Concert

Authors Note: I was at a concert and a woman wearing a specific jacket triggered a memory from the past. This spawned this fictional story. Then this was short enough that I managed to get it to exactly 750 words.

Enjoy.

Thanks to Bumbling_Fool for his suggestions.

Here I was. Six months after my wife's passing, sitting alone at the amphitheater waiting for the Pixies to come on stage.

We bought these tickets ten months ago and looked forward to seeing them. The band came on and I had to wipe a tear as the first song started. This was my first real outing by myself since she passed. My kids had been keeping me company, but after six months, I had to start doing things on my own and this concert was a way for me to start on that road.

By the fourth song I was starting to feel myself, by the tenth I was getting lost in the music. Somewhere around the twentieth song, I noticed a woman a few rows in front of me. She was wearing a Specials jacket. The Specials are another of my favorite bands.

She turned to her side and looked down at the empty chair beside her and I saw a tear in the corner of her eye. She looked similar in age, mid to late fifties, as me.

Now I am not looking to start a new relationship, but I had a feeling I would regret not connecting with this woman.

I pulled out the notepad that I carried with me in the event a Literotica story idea struck me. I quickly scribbled. "My name is Ted. We look similar in age. I like the Pixies and the Specials." And my phone number.

I didn't know if I was going to be able to talk to her, but maybe at the end of the concert, I could get her attention in the crowds and pass her my note.

As the show ended, I saw her leave. After a few frantic minutes, I managed to catch up to her. I got her attention and passed her my note before she disappeared into the crowd.

I didn't see her again. Well, at least I tried.

A week later, I was preparing dinner for myself when the phone rang.

"Hello?" I said.

I heard a tentative woman's voice on the other end of the line. "Is this Ted?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"You passed me a note. I was wondering why?"

"You know, I don't know why exactly. I was alone at the show, you appeared to be alone, I saw that you were wearing a Specials jacket and I just felt that I should reach out to you." I said. "I'm sorry if that wasn't appropriate."

"Why were you alone at the show? She asked.

I sighed. "My wife passed six months ago."

There was a sniffle on the other end of the phone. "My husband passed five months ago. He would have loved being at that show."

Over the next ten minutes, Rose and I talked and decided to take the chance and meet. We picked a food court in a nearby mall.

She texted me when she arrived and we found each other. I went and got us some coffee. It became like a therapy session. She told me about her husband and her family. I told her about my wife and my family. I asked her how they met.

She said. "Well, it was over thirty years ago. I met him waiting for a bus outside of the Concert Hall after just seeing the Sugarcubes. I was crying and he asked me what was wrong. We went for a coffee and we just connected."

"Why were you crying? I asked.

"Well, I saw this guy at the show. He was kind of cute and wearing a shirt for a band I liked. I got up the nerve to say 'hi' to him. He acknowledged me, did some kind of sign language, and then walked away. I was devastated. I was shy back then, and it took so much for me to approach him. I ran out of the Hall and that is where George found me." She said.

I thought. "Wait. Were you wearing a Ramones fanny pack?"

She looked at me astonished "Yes."

"I'm sorry, but that was me. The sign language was me trying to indicate a wedding ring on my hand. I just got engaged."

We both sat there silently for several minutes.

She finally said, "Wow, well at least things worked out well for both of us." She smiled and we continued talking.

Nothing romantic ever developed between the two of us, but at least we never went to concerts alone again.