and here's the part of the story from our little trip last night that i left out...because i followed my heart in the story.  my life is a segway....i started telling about our trip last night to see our friends show and because i started writing about my friends talents that go on and on and on and our friendship that goes on and on and on, i wrote on and on and never got to the mix up.

we go to nan's shows every chance we get. she's not around the corner....but we love to go.  last night, we made sure to plan accordingly.  we were determined to get there on time. we have had nights where they were closing the doors, lights were out and we had to do lots of sweettalking to get ourselves in the door and seated quietly.  preferably, without nan seeing us and creating a scene.....we are easy targets.

biff, being a twin born seven minutes after his brother has a long history with running late. his twin has always said,  "you've been late since the day you were born!"
biff has come a long way and is much more prompt these days, but somehow we do have our mixups.

last night, with all plans on schedule, the family was dressed and ready, out the door, in the car and on the road with our googled directions to our location.  we had time to get in the theatre, get candy or a drink, be seated and reading our "playbill" while waiting for the show to begin.

we followed the directions to a tee until we found ourselves in a not so desireable neighborhood.  actually, the address kind of matched the directions.  as we arrived
at shack with some green grass, i got the feeling that this was not a place that nan would drive, let alone put on a show.

we stopped three people to ask directions.  no one spoke english.  does that surprise us? no. we move on.  we finally asked a not so intimidating manwith a very intimidating dog who barked loudly.  not the man, the dog.he spoke english.  not the dog, the man. we diiidn't have time to checki on the dog's language abilities.  we peeled out of that neighborhood in a hurry!

at that point, we were in a hurry but might still make the curtain call.  that is, until we drove around some more scary neighborhoods....close, but no quite.  we tried to call the theatere...we got administrative offices.  we tried to text her husband.  anyone watching or helping with a show would surely turn off their phone.  no pick up. we found the theatre....we saw the lights.  we looked for a parking spot. and we looked some more.  we circled the block.  we finally found a sign that said parking.  we followed the sign. we drove into the cement jungle parking lot.  we passed many filled parking spaces.  we followed the arrows to the next level.  we passed the security guard. we waved and smiled.  he waved and smiled.  where did he think the family of four was going?  we arrived on the next level.  thee were no other cars.  no other life.  no other ramps open.  just lights and scaffolding and do not enter signs.  we had entered the twilight zone and all we wanted was a braodway review.  we circled about and yes, our only choice, we drove back down. we drove down the up ramp.....we signaled to another driver not to go there and we got out of there.  we circled some more.,  at that point, i was ready to pull up on the sidewalk....in fornt of the theatre.  i offered to drop off the family while i looked for a space....in cleveland.  and just as i thought, we found a space within a block of the theatre.
phew!  we were there...we just needed to pick up the tix at the door.  pause.  we had the manager to escort us to the seats....during a break in the action. pause.  the manager escorted us to our second row, middle seats.  yahoo!  we had arrived.

in time for two songs....and intermission!  we had arrived just in time to miss my goddaughter, nan's daughter, on stage. we had arrived just in time to miss nan's son on stage.

we did make it, if a tad late.  they know we love them.  they know we wanted to be there.  they know that mix ups do happen.  they know about my mix ups.  they know that my mom called me littlemarymixup....and they love me anyway...they love us all anyway....and maybe that's part of why they love us.  they know we want to always be there for them.  literally and figuratively. and maybe that's why they love us....because we are....even if a bit late...we are there with all of oue heart.  in the second row...literally and figuratively.  cheering them on .....as good friends do....literally and figuratively.

we were there in time to applaud and whoop it up.  i clap well.  and i have a great whistle....although it embarrasses the kids....not the kids on stage....the kids in my family.  they should be proud, don't ya think.  that's one of my biggest skills. and that counts.  i mean, for all of the nan's in the world.  they need people with skill like mine.  where would they be without the whistlers?