My Mraz Weekend

Saturday started with a lazy sleep in. I rolled over to see a window full of blue sky and couldn’t help but just smile. I met a friend for brunch after a brisk walk down to the bridge and then headed back to the house to have a shower. I put Yes! on repeat and took my time prepping for the weekend ahead. It was glorious.

As I sat charging my phone, it occurred to me that I had not yet had a chance to write my letter to Jason. I do this usually because I know he’ll probably not have much time to chat and because I know I won’t say half the things that are on my mind when I see him. I start writing. Half an hour later I know why I’ve been putting this off - it’s the hardest letter I’ve written in my life. By the time I finally finish writing it I am crying so hard I can barely see. I tell him thank you, thank you for giving me the strength to get through the last two months of complete and utter hell. I write some pretty heavy stuff and trust that either he won’t get it or he will and will understand.

Afterwards I wonder down to the ferry stop to get a ferry to the south side of the bridge - where my hotel and the theatre are. I leave early on the off chance that I might see Jason outside the venue. I find the theatre and curiously look around, wondering where the stage door is and part of me wants to wait outside but it’s too busy to stop and wait around, I was also nearly 4 hours early for the show but too late to have caught Jason on his way in. Fortunately there’s a huge shopping mall across the road so I wonder over there and window shop my way through the next 4 hours.

I had dinner with the lovely Ghinny, there was this moment where I was walking through the shopping mall trying to find her and we spotted each other and we had this epic walk up and hug moment. It was so fantastic meeting her and her lovely friend Liv. After a nice dinner we kind of had to rush over to the venue (we had lost track of time) but luckily the foyer wasn’t as busy as some other shows that I’ve been to. The venue itself was out of this world. I was waiting in the line for merchandise and I spotted Jeff Coffman and I’m pretty sure my heart stopped for a moment. Seeing his face bought back the memories of the last show in Melbourne (and he’s a pretty damn good looking guy).

I had a great view and the show was outstanding! I have no words for how incredible it was. I was worried that I wouldn’t find the show funny or exciting because I’d heard all the jokes already from various fans in the US and UK but I guess when you’re there and caught up in the atmosphere and listening first hand - the jokes are still hilarious. Even though I sat there mouthing the punch lines word for word. I had a really annoying girl next to me who kept recording everything and freaking out over the stupidest songs (the usual I’m Yours, IWGU & Lucky crowd) her friends were endearing but I swore to myself then and there that I would never be the girl who recorded everything because it’s really annoying!!!!! I met up with the girls again after the show, Liv had to go home but me and Ghinny decided we would try our luck at the stage door and after asking a guy who worked at the theatre we found the door and stood waiting.

I was excited at the prospect of Ghinny meeting Jason. I’d had my time - my goal for the night was to get a hug and give him my calendars with letter. I stood there with them in my hands and all of the other people waiting got curious. I explained the whole Cats Who Look Like Mraz thing to them and they thought it was cute. I’m pretty sure a girl kind of asked me why Jason would be interested in them and I very proudly said ‘he has this year’s calendar hanging in his kitchen’. After that I’m pretty sure a portion of them started treating me like the leader of the pack. It was pretty cool.

Security were complete asses and made us move on to the street where they promptly shut these huge white doors so we couldn’t get back in. There were some pretty big gaps where the doors hinges were so we all peeped through. I saw the girls come out first followed shortly by Jason and we all yelled out to him (he nearly jumped out of his skin) I was pushing the calendars through the gap by he just waved and kept walking. We all went down to the other end of the alley way to see what was going on - just as the bus drove past us. I grabbed Ghinny’s hand anticipating to run after the van but I soon gave up. I was absolutely defeated. As embarrassing as it is - I was pissed off. I couldn’t believe that this guy who I absolutely adore took one look at me and kept walking away. I was  p i s s e d. It took at least 3 people to talk me around to reason. I’m not proud but I was absolutely shattered.

Myself and Ghinny spoke about her possibly coming back and trying again on Sunday night but it seemed unfair for her to come back in to the city on a whim that things might turn out differently. I offered to take her ticket and get it signed if I met Jason and would return it to her regardless of what happened.

I spent Sunday out and about. I went to the aquarium and managed to walk from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay without getting lost. I also stumbled upon a gorgeous market that was happening at The Rocks before I was promptly saturated in rain. After that I took a taxi back to my hotel so I could get ready for the show. I was front row for the show so I put on my favourite dress, spent a little bit of extra time on my hair and makeup and then headed down to grab another taxi to the venue (Sydney taxi’s are actually a hell of a lot cheaper than Adelaide taxi’s and I have to admit it felt a little bit like I was in Sex and the City just hailing cabs all the time).

I was about half an hour early, they had only just opened the door so I wondered in and had a better look around the venue itself. Part of hoped I would see Jeff Coffman again so I could give him the calendars so I could be sure they would get to Jason. I was leaning against a wall, ever so casually, just scanning around the room for a familiar face and simultaneously chatting to Evie on Whatsapp. I was about 75% sure I saw Jerry at one stage, but, I wasn’t confident enough to go up and ask a guy I’ve never met before if he’s the guy I’ve heard about.

I was just about ready to give up when I glanced up and spotted Jeff Coffman. It was a bit over dramatic - my breath caught in my chest and my hands started shaking. Just as soon as I’d seen him, he’d disappeared again. I suspected he had walked out to the front of my building. I contemplated following him - would it be creepy? How was I ever going to pluck up the courage to strike up a conversation with this - let’s be honest - absolutely gorgeous human being. If you ever read this, Jeff, I hope you’re flattered but how flustered you had me. Looking back now, I know how risky it was going out after him. On my way back in the guy tried to scan my ticket and the machine made a beeping noise to say my ticket had already been scanned - thank God he recognised me.

So anyway, I wondered out to the street and leant casually against a wall to the right of the entrance and tried to spot Jeff again - he was across the road getting a shot of the entrance. He came back over and was kind of standing in the entrance filming a little bit and he looked over at me, naturally, I avoided all eye contact. I gave him the kind of look that you give people who are looking at you and he looked utterly confused. He said ‘have I met you before?’. Now I have no idea how I managed to be so damn together at this point, the words tumbled out of my mouth - ‘um, you’ve filmed me before’, and as if the situation couldn’t get anymore ridiculous he said ‘oh yeah, in Melbourne!’. I made a joke about how he must have recognised me because he’d spent hours working with frames of my face, he laughed it off with ‘not that many’. He asked me how I was and I think my brain stopped working. He asked me if I had flown in from Melbourne and had been to the show there, I told him I was actually from Adelaide and had to explain to him how far away it was. Just as I was about to walk away, I remembered the damn calendars. I put what I hoped was my best suck-up smile on and asked if he could do me a favour, he said yes and then I gave him the calendars. I explained that Jason knew what they were and he just looked as perplexed as ever.

The show was phenomenal - so many old songs and a fairly rowdy crowd. Raining Jane ‘whored’ out Chaska and it was absolutely hilarious. Chaska shared her first experience with Australia and how she cried when she had to leave. I’m definitely sure that she is officially my girl crush. I sat next to some lovely girls who chatted to me during the ‘inner mission’ and we discussed the possibilities of him playing Geek in the Pink - I shared with them how he told a friend of mine that he would never play that song again. It just so happens that one the first few songs after the break was Geek - I nearly fell off my seat.

In terms of interaction - he was hilarious as usual it certainly wasn’t the same as it was 18 months ago in Melbourne where we had moments when were singing to each other but in a way, that’s a good thing. There’s no point going to a show if it’s going to be the same all the time (that and I could actually breathe this time). I was able to just sit back and enjoy he show this time instead of having my best friend standing next to me just challenging me to prove why I had just flown to a different city to see my favourite man in the world - I didn’t have to prove myself this time.

A few people look at me strangely sometimes when I say I’m going to a concert by myself - I went to John Mayer and Sara Bareilles by myself - but I think I definitely enjoy shows more when I’m by myself. I’m nowhere near as rowdy and I actually give myself a chance to enjoy the subtle nuances - little things like harmonies and a certain guitar riffs. I’m nowhere near as starry eyed when I’m by myself. And there certainly were a lot of little moments to enjoy on Sunday night. Sleeping to Dream… Be Honest… 5/6… Geek in the Pink… Song for a Friend… so many stunning songs that I thought I’d never hear live.

When the show ended I dragged myself out the door to wait at the stage door - only this time I had no calendars so I wasn’t entirely sure what I would do if he came out. I leant against the wall trying to look like I was meant to be there - it was easy, I was the only one there. The security guard looked me up and down and said hello and asked how I was, I gave him my sweetest smile and told him I was good. He asked if I was there to see Jason, I grinned at him and said yeah I am. He looked around to see if anyone else was listening and said ‘I think you’ll have better luck waiting at the end of the alley way, otherwise you’re just going to end up on the other side of those doors again.’ I thanked him profusely and started to make my way back down the alley way. I ran in to a couple that I’d seen during the show and remembered from the last concert in Melbourne. They asked if we had been kicked out again and I filled them in. We waited in an alcove in the alley way but when the van came in to pick up Jason we were asked to move out on to the street.

We were all busy chatting about things, joined by a woman who I think was a little bit intoxicated (I’m not sure). We saw Becky come out and this woman yelled out ‘come down and sign shit’. They were still chatting away and I was a little bit too tense to really join the conversation, my eyes were on the van parked 10-20 metres up the alley way. I saw a figure walking down towards us in a white shirt and truckers cap. My brain was slow - I recognised this person despite the fact his head was down and suddenly the words spilled from my mouth - ‘it’s Jason!’.

I’m pretty sure time slowed down as he walked towards me. My mouth took over, my brain lagging behind by a minute or two. I was the first one waiting for him, having taken a few inadvertent steps towards him. ‘Can I have a hug?’ I ask. He didn’t even skip a beat as he engulfed me in the biggest hug I’ve ever received from someone. It was fierce, the kind of hug that makes you feel so damn safe. And I did, I felt safe, and at home. It’s so damn cheesy but that hug was the one thing I’d been torturing myself with for the last 18 months, how I’d never gotten to hug him because of that damn fence between us and it was warm and I’m going to stop talking about it because it’s going to make me cry.

I had my hard copy of Yes! in my hands and I gave it to him to sign. I ask him, ‘did Jeff give you the calendars?’ he pauses and looks at me a little wide eyed, ‘I did! Congrats on graduating!’ It was deja vu. He had hit me with something I wasn’t even expecting, again. Those damn letters. I stare at him and then a smile breaks over my face, ‘you read that already?’ he smiles, ‘yeah’. We look at each other for a few seconds and it sinks in as I remember writing to him about all the shit that had happened in the last 2 months. I still cry thinking about the way he looked at me, like he had so much he wanted to say but all I could do was stare, absolutely awe struck at this human being standing in front of me. The one person who was able to comfort me over the last 2 months and he knew it and just the look that he gave me told me that he was there for me, no matter what. He knew he was my strength, and he wanted to be that for me as well as a look of sadness at my pain. It was breathtaking. All I could do was tilt my head back and say ‘that’s so good’.

He kept signing stuff for people. Since I was first in the crowd it somehow ended up that I was standing next to him and everyone else was crowded in front of him. Like we were in our own little bubble. I remember that Jeff is filming just behind Jason and I turn to him and just mouth the words ‘thank you’. At this point I could have just kissed the guy - he was my saviour after the first night of security hell and just thinking I was never going to get those damn calendars to Jason.

I also managed to get my head together enough to get Jason to sign Ghinny’s ticket and ask him about the Cats Who Look Like Mraz tshirt that Evie gave to him in the UK. He was so sweet. He laughed about it and said he thought it was great that we had this little group of us around the world - I’m assuming he was still feeling a bit tickled by his FaceTime with Mona (it’s not every day you get the chance to speak to a fan in ISRAEL). I also asked him if we could take a selfie, which he agreed to but said it would have to be quick. He kept signing stuff and just as Matt was saying it was time to leave I asked again and we got the best picture together. Unfortunately, this cued every other person in the crowd to ask for selfies, which he sadly had to refuse. I thanked him again and he walked away and I tried to push my way through the crowd to get my taxi back to the hotel because my phone was dying and I was exhausted. I had just enough battery to attach my selfie with Jason to the whatsapp conversation with the girls, unfair since I couldn’t reply to their numerous questions.

Back in the hotel room I crawled in to bed and tried to go to sleep but soon realised that it was never going to happen. I was buzzing. I went and plugged my phone in to the bathroom plug (also the only plug that my charger would fit in to) and turned on my hotspot so I could chat to everyone on Facebook. After retelling the entire story I sat there quietly with the most stupid grin on my face. And then I cried. And cried. And cried. I remembered the letter and the look on Jason’s face and I just thought to myself ‘is this it? Is this what you were waiting for before you could move on?’. The answer, of course, is no. The moving on will come in February when I go to South Africa - coincidental since Jason is in the country playing shows at the same time as I’m there, not in the same city though and flights to see him just aren’t an option. God knows I’ll need him then but I’ll look down at our photo and know, he’s only a thought away and I can look forward to the next time I get to thank him for holding my life together.

After a little bit more sightseeing on Monday I headed to the airport. I’d rather be waiting there for 5 hours than be wondering around the city. I also had work that needed to be done for some clients. Just my luck my flight was delayed, but, God knows I had enough going on in my head that I didn’t mind at all.

But it’s still nice to be home.


And if you’re still with me, thank you for reading this (I’m sorry if there were typos and sentences that didn’t make any sense).



Much love and gratitude,
Marchelle