About eight years ago, just as I was ready to push down the button to disconnect the call waiting line, out of the grey formatted world came a real human voice.
"This is the Oprah Winfrey Show Ticket Line. How can I help you?" came a woman's pleasant voice over the wire.
"Is this a real voice?" I sputtered in shock.
"Yes, I assure you I am a real person." replied the patient woman on the phone.
"Ohmygosh! I got through! I got through! I am talking to the Oprah Winfrey Show Lady!" I screamed into the poor woman's ears. (If she ever reads this, I am so sorry about that!)
"Yes, you did. What day are you looking for tickets?" she quietly steered me to focus.
"Oh yes," I answered absently because my mind was quickly scanning the calendar for the latest date possible in order to secure purchasing cheaper airline tickets online, arrange for time off at work and lasso some girl friends to come with me.
" What days do you have still open?" I ask the nice Oprah Show lady.
"We have the 28th, 29th and 31st of next month. We only coordinate one month in advance at a time." she informed me.
"Okay, I will take the 31st and how many tickets are you allowed?" hopefully I ask.
"You are allowed four tickets. All of you will need to present ID, no last minute changes of guests are allowed and refer to the website for proper clothing attire to wear for the taping of the show. We really are looking for our guests to wear neutral colors in the audience." she informed me with a firm voice. Darn! There goes me wearing my chartreuse halter top in case they were giving away vacation trips to Tahiti! My clothing would have "reminded them of the islands" and they would naturally want to pick that funny looking lady dressed to go!
Taking a few minutes to wrap my brain around the fact that I was going to the Oprah Winfrey Show in the dead of winter in Chicago (what's a little freezing snow and 15 below wind chill factor to worry about and the fact I own no snow appropriate clothing) with fun girl friends and no responsibilities for four days! No dish washing, folding clothes, checking homework, worrying about what to wear to work, crazy car pooling and constantly playing the game of finding the mystery missing shoe! To discover the cities best restaurants, museums and shopping while sipping Cosmopolitans and wolfing down Chicago style pizza. Perfect!
The only blip on my radar was the thought of what might be discussed on the show. After discussing multiple subjects with family and friends, I came to the conclusion that the only subject I would not want to be sitting in the audience hearing about was anything to do with September 11th. The post disaster news stories were not very pleasant in terms of abusive charity scams, misappropriated money and victimizing the victims. Americans wanted to heal, self correct and move on from the tragedy.
We are sitting in the waiting room of Harpo Studios and lining the walls are aesthetically crafted black and white pictures of Oprah with past guests...her little black book must read like the phone book for New York City and its Burroughs. We file into the darkened auditorium and discover the topic being picked apart today was..."September 11th and the Money." These are victims families (mostly the wives) who are suing for more money in the aftermath of the horrible disaster.
My brain shut down completely when I heard the words, September 11th, and I couldn't tell you what was discussed or argued, even if I was threatened with boiling oil being poured down my throat. I could tell other women in the audience took the same stance as I... patiently listen but say nothing. I had not suffered this type of soul crunching painful loss. All I could give was my respect.
By the way, Oprah looked fabulous! The television screen does not do her charismatic energy justice or her ability to bring you in and feel like YOU are sitting in the soft butter yellow leather couch across from her!
Birthday wishes are meant to be practically impossible and that is my wish, to spend five minutes with Oprah!
Now, what we talk about when I can actually unfreeze my lips and unlock my throat is for another blog entry!
I still can remember us finally getting to sit in the Oprah audience and us whispering to each other how we hope this "Live Broadcast" wasn't going to be about the 9/11 disaster and then moments later we find out it was!! Also we find out the second taping was with Halle Berry and they got to see her film "Monster". I think your "other" friend didn't want to participate in that one! Gesh, Lisa pick your friends better!!
ReplyDeleteI hope your dreams do come true with Oprah!
That was my 40th year too! Wow time goes by fast!
Love you...
Lisa, that first comment was not from Kyle. Somehow of course my child did something on my account for this to happen. Sorry, it was from me your sister in law!!
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