David Greco - A Moment in the Rain

 

 

You know, when you're first starting to date someone, you get to that point where there's this moment where you know this is either a total disaster or she's the one. Like, for the example that one time, I was on the date. She leans across the table and says, “Actually, I have something to tell you.” I'm like, “All right.” My name's not Debbie. [audience laughter] And I'm in the witness relocation program.” [audience laughter] I'm like, “Check. Thank you.” [audience laughter]

 

So, a few years ago, I started dating this woman, and I really liked her. The first time I was at Jazz Fest, it was about five years ago, and I came and I just absolutely loved it. It was, I thought, the most magical, amazing event I'd ever been. Came right back the next year and loved it even more. So, I'm starting to date this woman. It's February. I'm like, “Well-- I said, hey, I'm going to Jazz Fest. You want to come along with me? Now, at some level, I'm hoping, please don't say yes, please. [laughs] And she goes, “Yeah, this sounds fantastic.” I'm like, “Okay, Great.” 

 

Now, this girl, she's classy, she's elegant. So, I'm like, “All right, we're going to plan this amazing Jazz Fest.” Now, every other time I'd come to Jazz Fest, the sun is shining, nice, warm temperature, [audience laughter] beautiful food, music, everything. I'm like, “This is going to be a fantastic event.” We got it all lined up. So, we get here, we land. And if anybody remembers Jazz Fest from a few years ago, torrential downpours. The sky is opened up and it is just sheets of water coming down. 

 

And so, we're running around trying to find rain boots. Every store you go to, all the shoe stores, sold out, sold out, no rain boots anywhere. So, we're like, “Fine.” We go to some shoe stores, we buy just the cheapest pair of shoes we can find. We go to the CVS, we get a couple of the beach chairs, so now we're all set to go. And so, we trudge out there. We finally make it out there to Jazz Fest, and it is just pouring. 

 

Now, for folks who haven't been to Jazz Fest in the rain, that field, that racetrack inside of that turns to just muck and mud. And so, when you're walking through that, I saw just little children just get sucked down into that mud [audience laughter] and gone. We're trying to walk our way through [onomatopoeia] you know that sound that it makes. You put your chair down, you sit down and you just keep sinking. [audience laughter] I'm just like, “Oh, my God, my perfect plans, everything that I had was all going away.” It is cold. She's got a parka on. I'm just like, “We're from LA. We're not used to this. What are we doing?” 

 

And so, we finally make it over to the stage. Maroon 5 is going to play. So, I go out. I'm going to get a couple daiquiris because I'm like, “This day is just going bad for me.” And so, as I'm working my way back through the crowds and I'm fighting my way back, I see her there. She's standing by our chairs and she's just dancing. The rain is pouring down and she is having the time of her life. I know at that moment that this is the woman for me. In the mud and the mayhem and the muck of Jazz Fest, I was given a gift that for every day since then, I've been so thankful. Thank you very much.