| MY Kevin Encounter |
| Did you ever have something that you had wanted so badly and you came so close so many times that you thought it might make you crazy if you kept on trying? Well this is the case with me meeting Kevin. I had tried so many times over the last 7 years and came up empty every time. The results of my searching for the illusive Kevin all that time I ended up meeting all of the other 4 guys in the group, some multiple times, 2 concussions, a huge credit card bill for hotels, airfare and concert tickets (which I'm STILL paying on), more Kleenex than you could ever count in a lifetime and several friendships regretfully lost. My good friend Deb decided to make it her mission to get me to finally meet Kevin when he was in New York playing in 'Chicago'. She had gone up to see the show his opening weekend and told me how easy it was to meet him. Now over the years, I had become quite bitter over my repeated failings on the "Kevin issue", but I decided after her telling me just how simple it was, that I'd give it one last shot. In all honesty, I did want to see his performance in 'Chicago' because knowing his past in theater, I was curious how he'd do, coupled with the fact that the man is my walking, talking, breathing perfect fantasy man. LOL So on the morning of February 27th, with threat of a major snow storm, I began my trek from right outside of Harrisburg PA, to my first experience of the Big Apple, New York City. We took the train up from Philadelphia, which was good, we arrived into the huge main terminal in N.Y.C, which was also good, but then we got in the cab... That was scary, I think there are still finger indentations in the door of that cab from my panic. Cab ride survived, we arrived at the hotel, which was one block over from the Ambassador theater where 'Chicago' was playing. We checked in and made our way over to the theater where there was this HUGE picture of Kevin outside, I was giddy. We of course took pics in front of the poster. LOL We took a small walking tour of Times Square and got some lunch. We even were outside of the MTV studio while they were taping TRL. It was hip hop week and we fit right in, WORD! LOL As evening started to set in, we decide to head back to the hotel and get showered and dressed for the show. We arrived at the theater 45 minutes early and there is already a pretty long line to get in. We buy a program and make our way inside. The theater was nice, smaller than I expected it to be, but that gave it a homey feel I thought. We had 6th row center orchestra seats which were unbelievably close to the stage, closer than I thought they'd be. I of course am driving Deb insane by this point with all my nervous chatter and questions of 'What-if". We are looking all around the theater checking out to see what was going on around us when I notice this woman walking in. Now in my mind I'm saying No way, it can't be but damned if it wasn't... Kevin's mom is just sitting down at the end of our row to our left. We quietly said hello to her so we didn't attract any unwanted attention to her by other possible fans that might be there. She was a VERY sweet lady and his grandmother was also there, but we didn't talk to her. Showtime! It was Awesome! Great! Fabulous! Orgasmic....wait did I just type that? LOL Seriously, he did a stupendous job, it was like he had been doing it for years. I flip my middle finger to all of those who said he didn't have the stage presence or singing voice to carry out that part! *FLIP* His voice was clear and strong and unbelievable good. It's amazing when he actually gets to sing in is natural vocal range how freakin good he is, too bad that will never happen with the group... Anyway, I digress... It was really touching at the end when he came out with the cast to take their bows, his mom jumped up and was yelling and clapping for him. This sounds stupid to say, but seeing that kind of humanized Kevin to me. I mean I didn't think he was Superman or anything, but I always kind of saw him as untouchable and a little bit bigger than life itself, on a pedestal so-to-speak. Does that make any sense? It really is hard to explain. That just brought him down to my level and also took the nervous jitters of possibly being face to face with him right out of me. I was so worried what to say to him if I ever met him, all that just went right out the door after seeing that and then his reaction to her. He waved down at her and his grandma and mouthed that he loved them. Very sweet! The show is over and we make our way outside after we said a quick goodbye to Mrs. Richardson and grandma. There are a lot of people out there waiting. A good majority of them I don't even think went to the show, but were just there to meet Kevin. I was still worried it wasn't going to happen seeing how he had family there and all, but we got a spot along the barricade. Eventually the cast started trickling out one by one. We clapped and cheered along with everyone else for all of them. My eyes were trained on the side door, sharpie clutched in frozen hand, waiting.... And the next thing I know, he was right there at the beginning of the line about 10 feet away. I turned and looked at Deb and my mind was thinking Holy Shit, but my face was reading shock! She laughed and said "I TOLD YOU! And then it happened, he was at the person right beside me talking and signing for them, then he stepped to me and said "Hello" I REMAINED COOL! Thank you lord Jesus! I carried on a whole conversation with him. He asked my name and where I was from. And I told him I had been trying to meet him for 7 years. He in turn said "Wow! 7 years is a long time." I laughed and said "You have NO idea." Deb then told him he didn't even want to know what I'd gone through in the past. I'm not sure if that scared him or not, but he kept talking to me. He signed my 4 page program picture insert of him and I asked him if I could get a picture with him. He happily complied and put his arms around me in one of the best hugs I've ever had in my life. Now I am only 5'2" and he is all but 6'2". He keeps trying to move to get his head down close to mine and then when he couldn't, proceeds to tell me how short I am. He ended up putting his chin on top of my head for what turned out to be an incredible pic! (Other than the wide eyed look of shock on my face but I'm not going to get into that... pic at bottom of page) I thanked him profusely and he smiled and gave me another hug, this one much quicker than the first, but still divine. He moved on to Deb and them down the line. We stuck around to watch him sign and talk with every single person that was waiting for him.(NICE GUY! It was cold as hell too.But we didn't seem to notice that fact till we started walking back to the hotel.LOL) He gets to the end of the line and everyone is walking away and he turns around and asks if there was anyone else. Now for those that know me well, know the story of why I have always wanted to meet Kevin. It has to do with a song he wrote that came along at the perfect time and fixed my very messed up life. I asked him "Would it be selfish to ask you to sign one more thing for me?" He grinned and said "All depends" Now he was kidding because he had his sharpie out ready to sign again for me. I got out my song book which held the song I had wanted signed and I told him "This has been the reason I have been trying so hard to meet you" He looked down at the book and saw what I was holding open and looked at me kind of surprised and said "Wow, that's really great to hear" I told him "This saved my relationship, you'll never have any idea what that means" He looked me square in the eye and said "It saved mine too" KICK ASS! I loved it. Major cool that he admitted that to me because he's always dodged that question when asked in interviews about who it was really written for. He dedicated the song "To Kelly and Allan Best Wishes with everything Love Kevin Richardson". I was so moved by his kindness I put my hand over my heart and thanked him. He gave me one last hug and moved on to the other group that had been waiting for him. By this time his car had come around and his mom rolled the window down and said goodbye to us. We talked for a few moments and wished her a good trip in the city with Kevin and a safe trip back to Kentucky. We headed back to the hotel and I called Allan and then I called my mom to tell her I FINALLY succeeded. Deb called a friend of ours to tell her we had achieved success. Everyone had been worried that if/when I finally did get to meet him I would be let down by what I built him up to be. No words can ever describe the kindness, caring or compassion of that man. He was everything and more than I thought he would be.I am so thankful to Deb for coming with me and dealing with my anal retentiveness for the entire day. Thankful to Mrs. Richardson for raising such a fine good rounded man. And thankful to Kevin for remaining true to who he is and not getting to be "Larger Than Life". So long winded as that may have been, it still wasn't enough words for all that I got out of that experience. I don't have one single regret. I didn't say anything I wished I wouldn't have or miss anything I wish I would have told him. I was composed and polite. Calm and collected. And still , to this day, thankful... THANK YOU KEVIN! MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT ALWAYS! ~KevDawgsMysteryLady A.K.A. ~Kelly |
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| Me and Kevin 2-27-03 |