Part One:
Since I started the new job in January, it has been a Covid disaster.
Up through December they were able to pull off a fair amount of shows. In January, artists began to postpone or outright cancel with sickening regularity.
We in the box office spent all of our time calling people, telling them shows were postponed and offering refunds.
I took a large cut in pay to work at CCA. Happy to do it for the peace of mind it offered me (but still, at some point that will have to be dealt with after we run through the Covid war chest we amassed in 2020 - unless we succeed in selling this albatross of a house).
I did not expect the operation to be shut down again, but I was nervous about where we were headed. I justified the risk in my mind by recognizing that Carol and I have endured a hell of a lot of financial disasters and difficult situations in our life - and we are still standing. Pretty thin logic but I am trying to get happy, so fuck it.
A woman died in January and donated $1 million dollars to the Capitol Center for the Arts. You read it right - one million dollars. A huge relief for the CCA, a huge relief for me. I have no idea what the financial situation at CCA is, but I gotta believe a million dollars provides a solid measure of stability.
It's a great story.
We wanted to find out who this person was - no one recognized the name - so we went through our record of memberships and ticket sales. Turns out she has been a member for a very long time - at the lowest level possible. Right now $50 is the minimum; back when she started $35 was the minimum. There is no record of her ever buying a ticket to a show. Ever.
How fucking amazing is that? The woman is a savior.
I am breathing a little easier.
Part Two:
I am working my first show tonight. I am nervous.
Every show I was scheduled to work in January was postponed. I haven't worked a show in over two years.
In general, working a show is a positive experience. People are excited, people are happy - they are out for a "night out" - dinner, music, booze - it beats the shit out of working for a living.
I typically have great conversations with many of the attendees - music is the great equalizer.
It's the glitches that I hate. Sometimes the printer won't work - it is not a good thing to be unable to print out tickets. Sometimes the credit card machine gets loopy - it is not a good thing to be unable to take peoples' money.
If I make a mistake it is on me - I can deal with it and learn from it. When the equipment lets me down I get furious. Nothing sucks more than people waiting for their tickets while I am on my kness trying to get the fucking printer to work. It used to happen a lot. I don't know what to expect tonight.
Occasionally I have to deal with an asshole or two.Usually it is people who bought their tickets from a ticket re-seller without knowing it didn't come through us. We have no record of their purchase, no record of their name. And, unfortunately, they have always grossly overpaid.
If there is an issue (lost tickets, forgotten tickets) there is very little I can do. Of course this makes them furious because no matter what I tell them they believe they bought the ticket from us.
Not fun.
But in general, working a show is a positive experience. And I get to hear me some live music.
So I am nervous about tonight, but looking forward to tonight to get that first show under my belt.
The ticket holders are in luck - I am a charming son of a bitch who will make their experience even better.
I am, indeed - a Minor God.
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