You Booked the Night Train for a Reason
Couldn’t concentrate very well on Friday. Kept watching Ticketmaster for the surprise Taylor Swift ticket drop.
Got notified, got IN … and my FUCKING PASSWORD was rejected.
A million thoughts went my way as I changed it. Not the least of which, were my OTHER concert tickets still safe?
Alas, I reset my password and got in AGAIN …
And all face-value tickets were gone.
Crushed.
Spent the rest of Friday and most of Saturday morning searching StubHub — which had the better seats — and SeatGeek — which had the better prices/fees — in vain.
I DID book a trip on the Brightline’s Swiftie Sing-a-Long train.
My plan was to take the train down to Miami and go have some “This Is Me Chai-ing” ice cream at Sweet Melody’s.
(At least I’m chai-ing. #evermore)
Also Lavender Haze-ing at the Mary Mary bar.
And the train was AWESOME. You can tell a Swiftie works there.
My Reputation themed seat.
Every car was decked out in every single Era.
Plenty of selfie stations.
Every car had a different era (album) playing.
People dressed so elaborately and beautifully.
And cocktails!
There were makeup stations. Hello side-eye.
Friendship bracelet making stations.
And no one was scream-singing. Just normal singing.
The train ran from Orlando to Miami Center.
I hopped on in West Palm and got off in Aventura.
I figured, let me just try StubHub ONE MORE TIME.
And …
A ticket popped up that hadn’t been available an hour earlier when I boarded.
With fees, the cost exceeded my rent.
BUT LOOK AT ALL THOSE 13s.
TAY’S LUCKY NUMBER IS 13!
HELLO “I GAVE SO MANY SIGNS — SO MANY SIGNS.”
When I was in the WPB station, I was feeling sad because I blew out a tire on the way.
Like hi ok fine don’t buy a ticket to Hard Rock Stadium.
Car repairs, yo.
Just like when I went to see Melissa Etheridge at the Hard Rock Casino last month. Blew out a tire there too.
At the station, waiting to board the train, they were playing Swiftie music.
I looked out the window and said Momma, I could use a sign.
I wasn’t clear about what the sign should be. Just to know she’s with me, really.
“I should’ve asked you questions
I should’ve asked you how to be
Asked you to write it down for me
Should’ve kept every grocery store receipt
‘Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me.”
Mom works fast.
I figured the sign was to buy a cocktail. So I did.
Then as I watched everyone floating out of the train to go to the concert, I booked that ticket.
If I didn’t know better
I’d think you were singing to me now
If I didn’t know better
I’d think you were still around
I know better
But I still feel you all around
I know better
But you’re still around.”
And off I went to the Brightline shuttle to Miami Gardens, wondering what the hell I had just done.
But you know what? The Brightline runs over someone at least daily.
It could very well have run over ME. Right then!
And that money would have gone to the state because I have no one to leave it to.
There’s a line in “New Romantics” where Taylor sings, “We wait for trains that just aren’t coming.”
My train was THERE.
And who knows when Girly Pop is going to tour again after this year.
I practically skipped from the shuttle to Hard Rock Stadium like she and Florence (!!!) did during “Florida!!!”
And that’s where my Miami era begins, not ends.
Thank you, Momma. I hate not “taking you with me,” either physically or via constant text companionship.
But …
“You’re alive, you’re alive in my head.”