Years ago when I was in my early 20s I lived in Dublin. My friend and I scored a great shared room in one of Dublin's best spots, which happened to be not too far from the big arena where all the best gigs were held.
One Friday night I dragged my Irish flatmate to the arena so we could listen to a Robbie Williams concert from the outside. While we were standing down near the stage end (but outside the venue) a guy came over and asked if we wanted tickets? Of course I did.
There was a catch.
They were special VIP tickets and we had to stand RIGHT AT THE VERY FRONT with the other VIPs. He would take us back stage and walk us to the spot we had to stand.
Then he would take the tickets off us because he was going to sell them another three or four times, whatever he could manage before Robbie kicked off the first song.
I paid the pretty low price for the both of us and in we went and danced and screamed and sang our hearts out. It was a great concert, a perfect night. You can't plan nights like that. Getting those kinds of tickets just hardly ever happens, especially at bargain prices.
Until you get old.
When you get old, (middle aged, mother of two old) there are perks that you don't think of when you are younger.
Like the fact that the people you know now have jobs, lots of them have a half decent job and lots of those jobs come with perks of some kind. Plus, if you all want to go to a concert you can just buy a ticket.
But sometimes you just get a text message saying "I've got a stack of free tickets to the Lady Gaga concert on Sunday, wanna come?" And they are not seats that need binoculars, no, they are front of stage, with the dancers dripping sweat all over you tickets.
Plus someone is bound to have an 8 seater car, so you can all drive in together and then later cruise home, talking all the way, analysing how you think you knew maybe five or six of the songs and how glad you are that you wore your sensible shoes. You all discuss the concert in great detail, so thrilled you got a chance to escape a boring night where 60 minutes was probably going to be on the TV.
Friends with perks seems to just get better as you get older...they cook better food, serve MUCH better wine, get the best seats, wangle bookings at booked out restaurants...
Got any friends with perks?
Wow what a great perk that was! I have a few friends with perks but just not enough time to take advantage of them! Hope to see you in a few days!
ReplyDeleteYou probably ARE the friend with the perks! Or perky? same same.
DeleteNup. No friends with perks. In fact I don't think I've ever had friends with perks. I've had a few jobs with perks. I clearly need more perks in my life!. You must have had the best time while I was, indeed, watching 60 Minutes on the telly :)
ReplyDeleteNot that I can think of. Perhaps I need new friends.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any friends with perks. Maybe I should try meeting new people. What an awesome night! I am totally jealous!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who sometimes gets last minute ridiculously good concert seats. At 38 weeks pregnant, I was in the front row at a Matchbox Twenty concert - rocking out with a massive girth. The (now) Big Sister wriggled so much I swore she was going to be born a fan!
ReplyDelete