Fall Out Boy Meet & Greet- July 17th 2015
Boys of Zummer Tour
Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all, even waiting in the last line which was for the meet and greet. I saw the table with props and the back of the backdrop. We couldn't bring cameras or anything, so I had to set everything down.
"Look in the reflection, you can see Andy."
I looked to where my mom was pointing to see that it was indeed Andy. There were only a few people in front of us, and suddenly my anxiety hit. I began to freak out, but I didn't have enough time to fully take in the situation until they called me around. I turned the corner and the four of them turned towards me, smiling. My brain went into overdrive as I realised that they were real life living beings not just photos or videos or gifs, and that I was seeing them in real life.
"Hello!" and "Hello there!" Came faintly from two or three of them, but I didn't know who, because my entire being couldn't function.
I waved awkwardly and covered my mouth with my hands.
"Oh my god this is amazing. S-sorry, this is my early sixteenth birthday present and this is so unreal."
"Really? Happy early birthday!" Patrick fricking said to me and I just felt like (((((PETE WENTZ SCREAMING IN THE DISTANCE))))) but Pete Wentz was right fricking there and so were Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley.
"I-is it okay if we do a cute pose-?" I asked really quietly.
And I demonstrated what I'd seen other people do, by placing my hands on the side of my face and smiling cutely.
"Sure." Pete fricking said to me and out of the corner of my eyes I saw both Pete and Patrick follow in suit. I thought I was going ahead and being kicked out, so I went to hug Andy who was on the very end. I remember smiling widely and seeing his face, before vaguely seeing the tattoos on his neck as I pulled him into a hug. He was quiet but strong and his hug was quite soft and genuine, and he smelled faintly of fabric softener and cologne.
I was going to leave when I remembered that my mom was doing a photo with me. As she greeted everyone I went back through. I was going to give Joe a hug but unfortunately he was on his second back surgery, so I couldn't do such. My brain wanted to give him a high five but I ended up shaking his hand and smiling. I then moved to Patrick, who wore a black fedora like myself and a v-neck shirt. His face lit up as did mine, and as I went in to hug him, I saw a few small chest hairs that made me feel like (((((PETE WENTZ SCREAMING IN THE DISTANCE))))) because I forgot that he wasn't a prepubescent child, contrary to the way he acted. I then went to Pete, who had his blonde hair but his dark roots were showing through, and I saw his brown stubble and vaguely saw his tattoos as I gave him a hug. I caught a whiff of a faint cologne smell, and I soon let go of him to take the super hero pose picture with my mom. As I posed I thought I saw Andy out of the corner of my eye put his hands on his hips, and I saw Pete's tattooed arm sticking up and I figured he was making a fist.
We were soon whisked off and I didn't even have time to soak in what had happened. The concert was a blast, and when my mom and I were driving home, I realised my doubt. Had I smiled in the photo? I don't remember looking at a camera... Did I even look at the camera? Oh god did I not speak loudly enough with my request for cute poses? What if Andy and Joe didn't hear me?
But at about one in the afternoon the photos came in, and I nearly started crying because I MET THEM I TOUCHED FALL OUT BOY THEY WERE MORE THAN I BARGAINED FOR.