When I got to work on Thursday, August 12th, it seemed like any other day.  I spoke to my friend and co-worker, Sarah, and clocked in, then went to the stockroom (I work in a large department store) to put my purse in my locker.  When I came back out, Sarah was putting out some new towels we'd just gotten in.  I went to help her, and she informed me I'd had a phone call from Michelle at the Moody Blues fan club, and that the number she left was on a small piece of paper lying on the counter.  Well, I thought to my soul I was gonna have a stroke!  I knew it had to be about a backstage pass.  Michelle didn't leave the country code, telling Sarah I'd know it.  Well, I DIDN'T know it, so I called my dear friend, Lila, and upon telling her that Michelle had called, all she could say was, "Oh, God!  Oh, God!  Oh, God!"

I finally got the code out of her (no easy task) and made a mad dash for the pay phone out in the mall.  I got the answering machine, so I called back at 7:00 the following morning (around 1:00 in the afternoon in England).  The secretary answered and I asked to speak to Michelle, to which she said, "May I ask who's calling, please?"  I told her who I was, and that I was returning Michelle's call.  She said, "Yes, indeed.  One moment, please."  As I waited, Nights in White Satin played in my ear - gave me chills!  Finally, Michelle got to the phone and she confirmed I had, indeed, won a backstage pass at the Greenville, South Carolina show, which Lila, Pat (my other dear friend) and I already had tickets for (second row at that).

I was excited outta my mind!  From that moment on, I had trouble eating, sleeping, focusing on work.  My dream was finally gonna come true and was gonna meet my favorite singers in a rock and roll band.  I was so happy!

August 17th finally arrived and, at 3:15 that afternoon, (TUESDAY AFTERNOON) Pat, Lila and I headed for Greenville.  We got there around 5:30, I think.  We parked the car and sat on the steps at the side entrance of the venue.  Around 6:30, I suggested we go around to the front.  The first person I saw was Sue Cutlip (Silverbird, Lila had told me).  She had an armful of Moody stuff, with a beautiful photo of Justin showing through the clear plastic bag she had it all in.  We chatted briefly, and Maggie took a photo of us all, then Sue and I went to the box office window to get our passes.  By then, other lucky winners had arrived, and a man from the Bi-Lo Center led us to a small room.