Sphere.

In June Sean and I sat through some obnoxious sales pitch that was rewarded with 2 plane rides, a 3 night hotel stay, and some restaurant credits.  Of course they came with restrictions and blackout days, but we weren't doing anything special that day, and the hotel it was held at was about 10 minutes from our favorite Vietnamese restaurant.

A month later he said to me "I did some research about the airfare and hotel.  We can use them to get to and stay in Vegas."

I'm not a Vegas person.  We went a few years ago when Reba McEntire was closing her residency there.  Sean loved Reba.  LOVED her.  As in if it ever came to be, it was a strong possibility that he might leave me for her.  Not that I could ever blame him - that red headed minx is adorable and sassy as all fuck.  The concert was great.  The rest of Vegas left me thinking - eh.  But I did get to try an In N Out burger, so I had that going for me.

So I said "Really?  Vegas?" (and, with that, I started making my Tina Belcher groaning sound.)

"Here me out. We go.  We fly and stay for free.  And I get to take you to see U2 at The Sphere."

Well, hold up there, Champ.  Now you've said the magic word.

U.2.

My Irish loves since 1986.

There's are few things I love in life as much as I love that band.  Sean was one of them.  In fact, that point was made in my part of our wedding vows... "I love you more than books, more than music, more than U2."

I've seen them more times than I can count,  I know their music like I know my Social Security number, like I know my address and like I know the Pledge of Allegiance.  I even have a Joshua Tree tattooed on me.

Years and years ago, when the Hill 51B girls lived together, my roommate spent some time in Italy (I think it was Italy but I could be wrong).  She told me how one day there was a dancing group of gypsies (and yes. I am aware that term is politically incorrect, but it wasn't in 1995, so just go with me here and let me tell the story.) and one of the girls dancing to Mysterious Ways reminded D of me.  If you asked me why she did, I couldn't tell you.  But whenever that song came on, it made me think of D and the dancing gypsy queen.

I told that story to Sean once and he stared at me for a few moments and said "Yep.  I can totally see you as a dancing gypsy." (Now, at this point I did tell him that I don't think that term was the right one to use, but Sean being Sean, didn't really care).  From that point on, whenever the song came on and he heard it, he would yell out for me, his gypsy, to dance.  And I would, with him joining in, and Lexi jumping around our feet.

Our plan was to go to Vegas in February.  Play hooky, take a long weekend, and revel in my Irish boys.

We never got around to booking the trip or buying the tickets.  

The residency began after September 18.

On March 2, they played their final show there.

This past week I was able to listen to the final show on U2 Radio on Sirius.

It wasn't the same as being there.  It wasn't the same was seeing them with Sean.

In all honesty, he wasn't a fan.  But he took me to see them 3 times for their Joshua Tree Anniversary tour in 2017 and twice during their Experience and Innocence tour in 2018.  He would kiss me as they took the stage, wipe my tears when they played Where the Streets Have No Name, hold my hand and stroke my palm with his thumb during All I Want is You. And give me the Sean Eyes when the opening to Mysterious Ways would fill our ears.

There was no kiss as the band took the stage during this performance.
No one to wipe my tears.
No one to hold my hand.

But in my head I heard him. "Dance for me, my beautiful EYE-talian gypsy queen!"

So I did.

With Lexi jumping around at my feet.