Plugged in

I am in San Francisco at a U2 concert. Up on stage.

Bono has just finished Beautiful Day. He takes the guitar he was playing, sets it on the floor, and slides it past me down a long hallway to the right of the stage.

A roadie hands him a beautiful acoustical guitar. He starts playing Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World.

All of a sudden, he turns around and plugs an amplifier into the center of my chest.

It feels strange, but what’s more disturbing is that all of a sudden I can hear my voice singing the song.

But I can’t sing, I say.

Yes you can, he says.

I listen to my voice. It’s deeper and richer and more haunting than anything I’ve ever heard. It scares me.

This is how you can sing, he says, if you would only try.

Stilled plugged in to the amp, we’re sitting next to each other now, high above the open air auditorium. It’s a clear night sky and the stars are amazing.

Then Bono grabs my ass.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am listening to: U2 – All I Want Is You
I am reading: That book with the really long title about liberal hypocrisy
And I am: Plugged in