The Dawning of the Age...

6:15 am, I arrived outside of The Public Theater to wait in line for tickets to the 40th Anniversary Concert of Hair in Central Park. I had a bag complete with The Golden Compass, the latest New Yorker, my Game Boy DS and Pokemon Diamond. I also brought a long a wonderful folding chair (a FANCY one at that) and my iPod Shuffle.

Time was on my side this morning. I set my alarm for 5:15 am, but woke at 5:12. I showered and looked all fresh. I'm sorry, but I refuse to go to a theatrical affair looking like crap. My father was a garbage man, as a child I would go with him on the route and wake up as early. I hopped on the R train and they must've known I was going to the theater, because it went express over the bridge. That NEVER happens.

It was still dark when I arrived, everyone made jokes about my being there so early. To my surprise people had spent the night! My friend and I have named HAIR fans as myself...HAIR-LIPS or BEDHEADS. I like the former, it suddenly transforms something that was negative into something positive.

I knew though when I got there that I was going to get a ticket. Arriving before 7 was my goal and I accomplished that. My theory was, if I arrived before 7 am and didn't get a ticket, then it simply wasn't meant to be.

The married couple next to me chatted and bought me a Green Tea Soy Latte at the Starbucks. It was all working out well, hurrah!

It was such an interesting mix. This would be my third free event this week. After the Betty Comden Memorial with it's main crowd being DEAD. And Legally Blonde being ANNOYING. This was a mixture of both. You had these cool types, and meaning you had the annoying NYU students.

Now I say this because I'm sitting in line...NYU to the left and NYU to the right. So easy for them since their dorms are literally next door to the Public theater. They had to endure waking at 6 am and walking a block away. But, I try not to judge people to easily.

I watch a cute group of NYU students, one of them being pretty gay. They must be freshman since they didn't know about NYU's version of HAIR they did last year, when everyone shaved their heads.

I mean, come on! Even I knew that!

So I assume this boy is probably 18/19 years old. God forbid 17. Since I already resent them slightly, what worse can they do?

Girl: Hey guys! I have an idea! We should run to our rooms and bring down our yoga mats!

One eyebrow raises...

I sit there, reading my New Yorker, trying to ignore the remark. Sipping my Green Tea Lat... I look up and see the young gay child...

I'd call him a larvae really, he hadn't even fully developed his bones yet I think.

The young boy is playing on his iPhone...

Now granted, I am judging. I mean perhaps this summer this boy raises the amount of money by working at The Gap or Abercrombie (as his shirt told me he has some relationship with that store) and bought the iPhone on his own.

Second eyebrow raises...

There I am, sitting there with both of my eyebrows raised as far as they can go. My eyes SO wide, and I'm trying to read the New Yorker. Since I can barely focus, I switch to the Game Boy DS. Oh wait, that must make me a hypocrite, right? There I am complaining about a boy with an iPhone, who has barely hit puberty mind you.

He still HAD BRACES!!

Wait, my DS cost me 150 dollars, two years ago. His cost him...WHO knows?

Girl: Did you hear, Zack is moving back next semester. He's gonna have his parents buy him an apartment...
Boy: I Know! I'm gonna live there for FREE! I'm having him ask his parents.
Girl: Can you imagine, how lucky?!

Bottom jaw falls off completely

As I dropped to the ground, to put my jaw in place. I couldn't hide my mixture of surprise and disgust. Were these things really happening before my eyes? Were THESE kids really going to see HAIR in the park? On it's 40th Anniversary?

No, seriously. I am asking, someone please answer me.

Then who would've thunk it? Before the kids could carry on more, about their trust funds and their trips to the Greek Isles this summer. A bus careened out of control and mowed down the group of children and slammed their tiny bodies into the side of the Public Theater! I was in shock! It was actually an NYU trolley at that!

How is that about ironic?

Actually what was more ironic is that it was being driven by Galt Macdermont. He was then given a ticker tape parade shortly after. And the world resumed as it always had.

And that was how I got tickets to HAIR.