Our Story, chapter 1
It was mid-October 1995. I was a freshman at UMass Amherst. My friend Jill and I worked in a small restaurant just off campus. It was a quiet Thursday afternoon; the entire place was empty except for this old couple that came in every Thursday for lunch. I heard the little bell on the front door ding as 3 guys walked in.
"Just pick a table. I'll be right with you." I said as I leaned over to pick up some menus. I walked over to their table and put the menus down. It wasn't until I looked up at their faces that I noticed that it was the guys of Green Day. I tried to play it cool; I pretended not to know who they were.
"I'll be back in a few to take your orders." I said with a smile. After I had walked past their table I ran over to Jill.
"Oh my God you will NEVER guess who just came in!!" I whispered loudly in her ear.
"Who??" She said; not even looking up from the Cosmopolitan she was reading.
"Green Day." I said matter-of-factly.
"WHAT??!" She shrieked; dropping her magazine and standing up to try to get a better look at the 3 guys sitting at the table in the corner. Jill and I had been obsessed with Green Day ever since Dookie had come out the year before. We had tickets to their show that night, too. I walked back over to their table trying my hardest not to smile or blush or do anything stupid in front of my obsessions.
"So, are we ready to order?" I said taking out my pen and pad of paper.
"I'll have the veggie burger and a root beer." Billie said, handing me the menu.
"Same, but with a Corona" Mike said as he ran his hands through his hair.
"I..will..have... the..ummmmmm... " Tré said stroking his chin "The macaroni and cheese with hot dogs." He finally answered
"Off of the kids menu?" I asked, trying my hardest not to laugh.
"Yes off the kids menu!" Tré answered, pretending to look insulted. "And a rum and Coke"
"Sure." I said as I took their menus. I waited until I was in the kitchen to start laughing. When I looked over my shoulder I could see that Billie and Mike were laughing too, while Tré was still pretending to look insulted. 2 minutes later I brought the guys their drinks.
"Here we go. A root beer, a Corona, and the kiddie size rum and Coke" I said laughing. I had put Tré's drink in one of those little kid-size cups you see at restaurants and added a few crazy straws that change color when you drink out of them. Billie and Mike instantly started laughing, which made me laugh. I looked down at Billie just as he was looking up at me. Our eyes locked. It was one of those things that you don't think the other person noticed, but it meant just as much to them as it did to you. 10 minutes later I brought the guys their orders. Tré behaved himself for the rest of the meal. I brought them the check. It has only come to $23.98, but Mike handed me a $100 bill and told me to keep the change.
"Anyone who can play along with Tré like that deserves a hell of a tip" He said as he laughed.
"Thanks, have a nice day." I said as they walked out. As soon as I heard the door shut, Jill and I looked at each other and screamed. I ran over to where she was standing and started to shake her by the shoulders.
"I can't believe I just waited on Green Day!!! This is the best day of my entire life!!!!" I squealed. "And I actually made eye contact with Billie Joe!! I... I... I think I'm going to pass out!!!" Just after I had finished saying that I heard the bell on the door again. I looked up, it was Billie. He started to walk towards me and I felt my knees start to buckle.
"Hey." He said while looking at me with his huge green eyes.
"Did you guys forget something?" I asked innocently.
"No, I actually was wondering if you wanted to come to the show tonight. I can get you in for free, your friend can come too if she wants" He said smiling.
"Oh wow. Umm well we actually have tickets already... so... ." I said awkwardly.
"Oh well, how about a backstage pass then." He said without missing a beat.
"Oh that would be great. Thanks so much." I said with a HUGE smile plastered on my face.
"Here." He said as he handing me a piece of laminated paper on a string. "Just show this to one of the security people before or after the show. They'll take you backstage. I've got to run, but I'll see you at the show tonight. Bye" He said as he walked out.
"Oh my God. If I wasn't going to pass out a minute ago I sure as hell am going to now!!" I said examining the pass Billie had just given me. The bell rang again. I looked up, it was Billie again.
"Hey what's your name by the way?" He said smiling
"It's Emily"
"Nice" He said. "See you tonight, Emily."
I watched as Billie walked out of the restaurant and down the sidewalk to join Mike and Tré, who were waiting for him at the corner. I looked back at the pass he had given me. My eyes rolled back in my head, and I fainted, just as I had predicted.
"Just pick a table. I'll be right with you." I said as I leaned over to pick up some menus. I walked over to their table and put the menus down. It wasn't until I looked up at their faces that I noticed that it was the guys of Green Day. I tried to play it cool; I pretended not to know who they were.
"I'll be back in a few to take your orders." I said with a smile. After I had walked past their table I ran over to Jill.
"Oh my God you will NEVER guess who just came in!!" I whispered loudly in her ear.
"Who??" She said; not even looking up from the Cosmopolitan she was reading.
"Green Day." I said matter-of-factly.
"WHAT??!" She shrieked; dropping her magazine and standing up to try to get a better look at the 3 guys sitting at the table in the corner. Jill and I had been obsessed with Green Day ever since Dookie had come out the year before. We had tickets to their show that night, too. I walked back over to their table trying my hardest not to smile or blush or do anything stupid in front of my obsessions.
"So, are we ready to order?" I said taking out my pen and pad of paper.
"I'll have the veggie burger and a root beer." Billie said, handing me the menu.
"Same, but with a Corona" Mike said as he ran his hands through his hair.
"I..will..have... the..ummmmmm... " Tré said stroking his chin "The macaroni and cheese with hot dogs." He finally answered
"Off of the kids menu?" I asked, trying my hardest not to laugh.
"Yes off the kids menu!" Tré answered, pretending to look insulted. "And a rum and Coke"
"Sure." I said as I took their menus. I waited until I was in the kitchen to start laughing. When I looked over my shoulder I could see that Billie and Mike were laughing too, while Tré was still pretending to look insulted. 2 minutes later I brought the guys their drinks.
"Here we go. A root beer, a Corona, and the kiddie size rum and Coke" I said laughing. I had put Tré's drink in one of those little kid-size cups you see at restaurants and added a few crazy straws that change color when you drink out of them. Billie and Mike instantly started laughing, which made me laugh. I looked down at Billie just as he was looking up at me. Our eyes locked. It was one of those things that you don't think the other person noticed, but it meant just as much to them as it did to you. 10 minutes later I brought the guys their orders. Tré behaved himself for the rest of the meal. I brought them the check. It has only come to $23.98, but Mike handed me a $100 bill and told me to keep the change.
"Anyone who can play along with Tré like that deserves a hell of a tip" He said as he laughed.
"Thanks, have a nice day." I said as they walked out. As soon as I heard the door shut, Jill and I looked at each other and screamed. I ran over to where she was standing and started to shake her by the shoulders.
"I can't believe I just waited on Green Day!!! This is the best day of my entire life!!!!" I squealed. "And I actually made eye contact with Billie Joe!! I... I... I think I'm going to pass out!!!" Just after I had finished saying that I heard the bell on the door again. I looked up, it was Billie. He started to walk towards me and I felt my knees start to buckle.
"Hey." He said while looking at me with his huge green eyes.
"Did you guys forget something?" I asked innocently.
"No, I actually was wondering if you wanted to come to the show tonight. I can get you in for free, your friend can come too if she wants" He said smiling.
"Oh wow. Umm well we actually have tickets already... so... ." I said awkwardly.
"Oh well, how about a backstage pass then." He said without missing a beat.
"Oh that would be great. Thanks so much." I said with a HUGE smile plastered on my face.
"Here." He said as he handing me a piece of laminated paper on a string. "Just show this to one of the security people before or after the show. They'll take you backstage. I've got to run, but I'll see you at the show tonight. Bye" He said as he walked out.
"Oh my God. If I wasn't going to pass out a minute ago I sure as hell am going to now!!" I said examining the pass Billie had just given me. The bell rang again. I looked up, it was Billie again.
"Hey what's your name by the way?" He said smiling
"It's Emily"
"Nice" He said. "See you tonight, Emily."
I watched as Billie walked out of the restaurant and down the sidewalk to join Mike and Tré, who were waiting for him at the corner. I looked back at the pass he had given me. My eyes rolled back in my head, and I fainted, just as I had predicted.
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