Despair....

Ever heard of the Kings Singers?  ( You are listening to them right now!) They are a phenomenal male singing group that I heard in concert as a teenager.  It was such an incredible experience.  I have loved them ever since. Bub knows I love them. (click here, to learn more about them.)  So, when he heard that they would be performing in a free concert with the MoTab Choir, he decided to get tickets for us to go.  Unfortunately, A LOT of other people want to see the kings singers too.  In order to get tickets, you have to enter a drawing.  To our sheer delight, we won 8 tickets!  The concert was last night.  Our good friends the Renchers came with us, though no on else was able to come.  We arrived at the conference center down town 45 minutes early.  There were mobs of people surrounding the conference center, and we were greeted and guided by conference center volunteers to get into "any line" which we did.  It was so cold outside.  We huddled up and waited.  After 20 minutes, a volunteer told us our line was not a real line and we needed to move.  Unfortunately, the people at the back of our line, got into the back of the next line ahead of us.  So we found ourselves at the very end of that very very long line.  We waited for another 45 minutes or so and got quite near the doors, when the doors closed.  They weren't letting anyone else in.  We did not know why.  We heard rumors that 'stand by' had already been let in.  People around us who had 'cell-phone contact' with family members and saved seats inside were let in, but we were not.  We stood there, staring at the closed doors with our tickets clutched in our numb frost bitten fingers questioning what was going on.  Volunteers were not telling us anything, nor answering questions.  I don't think they knew what was going on either.  A few feet away, A woman was screaming angrily into a cell phone, telling someone on the other end that they'd better get out here and give her a ticket because they wouldn't let her in without it!  She was rather upset and making somewhat of a scene.  I have been trying to be kinder and more giving lately, so I went to her, tapped her on the shoulder and said "excuse me, we have extra tickets." and I held them out.  She hastily grabbed them, barked "thanks" then, continued screaming into her phone.  After another moment or two, she slammed her phone shut and stormed away.  I'm so glad I went out of my way to help a stranger.....about that time, a Volunteer came out and announced to all of us that the building was full.  We would not be allowed in.  No apologies, no explanations.  Our friend Alan said something like  "So you're telling me that we've been waiting outside here for 45 minutes with tickets in our hands, and you're not letting us in?" The Volunteer's response was merely "Yep!"  Alas, our hearts were broken, and our dreams shattered.  No kings singers for us.  I don't know if 'stand by' was really let in or not.  But I am still left to wonder:  What's the point of winning tickets, if you can't get in with a ticket anyway?  If I were Aiden, (And we were all feeling very much like picked on little five year olds at that point,) I would have shouted to the man "My heart is BROKEN!  WHY DO YOU HATE ME?!!!"   All in all, a very disappointing and disheartening experience.  Also, very cold.  I'm glad the Renchers were there to make things fun and enjoyable regardless.  Perhaps I'll get to hear the King's Singers live in another 10 years or so......Perhaps.