We're led back into the MNG area, which is a lot backstage where tour buses are parked. There's a little canopy set up and tables and chairs and we're told to sit down there (or stand up) and we talk to the MNG coordinator for a while. So anyway, we're talking with her, waiting and waiting.
And suddenly, I see Chester coming up. I look back to my friend, I guess because staring is impolite, lol. But I get calmed down, actually, since this will have marked the fifth time meeting him this year. FIFTH. And fifth in a ROW: MFR MNG in London, ON Club Tattoo, MFR in Toronto, MFR in Quebec City, MFR in Noblesville. So he's walking up to us, and then I see MIKE is with him. That's when I start to sort of get all excited and nervous and stomach rumbly.
Chester shakes our hands.Mike comes up to the table, and I have my Canadian flag laid out on the table for them to see.And he's like "Oh, looks like we've got some Canadians with us tonight". And that was when I calmed right down and realised he's the most disarming person ever. He's looking at it and goes "You want me to sign your flag? Really?"and I'm all "Yes! Of course!""You sure?""Oh, yeah!" So then he looks at it for a second, and then goes "Oh, I have an idea" and starts drawing on it.ANd just keeps going. He says that if he didn't have people stop him, he'd keep drawing forever because he keeps getting ideas and stuff. I ask Chester if he wants to contribute to the flag and he's all "Oh, I'm not really in an artisitc mood"so I'm like "Oh, ok, that's alright" Not ten seconds later he's like "Oh, wait a minute"and draws the bowtie.
During the drawing, we talk about a bunch of stuff. Like the number of shows we've been to, the money I've spent, the school money I've spent, my schooling (MIKE KNOWS WHERE I GO TO SCHOOL!!!). We joke that he should put the flag up in his next art show and he's like "I don't think it would go with the rest of the pieces". My friend and Chester talk about Lil Wayne and his cough syrup addiction. Mike is so proud with his Lil Wayne beaver that he takes pictures of it with his iPhone. We stand up for pictures, my friend gets the one done with her camera, and Mike goes turns around and says "I suck with names, but I'll try my best to remember." He extends his hand, and I'm all "I'm Andrew".And then my friend introduces herself, we take the picture with my camera. We say thank you and as we turn to walk away, we hear him repeat our names to himself! HOW CUTE! We're DEAD.
And so we figure nothing can top that. And then before Papercut...Mike said: "So, I met some people today who have been to 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 shows and a kid who has been to three. I asked him what his other two were besides us, and he says only you guys. We just want to say to them, we love you and this one's for you" or something like that, I can't remember. BUT WE DIED. WE HAD PAPERCUT DEDICATED TO US. AND MIKE LOVES US. He remembered us from Detroit in February!
Just FYI, Andrew has been to 13 Linkin Park shows, including 1 Club Tattoo Party, and there's only one of them in which he did not meet at least one of the band members in some capacity, that is the Clarkston, MI, PR 04 show. All the other shows, he have met them in person or interacted with them in some ways, and like he said, that's basically 92% meeting rate.
You pwn, Andrew
Some pictures from the Meet and Greet.
