The Day I Met John Mayer

Yesterday someone mentioned that St Patrick's Day is coming up. Of course, a few hours later, as I drove to lunch, John Mayer's "St Patrick's Day" was stuck in my head. As I thought about the song, I remembered a story about a crazy {crazy} 20-year old girl.

And so, here's a little trip down memory lane...with a pit stop in Bonkers. {You should probably press play on the link above so you can hear John's voice as you travel back in time.}

When I was 19 {and 20 and 21 and probably even 22} I loved John Mayer. I saw him in concert several times and knew all of his songs by heart.

In 2003, while I was studying in London, some friends and I bought tickets to see him. Of course, we were fully prepared to sing, be noticed for knowing more about John Mayer than anyone else and--probably--get asked to hang out after the show. Obviously.

We stood outside after the show, ready to meet the band.

John came out and talked to us for a few minutes. He signed my ticket.

I gave him a shirt that said, "Proud Member of the Allison Fan Club" {which, looking back, I'd imagine he handed to another girl a few people down the row from me, but definitely did not throw in the trash} and I asked him to play "St Patrick's Day" as an encore the next time he was in Los Angeles. He agreed. {I made very sure to note this in my scrapbook--along with the fact that he was "very cool".}

I didn't go to his next LA show--but not because I had lost my love for his music...and I'll prove it to you:

The night after he played in Los Angeles, I looked up the set list online. I just knew that he had played it. I could feel it. John Mayer is not one to make a promise and then break it, right? If he tells a girl at a show in London that he will play a specific song nearly a year later at a show in Los Angeles then he will do it.

And you know what, you guys?

He did it.

He freaking did it.

I was so certain that he had played it just for me--well, not as certain as I was that he wore that Proud Member of the Allison Fan Club shirt frequently--but certain enough to announce to a room of people that he had, in fact, played the song just like he'd promised.

I was, as expected and deserved, mocked for this declaration. Nevertheless, I still believed in my heart that he and I had a special connection in that back alley in London. A connection that had stuck with him several months later and had helped him to craft his set for the LA show.

Looking back, I can't help but roll my eyes at my naiveté...at my silly innocence coupled with arrogance.

But one of these days, he will be photographed wearing a T-shirt with my face on it...

And then you'll see--
You'll all see.