helped pass the time-
Finally Hanson took the stage. They were awesome! For a general admission concert this
wasn’t too bad... there really wasn’t a lot of pushing and because there were so few
people we’d feel bad being the only ones pushing to the front, so we just kinda chilled
where we were... we were about 7 people deep... but it seemed further because they had a
10 foot baracade between the crowd and the stage (w/ 2 fences spaced out...). Hanson
sang, in this order: Where’s the Love, Runaway Run, If Only, Thinking of You, and This
Time Around. They only did 5 songs, and were only on for about 25 minutes, but it was
well worth it. Taylor wore the shirt he did on Jay Leno (i love that shirt) and look really
good w/ the new haircut; Zac wore the same red Colorado shirt we saw him with in the
hotel; and Isaac wore a green shirt with kaki colored pants... I prolly made eye contact
with Taylor a million times with Taylor... it was so weird. And i didn’t realize until after i
got my pictures back that Zac was looking at me/us too... I have a bunch of pictures of
Zac looking right into my camera... i think he recognized us from the hotel... I started to
feel really bad after that! After they finished they said thanks and we all went to get in line
for the Meet-N-Greet.
>>>Kat’s Macy’s Pictures
>>>Maria’s Macy’s Pictures
We were mad becuase they were only supposed to give out between 300-350 VIP
passes... but because things were so crazy inside they promised to give (almost) everyone
passes... meaning they gave out over 430 passes... and we only had an HOUR... so that
means it’d be like 2 seconds per person w/ each hanson... that sucked!! We were pretty
bummed but definitley made the best of it!! We couldn’t complain... we WERE going to
meet them!
We were probably in the last 40 in line... we had to go to the car to get out presents for
hanson before we go in line... Maria wrote them a letter and I bought them this expensive
Jackson Five 25th Anniversary collection and a Mindi Abair cd... hoping they didn’t have
them!! I wanted to buy them something they could use... and appreciate... i hope i
succeeded :)
The line moved fairly quickly to my suprise, but i guess it had to with that many people
otherwise a lot of people would not get a chance to meet them. We knew all we would get
was a quick, “Hey, thanks for coming.” But we’d take what we could get! The thing that
cracked us up was... it took them TWO HOURS to meet 40 models, but AN HOUR to
meet 430+ fans.... jjeezz!!
We waited and waited and finally it was our turn! They checked our passes, gave us the
pictures they would sign, and let us go... I made Maria go first... the order of the guys
were Taylor, Zac then Isaac. Maria went up in front of Taylor... all i know is that she said
hi or something to that extent...and then he looked at me... it was my turn-
I didn’t really say anything and neither did he... i’m sitting here thinking... god, what do
you say to Taylor freaking Hanson... y’know? I suprisingly wasn’t nervous... at ALL... i
think i was maybe more relieved to finally have it happen... I felt pretty stupid. I didn’t get
to ask the zoo question (“Don’t you guys feel like you’re trapped in a zoo?”) I was pissed
I forgot. If I hear now that anyone says it... there will be a problem. Okay, back to the
story... Taylor looked and me and said “Hello” in a reallyyy low voice... he sounded tired,
but i guess if he just got done with a concert he wuld be- not to mention the hundreds of
times he already signed the same picture in the same spot before me. I noticed immediatley
some “stubble” on his chin where he obviously hadn’t shaved that day, it was so cute...
and weird to think of Hanson having facial hair. Taylor is the only one that really looks
different in person... he looks so much more “guy-ish,” but i guess being a foot away from
him is different than seeing him on TV or in magazines or concerts.
I gave Taylor my pic and he took it and set it down to sign when i handed him my
presents... I said/mumbled something to the extent of “i got you this... i don’t know if you
have it already but... here” i’m not sure if he heard me or not, lol... he took the J5 thing
and looked at it weird like he didn’t know what it was... and said “Thank You,” still
looking at it puzzled... i guess my worries if thinking they already had it should be over!
He signed my picture and i said thank you and he smiled and nodded.
I moved on to Zac... he looked at me and didn’t say anthing... I felt Taylor looking at me
so i glanced over at him... he said “Wow, thank you... really...thanks.” and I said (again
quietly) “yep...” and nodded... i prolly looked like a freak... I mean Taylor freaking
Hanson is talking to me... thanking me... and that’s the BEST i can do... say “yep” and
TURN AWAY? omg... i felt really stupid tho... i probably could have extended the
conversation if i had been thinking... and if i didn’t care that a girl was already waiting for
Taylor to sign her picture and if Zac wasn’t waiting for me to stop talking to his brother...
but i was suprised... i think after i gave Taylor the cd’s and all he said was thank you... i
think i might have looked disapointed or something that that was all her had to say... to
tell you the truth i don’t even remember smiling at all up to that point... but i though it was
cool that Taylor must have checked out the J5 CD thing after i went to Zac to see what it
was... and then he realized it and was suprised that i would give that to them...but... back
to Zac..
I decided it was time to finally speek up so I said, simply, “Hi.” He still was looking at me
and said “Heey.” He looked at me really funny and gave me this “...yah, i know you’re
stalking us back at the hotel” look... if nothing it was sarcastic... almost a smirk. That boy
is sly. I handed him my picture and he went to sign it... this is too great: I seriously think i
was making him nervous because when he went to sign the “Z” he did it a little too big
and his sharpie slid off the picture and onto the table.. he tried to keep going with it
anways but it got stuck on the side of the picture so he had to lift it up to try and finish it
without making it seem like anything had happened... After it slid off he looked at me
really qiuck and looked back down with this look on his face like, “She didn’t see that, did
she?” Yep. I did Zac. :) The whole time i couldn’t help but think, “omg... I’m scaring
Zac!!” He finished his signature and handed me the picture and looked at me... I realized
that I wasn’t smiling at all yet so I said thank you with a big smile on my face, and he gave
me a big sincere smile back. Zac is also *much* better looking in person... pictures don’t
really do him too much justice.
The whole time i couldn’t help but think, “omg... I’m scaring Zac!!”
Next was Isaac. He didn’t really look at me... he didn’t say anything so I said “Hi.” He
replied with “Hi, how are you?” I said okay... but I guess I couldn’t really think at the
moment so it took a few seconds for it to click in my head until I said “...and you?” When I
asked that he had just started to write the “I” in his name and he had to stop for a second
to answer... like he had to really think about it or something.... and said “Good!” and went
to finish his name but I guess me talking to him kinda broke his concentration and he kind
of... I don’t know... it took him a few seconds to finish it... but then i guess he didn’t like
it... or messed up... because it took him a second then he drew a line under his name. set
the tip of the marker down on it (like... dotted it but held it there for a second...) looked at
it and then said “...yah, whatever” and shoved it to me almost annoyed... but maybe he
was just embarassed... i don’t know. it was weird tho. I realized i didn’t shake any of their
hands yet... and so i figured to shake hanson’s hand you have to make the first move... so i
stuck out my hand to Isaac and he was like “oh!” and *tried* to shake my hand... but he
had his marker in it still so it was kinda a “mini” shake with his fingers all balled up... I
said thank you and smiled and he gave me this HUGE smile (the “ike smile”) that was
bordering on fake... but y’know- i completley understand it in their posotion.
I met up with Maria who was waiting off to the side... we saw Mr Hanson again... he was
waiting kind off to the side prolly hoping to go unnoticed. Once again, we didn’t saw
anything because we didn’t want to bother him.
I was suprising calm for the first time the whole trip... we were so on egde and nervous
and mainly excited the whole trip we couldn’t even eat... but it’s like after meeting them it
did something and we were toally at ease... and hungry :)
When we remembered the hotel we started to get that feeling back in our stomachs...
hanson were there... and we would be soon too... we didn’t get back to the hotel that
night until after 11pm... we had some things to do and that was the earliest we could get
back...
We were pretty annoyed at all the disrespectfull “fans” that were there all night; who
didn’t have a room; and were just running around knocking on doors and screaming and
then running away... yes, some of the rooms were actually hanson’s ot their family’s... we
were like please... how immature can you get?! and some of the ones that DID have
rooms were even worse.. I know you prolly think i have no room to talk on this matter...
but for the record we saw hanson NON-STOP that day... and the day to come (I’ll get to
that) but everytime we saw them, or their family... walking by us, getting in our elevators,
or mackie and zoe splashing us in a fountain or running up and talking to us we LEFT
THEM ALONE... we didn’t stalk them and try to “hunt them down.” We gave them the
privacy and respect they deserve... ESPICIALLY their family.
We knew Hanson were prolly in their rooms for the night... so we just went “exploring”
around to check out the hotel since we didn’t get a chance to earlier. We decided to go
check out the pool, tho we knew it was closed... we figured our how to get in w/ the key
and we opened the door and thought no one was there so we stuck our head out to make
sure and Peter (tour coordinator) turned and looked at us really quick. He was in the hot
tub with some other guy we couldn’t see because of a bush... as soon as we saw Pete we
quickly shut the door and left. We felt really bad bothering them!! Not to mention, they
prolly thought we were some more psycho obsessive hanson fans... but what can you do.
We hung around the hotel for awhile longer before retreating back to our room at about
3am... we decided we needed to get some sleep because we were planning on getting up
at about 6.30 the next morning... but it was hard to sleep because of the screaming,
laughing, fans RIGHT OUTSIDE our door that refused to go away for at least an hour... I
finally started to FULLY realize the things that Hanson have to go through every night
everywhere they go... we felt so bad being in their hotel... we were seeing the things you
always hear them talking about... and we realized how bad people who “love them” can
treat them... it’s crazy... i feel so bad for them.... it must be SO hard for them to have any
sort of life offstage...
____________________________
22 August, 2000
9.08am
We get up.... not at 6.30, but a little after 9... oops!! Maria’s ready and out of the
bathroom by 9.20am... my turn. I JUST get in the shower when maria comes POUNDING
on the door... screaming something along the lines of “OMG!!!! KAT!!! JEANETTE
JUST SAW ZAC WAITING BY THE ELEVATOR!!! OMG!!! HURRY!!!” I GET OUT
OF THE SHOWER.... get ready... (we’re talking 2 minutes TOPS) have to leave my hair
wet and make it curly cause i have no choice (i have a fro if i don’t do anything to it)... i
come out of the bathroom and maria looks out the door and sees hanson walking into the
Peachtree Morning studio... which is a glass room in the lobby of the hotel... i go next to
her... just missing seeing them and there’s about 25 girls sitting around the door... we
knew what was up. Hanson was (obviously) going to be appearing on Peachtree Morning.
We gather ourselves and hurry downstairs so we don’t miss anything.
We watched Hanson rehearse a few times... we couldn’t hear anything so we just watched
them joke around and mess up... the best part was just seeing them be themselves... Taylor
and Zac were constantly yawning and closing their eyes... Taylor left a few times (went
into an ajoining room) to get some orange juice... there’s so many things that happened...
little things that just made them seem so real. People were screaming... taking pictures..
and some nearly in tears... I just stood there... watching them. I was completley at ease... I
wasn;t... and i don’t think Maria was either... content with just “seeing them... being
hanson.” Seeing hanson, escpicially meeting them.... makes you want more. I wanted to
actually TALK with them and get to know them as people... not just as Hanson. a lot of
people are happy just being an obsessed fan... but i’m to the point where i’m not. Taylor
kept looking at me and I wanted to be like “did you like the Jackson Five collection?” but
of course he was in the glass room and... well... i obviously couldn’t talk to him. I made
eye contact with him a lot that day, but everytime he’d look at me I’d look away because I
felt stupid and didn’t know what to do.
The show started and 10am so we waited there until then... just before the show started
the PTM people opened the doors saying that if we agreed to “be good” they’d keep the
doors open for Hanson’s appearance so we could hear them sing and be interviewed...
they put the camera on us several times and told us to scream and clap and cheer for
Hanson and also for the show (y’know when show’s like that are like “coming up next we
have Hanson... and we’re surrounded by hanson fans (cut to fans screaming) so be sure to
stay tunned!” it was that sort of thing...). We agreed, of course.
Finally 10.00am came and Hanson performed If Only and Sure About It accoustic. The
little that i heard was very good... everyone in the lobby was singing, and it was hard to
hear them anyways so they were pretty much drowned out. the interview was fairly
short... and again we couldn’t hear. I can’t wait to get the tape of it i ordered in the mail :)
After the “hanson segment” was done, Taylor came to the door (they closed it after the
hanson part was done) and opened it... he came out only a foot before he was nearly
mobbed.... everyone went around him sticking out hands... he looked dazed.. almost like
he was looking for someone... he wasn’t really looking at anyone... he just had wide eyes
and was looking all over... i did make eye contact with him tho... I was relucant to “shove
my hand out” through all the people... but i figured now or never... just as i did it he
grabbed my hand and smiled and I had to let go! i didn’t want to... of course but did and
he took another hand...
After they said “thanks” and were about to go back into the room when some girl near
Taylor goes “Tay, I want a hug!!” and he looked kind of... worried i guess... but said “It’s
kind of hard to...” he cut his sentence short and saw this little girl by him (not the one who
yelled) and said “...hey, you’ll be the easiest to hug.” And gave the little girl a hug and
went back into the room... it was so adorable! They moved into another room next tothe
studio, also with a glass wall, and to crowd moved down by them... they got their things
and went out a back door to go outside and walk down the sidewalk by the hotel... you
could see them because on the ouside was another glass wall so nearly everyone rushed
out the nearest doors to go find them... maria and i were the only ones left and saw them
walk... but just long enough to divert people and then they went into another door that
leads to the bar/restaurant that was right next to the studio... we were by the restaurant so
we saw them walk through and go somewhere... we figured they probably went up the
stairs to try and “sneak” in. We went to the stairwell to see but we nearly ran into some
guy there... we knew we just missed Hanson... but maybe it was better that way. We went
back to our room on the 6th floor and hung out in the little mini-lobby area right outside
our room.
>>>continue to PART 2!