We were on stage.  Quite Playing Games was about to end and my solo was next. I. was. pumped!  I loved Welcome Home, loved the vib of it, just me and my guitar in front of the audience.  I ran back stage after the song was over to change while the video played during the interlude.  It was a venue that allowed us all to have our own dressing rooms, which was nice for a change.  I didn’t have to put up with Nick’s smelly socks, AJ’s contant F this, F that and Howie’s meticulous-ness.  I ran into my room for my stage clothes.  Not a member of the wardrobe team was to be found.  I found this VERY odd.  But, I started stripping down to my skivvies then looked for my outfit for my solo number.  It’s normally laid out for me so I can change quickly. I looked and looked...nothing.  

I suddenly hear a noise, I turn around just in time to hear my door shut.  Someone snuck in and stole the clothes I had just taken off!! Just when I thought I’d been vandalized by some crazy fan, I noticed a box on the couch that wasn’t there before.  I walked over and eyed the box carefully.  There was a note on top addressed to me.  Slowly and cautiously I remove the ribbon around the box and remove it.  I lifted the lid.  Tissue paper...LOTS of tissue paper greeted me.  I stood still, listening to where the video playing on stage was, trying to gauge just how much time I had left.  I didn’t have much time left.  I started ruffling around the tissue paper until my hand lit on something semi hard.  “What in the WORLD?” I asked outloud.  Finally, pulling the contents out of the box, I stood there stunned.  I ran around the room like the Tanzanian Devil trying to find ANY scrap of clothing that I could wear.  Then, I opened my door, checked to see if anyone was in the hallway, ran door to door to find each one firmly locked.  “DAMMIT!” Running back to my room I finally admitted defeat.

Nick, Howie, and AJ stood on the side of the stage laughing their ASSES off at me.  Here I was, dead center of the stage sitting on my stool, dressed as Cupid, complete with diaper, wings, sash, and a quiver with fake arrows and a bow strung across my chest with my guitar singing my heart out to Welcome Home.  Happy Valentine’s Day ... to me.