Garringer 1 LeeAnna Garringer Mr. Neuburger Eng.

Com 101 - 137 23 September, 2011 Descriptive Essay Finally It was hard to believe that September had rolled around and Marinnas birthday had already passed. Before I knew it, Papas birthday had passed, too. The end of summer had come. All of the forest green-colored leaves had changed to pumpkin orange, rustic red and chocolate brown. Nothing like wearing a pair of denim jeans and a hoodie with the cool breeze flowing through your hair as the smell of pumpkin spice hits your nostrils. Fall had finally arrived-the best season of the year. Within a few weeks it was going to be my birthday. I was so excited, but what about? It was not like I was hitting a big number like 16, 18, or 21 all of the awesome ages people get excited about. I was right in the middle of being legal to drive without Mom and Dad sitting next to me critiquing every move I made and for me to be able to take a drag off a tobacco filled filter while scratching off a lottery ticket. 17-years-old was my big exciting age arriving nearer and nearer. The only exciting thing that came with being 17 was being legal to watch R-rated movies. Is that anything to be excited about? One nice shiny Thursday, Mom came home rushing through the door from work, immediately heading for the Dell Inspiron 1720 laptop without saying a word. I was confused. Normally, the two of us chat up a storm like we havent talked to each other in 20 years when we get home. Mom was on a mission, though. Nothing was stopping her from getting on the

Garringer 2 internet. I went in Moms room to see why the computer struck her interest so much. As I watched her fingers pluck the keys of the Dell Inspiron, the words AC/DC tickets came up on the Ticketmaster website. With a few clicks of the mouse, a smile a mile wide appeared on my face showing all of my pearly whites. Once my smile could not stretch any farther a burst of excitement came across me as if I were a little 3-year-old girl that had been given a piece of candy for the first time. The screen showed that Lucinda Garringer purchased four tickets to see AC/DC in concert in Kansas City, Missouri on October 8th. Mom looked at me and said, HAPPY 17TH BIRTHDAY! I could not control my excitement any longer, I screamed at the top of my lungs. I was going to see AC/DC live in concert on my actual birthday. Unfortunately, my excitement did not last long. Mom received an e-mail saying all concerts scheduled in October for AC/DC were cancelled because Bryan Johnson, the lead singer, was having throat surgery done. The October concerts would be rescheduled at a later date. Needless to say my birthday present was not going to be opened for a long time. The rainy and cold October 8th arrived at last being rather disappointing due to the lack of a Kansas City trip. I did not even celebrate with a nice R-rated movie. I watched Disneys The Goofy Movie instead. Talk about living on the edge. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve all passed without a single notification when I would finally get my birthday present. Then one cold February morning I received a text message from Mom. The message explained how the AC/DC concert I planned on attending on my birthday was rescheduled for April 23. I was happy again, but I did not want to get my hopes up as I did the first time, so I actually controlled my excitement this time.

Garringer 3 The days slowly passed through February and March, but April showers were here at last. My enthusiasm increased every day since none of us had heard anything pertaining to AC/DC cancelling. The morning of April 23rd I was as happy as a child in a toy store on Christmas. It was a lovely morning, too, with the sun shining bright. I went to school for half the day and then Mom, Dad, and Uncle John picked me up early. The four of us packed into the maroon two-door Pontiac Grand Am and were bound for Kansas City. After driving for about three hours, we stopped to meet an older couple that were friends of my dads at Ihop on the outskirts of Kansas City. We all enjoyed our breakfast-for-dinner meal; mine included a ham and cheese buttermilk biscuit with a side of freshly cut hash browns. Once everyone cleaned their plate, we took a restroom break and then got back on the road. With Mom driving the Grand Am, she followed the other two people into downtown Kansas City. The couple searched for the Arrowhead Stadium which looked like a huge mirrored bowl. Across from the striking stadium the older couple found free parking. As Daddy Dave got out of the cramped car he grabbed the silver Kodak camera, his Verizon LG cell phone, and the tickets that had my birth date on them. We crossed the street with me in front of our group. Every step closer to the stadium doors my heartbeat grew louder. My heartbeat was all I could hear even though I was surrounded by rush hour traffic, talkative people, and AC/DC tunes playing in the background. Dad handed me my concert ticket I had been waiting for just as I reached the girl taking ticket stubs. She scanned my ticket, gave it back to me, and I walked through the doors. Never had I been so close to my birthday present before. When my parents made it into the stadium, they followed me to the merchandise and souvenir table. I purchased a black t-shirt and a poster that now hangs in my

Garringer 4 bedroom with a piece of tape on it where I ripped it accidentally during the concert. When shopping was complete, we made our way to the astonishing arena. There were speakers every which way, on the floor, stage, ceiling, and hanging in mid-air attached by huge cables. The stage had a few microphones on stands with the drum set on a riser. On both sides of the stage were two incredibly enormous television screens so people in the nosebleed seats could see better. On the stage, behind the drums was a big square television screen. Along with the screens, was the gigantic megatron hung in the center of the Arrowhead arena ceiling playing random shows of past AC/DC concerts. The lighting was incredible. In every direction were a set of lights, whether it was a strobe light, flashing light, or spot light. It was hard not to notice all of these things as we found our expensive seats. I took the first seat, Dad took the one next to me, and Mom sat on Dads left side, leaving Uncle John with the seat on the other side of Mom. The four of us sat there waiting what had been longed for. It was hard to believe in a matter of minutes I was going to witness a concert of a lifetime. Before I knew it, the lights started to dim, as a cartoon video of Angus Young riding a rock n train appeared on the big square screen on the back part of the stage. The crowd became quiet as the video became louder and louder. Everybodys eyes were fixed on the screen. The video was approaching the end. I could feel it. My anticipation was racing faster as I grew more anxious. The cartoon version of runaway train looked as if it was racing towards the crowd about to crash and hit the audience as the big square screen split into two rectangle screens with the real Angus Young strumming on his guitar. A massive sound of screaming, yells, cheering, and clapping came from the entire sea of people who were once sitting in their seats but were now standing on chairs. As the screens separated a huge cloud of fog came out. When some of the smoke cleared, an actual real full-sized black train popped out on a set of rails along with the

Garringer 5 band. Without a moment to spare a burst of music hit my eardrums. The band played song after song after song, hit after hit after hit. There was not one song I did not know. During the concert so many things had taken place on stage. A huge, gigantic, enormous inflatable doll named Rosie took the stage, Angus did a strip tease right before he got on a platform that sent him several feet in the air as he did his guitar solo, and eight cannons fired during For Those About to Rock. It was like no other concert I had ever seen. If I get the opportunity to attend another AC/DC concert I will do it in a heartbeat. They put on quite a show. The band left my ears ringing, but that did not bother me. Even though I did not receive my birthday present for literally half a year, I could not have been happier because it was well worth the wait. All good things come to those who wait. It was by far the best and only birthday I have ever had in April. It was a long way to the top but they truly shook me all night long with their high voltage rock that thunderstruck me.