The Not so S.O.S experience

After vowing to myself I would have a calm and relaxing weekend of cleaning, studying, and watching movies- I absolutely did not accept an offer to take two pre-teen girls to a Jonas Brothers concert on Sunday. I was not at all intrigued to see the Jonas Brothers (JBs) and I did not not hesitate before saying, “Yes!” Thus I will dedicate this post to a "Not me Monday" hosted by McMama. You can join by going here.



On Sunday I did previously have planned dance class but now afterwards I would be meeting the mom and two teens in Paris to head to the concert. When getting dressed in the morning I did not neglect to think ahead and chose to wear boots instead of flats or flip flops. I would have realized I would be going to a concert and doing lots of walking and that flats for flip flops would be a much wiser and practical choice over boots.



After meeting up with my two pre-teens (Amy and Rose) their mom wanted to grab them a snack. While sipping smoothies I did not see a guy that I had met the previous week while staying at the hostel in London. No way would I two weeks in a row, run into this guy from Australia, in two separate countries. That is not random at all.

Amy and Rose were not at all eager to the Jonas Brothers. Nor did their excitement necessitate us being at the concert doors two hours before the doors actually opened- or three hours prior to the show starting. Arriving early to the concert did not mean standing in a mob of people for two hours of pushing and shoving of some trying to get closer to the front, or endless screaming for the cameras and chants of JONAS! JONAS! JONAS! Not to mention there was definitely not a staunch smell of teenagers in the hot sun in a country where deodorant is often optional. Too bad they usually chose the wrong option. While standing there my only thoughts were absolutely not consumed on my feet and how they were not KILLING me one bit this entire two hour period. I was just as enthralled with the prospect of seeing the JBs.

When the gates finally opened- it was not like a mad dash and bull run to get through the entrance. Girls were not trampled on or pinned between mobs of people and the metal bars that created the entrance boundaries. It did not take a team of 300 pound body guards the size of professional football defense linemen to keep these 80 pound teenagers in line and entering in a calm and collected fashion.



After making it into the arena it was not even hotter and more humid inside than it was outside. We were not now crammed like sardines in the floor area with everyone trying to get as close to the stage as possible. The smell in the venue had not drastically increased in the more compact, steamy ,sweaty surrounding we now stood in. At this point of entering the arena I did not take off my boots. I would be strong enough to tolerate and stand in my own shoes.

While in the massive crowd of people, I was not at all worried about losing Amy and Rose or the prospect of them being trampled upon. My first concert was at 15 to see Linkin Park with my best friends- at one point a mosh pit had formed – last night at the Jonas Brothers I did not at all once think that these young girls were more intense than the rockers at the Linkin Park show- this is a Disney boy band for heaven’s sake- how crazy can the fans be? Crazy. Hormonal teenagers and the sight of cute boys singing them love songs kind of crazy.

During the concert it was not so ludicrously, swelteringly hot that girls were fainting throughout the crowds. I did not see over twenty girls get pulled out and carried off by security because they had become too weak. Security was not bringing out communal bottles of water to quench the thirst of everyone in the floor area- nor were they taking water and splashing it onto the masses. When the opening act Demi Lovato performed after each song she did not say, “Man it is so hot in here.” I was not the only person in the entire audience that could actually understand what she was saying. Yea for bonus points on behalf of speaking English.

Prior to going to the concert- my knowledge of the JB’s was their hit single S.O.S and that they wore bow ties. I was not at all surprised at how cute these boys were – nor do I now have a teenage crush on Nick and Joe Jonas. I am not a pre-teen that would go ga-ga over these young boys after seeing them in concert. Being there with Amy and Rose, two best friends, did not make me want to be 13 again and with my best friends at a fun concert. I was also not at all surprised I ended up knowing over half of their songs- my music taste is more refined and cultured than catchy, poppy, boppy, hits geared towards young tweens.





Halfway through the show I did not lose one of my boots, I never lose anything. I did not then proceed to get down on the ground on my hands and knees searching for my missing boot. I was not completely relieved when I found my boot that had shimmied itself five people down. Phew.

Cute little Rose is about 4 foot five and 70 pounds and thus much shorter and smaller than others attending the concert. Throughout the night I would not have to hunch down so she could use my shoulder as a support as she attempted to jump higher and higher to see Nick Jonas over the towering crowd. At the same time Amy is not so sweet and kind that she would keep being pushed back through the crowd- I would not have to grab her arm and pull her through 5-10 people who had previously pushed her back out of her place with Rose and me. It was not hard work keeping this concert experience as best as possible for the two of them.

During the second to last song, I did not look at little Rose and see that she was getting weak and light headed. I did not have to carry her and Amy out through the crowd and get Amy to the restoration area before she passed out. I was not at all worried. Once arriving there I did not actually have to check in both Rose and Amy from the heat exhaustion and dehydration. I did not feel like the worst chaperone for having both girls end up in this area to recuperate. I did not feel slightly better that there were 5 girls already in the waiting area and three who arrived shortly after us. The temperature from where we were standing to the rest of the area was not a minimum of a ten degree difference- it did not feel like stepping out onto a cool oasis.

At the end of the night I did not overall have a great time. I did not enjoy one bit seeing the Jonas Brothers perform or even more not enjoyable was watching Amy and Rose see their first live concert to their favorite boy while singing and dancing to all of their favorite songs. I was not endeared by the fact that Rose spoke only five words in English the entire night, but was fully devoted to every single Jonas Brothers lyric. And I without doubt did not realize that it is much more work and responsibility taking two 12 yr olds to a concert, than going with a group of your friends. It is not a completely different experience at all.

After getting to bed at 1:30 am on my relaxing weekend, I was not utterly exhausted with feet throbbing from pain. That would never be me, I am much too young to be this tired. Plus knowing I need to be in French class at 8:00 a.m. the next morning I would be sure to get to bed at a reasonable hour to be fully rested for a morning of class.

Above my bed I have a skylight that can open up. I occasionally leave the sky light open at night to let in a breeze and some cool air. The weather in France is not so unpredictable that one day it can be sweltering hot and then next pouring down rain. I would never have to worry about such impulsive weather and can freely sleep with my window open. Thus – I was not surprised at all this morning while in the midst of peaceful restorative beauty sleep, to be awoken not by my alarm, but a rainstorm showering down on top of my head and all over me and my bed. No, no, no, nothing so random, obscure, and silly would ever happen to me. My life is flawlessly calm, impeccably serene, and the perfect picture of being composed.