a story from the vinyl cafe

So, I was not planning on writing here today at all because I have about a hundred other things I'm supposed to be doing, but I can't let this moment pass. So here I am.

Yesterday, my Mom and I went to see Stuart Mclean live for the Vinyl Cafe Christmas concert. For those of you who don't know, Stuart Mclean is a radio show host for CBC Radio. He has (in my mind) kept alive the dying tradition of radio storytelling with stories of his characters Dave and Morley. Combined with musical guests and the "story exchange" submitted by listeners, the Vinyl Cafe is entertaining, engaging and fun in a totally unique way. Many of the Vinyl Cafe stories have been published into anthologies (which is actually how I discovered them) and are truly worth reading. These stories have had me laughing out loud in my work lunchroom, on city buses, in my living room, etc. etc. I love the Vinyl Cafe, and so I was giddy when I heard Stuart Mclean was on tour with the live show. I was even more giddy when I discovered he was performing nearby and that my Mom and I scored second-row tickets!

The show was last night. It was so much fun. Stuart Mclean is an amazing storyteller. He had the whole auditorium laughing. The musical guests were amazing. He told two new stories that I had never heard before, and one old favourite.

After a story and a musical set, he was talking to the audience and asked if anyone had a student loan. I looked behind me at the audience. The theatre was packed, but not a single person had their hand up. Mr. Mclean said, "Really, no one has a student loan? Someone here must have a student loan. Anyone?" I glanced around, and then raised my hand. He saw me right away. "Okay, we've got one!" he said. "Do you have a loan?" he asked me. I nodded. He asked me my name. He said, "Okay, Alison, come on up here, then." I was so floored I couldn't move for a second. I looked at my mom, who smiled at me, and then I walked up onto the stage and stood next to Stuart Mclean(!!!!). He asked me what school I went to. He said I looked too young to be in college (I didn't get into the fact that I actually graduated last year) and then he gave me a CD/DVD of one of the night's musical guests, Danny Michel. He talked to the audience some more and found a couple of young kids, so he got me to walk through the audience and pass out CDs to both of them. Then he found the oldest person in the audience (a 91-year-old woman) and got me to hand out a CD to her, too. It was so exciting. After that was the intermission, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face for the rest of the night.

It was such a great night. I had so much fun, so excuse me while I let the excitement get the best me: I LOVE THE VINYL CAFE!!!