paper route / 06.20.2012

this story starts about two years ago. (it moves quickly, so stay with me.) my friends, leah and arielle, and i went to boston to see owl city. i wanted to see owl city, leah wanted to see paper route (who were opening), and i think rel just went because it was a concert and back then we were driving to boston for shows on a regular basis like it was nothing.

unfortunately, the red sox (ew) were playing a home game, which we did not know about, so we got stuck in traffic and missed the whole reason leah paid for a ticket in the first place. although, the night ended well because owl city put on a good show and we also ran into andy smith on the sidewalk and that man gives the best side-hugs, hands down.

but ever since then, we've been waiting for them to come back so we could finally see what leah was so pumped up for. (also since then, rel and i became paper route fans.) which brings me to june 20, the night paper route came back to boston. (sans andy smith, with all his glorious side-hugs, because he left the band.) (but we had abby and sarah e. with us, so i guess it all evens out?)

the night started out a bit rocky when we got to boston, got lost in boston, and then couldn't find anything fast (and good) to eat in boston. until we strolled past a subway, where lead singer JT daly was eating. HELLO. so we ate at subway. which sounds like we ate there because he ate there, but i assure you, we ate there because we had no other options and some of us were HANGRY. (which is an awesome term i learned that night which perfectly describes what happens when someone is cranky because they haven't eaten.)

moving on. we don't speak to JT in subway because, what do you say? OH MY GOD YOU'RE IN THAT BAND AND I LOVE YOU AND CAN I GET A PICTURE WITH YOU WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO EAT YOUR DINNER? no. plus, we'll be seeing him later.

so we see him later and after about an hour, during the second opener's set, he comes over to me and we have the following conversation:

him: "excuse me, but where do i know you from?"
me: "uhhh."
him: "have we met before?"
me: "no. i don't think so..."
him: "we haven't? are you sure? you look so familiar."
me: "well i just saw you in subway like, five minutes ago." (or an hour ago, whichever.)
him: "oh, yeah i know that. i mean from before that. we've never met?"
me: "nope."
him: "hm. okay, well i'm JT."
me: "i'm sarah."

and then we proceed to have the most awkward handshake ever, which would be more accurately described as a wrist shake, because we both miss each other's hands and end up holding each other's arms. i say, "wow, that was awkward" and he says, "let's try that again" and we then shake hands like normal people. (WHAT.)

at this point, abby and rel had gone outside to take a walk (during the show), so it's just leah and sarah and i and he stands there and chats with us for the entire set. which was amazing, because the second opener wasn't any good, so it was a nice distraction. he told us things like what adam young (from owl city) is like in person, how he refers to lights (the musician) as "slights," and that time he got arrested in germany. among other things.

and then he had to go warm up his voice. and we had to stare at each other with our mouths hanging open in a WAS THAT REAL LIFE? kind of way. because, i mean. was that real life?

after that, rel and abby came back from their walk and paper route went on stage and put on a fantastic show. i loved it. they are amazing live.

and, you know, it was nice to see my old friend JT play, finally.