Frenzy

Oh, I know Tonya and I look happy enough in this picture.

But moments before this photo was taken, we were crowded in the center of a disgruntled mob that had just been denied entrance into the World Arena. The event was "Winter Jam," a Christian concert featuring Toby Mac, Zoe Girl and the Newsboys. Admission was $10 at the door, and unbeknownst to us everyone in Colorado Springs had planned to come.

When we arrived 30 minutes before the concert, we knew we had a problem. The line stretched out about a quarter mile from the entrance. It moved quickly, but several hundred yards from our goal, they announced the arena was filled beyond capacity and they would not be admitting anyone else. Tonya and I managed to get to the doors to flash our free admission passes as a mob of frenzied youth crowded around us. And then..."form two single-file lines." Yeah, right.

We were suddenly a mass-of-humanity-turned-herd-of-cattle shifting ever so slightly one direction and then another. A non-hygeinic teenaged boy behind me planted his chin on my left shoulder. I gripped Tonya's arm (as if we could be separated) as one of the teens behind us chanted: "We must stand our ground. Hold firm! For the day is coming." (I think he was quoting Scripture, though it was a very loose translation.)

I was soon giggling at the surreal madness. When we finally pushed into a single-file line (they never let any of us in), I snapped a photo to capture the moment. Tonya and I shared some interesting conversations with our line-mates and waited an hour before giving up and heading to dinner. I wasn't too disappointed. I've been to concerts before. Anyone can go to a concert. But as I said to Tonya, "We were part of a frenzy!"