Third Time A Charm?

The mother doesn’t get really excited about a lot of things, particularly things that don’t have anything to do with the house. But, a long-time jazz aficionado, she does love her music.

So, prior to her birthday in November 2006 when the local PBS affiliate announced that they would be giving concert tickets and host a special “meet and greet” with trumpeter Chris Botti, then a relatively new love of the mother’s, I knew I’d hit upon the perfect gift. While the concert event wasn’t until January 2007 and I didn’t have the real tickets, I made up a little flier. She was so excited. And I was all slapping myself on the back because I’d succeeded in this rare achievement.

But just before Christmas, the mother came down with a cold or a nasty virus. By the time I got her to actually go the doctor, she already had pneumonia. As the end of January neared and the concert date drew closer, she was on the mend and all riled up to go. It was so incredibly cold that winter though and a brief venture outdoors the day before set her back.

I still have the concert and meet and greet tickets at home. They were never used. Because up until an hour or so before we were supposed to leave, she was going to try and go, I didn’t have a chance to get them to anyone so they could be used.

She finally got to see him at The Fox in the summer of 2007 when he opened for Diana Krall. (She didn’t like Diana Krall. We left before the first half of her set was over. And I vowed that if by some strange chance Elvis Costello showed up on stage, I would brain the mother!) Chris came back to St. Louis on his own in January 2008, but PBS didn’t offer anything for this show. And I have to say, I think I enjoyed the show every bit as much as the mother. He’s an incredible talent and showman. And cute, too, for a blond guy.

PBS announced last June that they would again have the tickets/meet and greet for a show in September at The Fox. I was thrilled! I reupped my membership online. I even got seat confirmation. We were about five rows from the stage, dead center, in the orchestra pit! The mother was elated. The tickets would arrive about two weeks before the show.

I was still riding high last September, having just finished the porch and walkway project, and expecting the tickets to arrive any day when the call came: Due to a scheduling conflict, the Chris Botti show has been postponed. Postponed? Well, it was never rescheduled. The mother just was never going to meet Chris Botti. So, for my very generous contribution, I got nothing but the satisfaction of supporting public television. Even though that is a good thing, bummer for me.

That was last year. Fast forward to last night.

When I got home, the mother said: “Channel 9 called. They’re having Chris Botti live in-studio tonight and showing some new DVD.” I knew this had to be the one I’d seen press on last year in the wake of the cancelled concert. Sure, Chris. Blow off St. Louis and go do a live-taping of a show in Boston. (Which, while no one ever ‘fessed up to that, it’s exactly what was done.)

That was the DVD – him live at the Pops with special guests including Sting (*swoon*), whom Chris credits with discovering him, and John Mayer. They showed about half the DVD, including a rendition of Sting’s “Shape of My Heart” which I love, interspersing with Chris and St. Louis’ own Joe Buck who were hilarious together. And then came the announcement of a Sept. 18 show at the Fox – and a repeat of the ticket/meet and greet offer. When I couldn’t find that offer on their Web site, guess who was on the phone five minutes later …

We’ll have to see if the third time really is a charm. And wouldn’t it be marvelous if Sting showed up at one of these shows? Well, a girl can always hope.