JerseyGirl07093
Stick a fork in me
Sometimes all you have to do is ask....
This is a story about something I did that was inspired by a story I read in Randy Pausch's book The Last Lecture. Sadly Randy just recently passed away. The story in his book was about him, his son and his father riding the train at Disney I believe. As they were getting ready for the ride they asked the son where he wanted to sit. The son said that he wanted to sit up front where the conductor was. Randy's father said "oh, you can't sit up there." And Randy thought for a minute and said "why not?" So he decided to ask if they could and the conductor said "sure!" The lesson? Sometimes all you have to do is ask!
Here is my story......
My daughter loves the movie RENT! She really wanted to see it on Broadway, but it was closing in September for good. I knew that there was no way I could afford tickets to go see it. After thinking about it for a while I said to myself, why not just ask and see what they can do for you? I went on the website and saw that they offered handicapped seating for people in wheelchairs (and a companion) for only $20 a seat. I called the theater and told them that although I'm not in a wheelchair I do use canes/crutches because of my recent leg problems. The lady said there was nothing she could do for me. Not one to give up so easily when I wanted to make a dream come true for my daughter, a few weeks later I decided to write a letter. I sent it to the theater's corporate office and explained my situation to them. I said that my daugher was a big fan of RENT and it was her dream to see it on Broadway before it closed, that I was disabled and could also never afford a full price ticket, and also that I was a larger sized woman and wasn't sure if the regular seating would accomodate me. I received a call from the office a few days later. They said that they would love to work something out with me and someone from the theater would be calling me back.
After a bit of going back and forth with the theater they said they would love to accomodate me and would give my daughter and I the $20 tickets! My daughter was so excited!
This past Thursday we arrived at the theater. When I went to pick up the tickets the agent immediately went to the phone and called the person who was to help me with my arrangements. As I was looking at the tickets I saw that they had written "give box seats" on the envelope. OMG we're going to get box seats I told my daughter! She was thrilled!
From there on out we were given the VIP treatment! I could get used to that real quick! lol The man helping me asked me to come inside with him for a moment. As I went inside he showed me where he was going to seat me. They were going to set up one of the seats from the box section where they normally would put a wheelchair. I said that would be just fine. Then he told me that if I wanted to I could have the box seats instead! He showed me where they were and they were so close to the stage and had a great view! I knew my daughter would love it. He said that he just wanted to make me happy and he would do whatever he could to make that happen. Then, coming to the issue of how I said I might not fit in their regular seats he says to me "oh, you're not that big!"
He said why don't I try out a regular seat and see if I fit. As I was trying the seat he said "and if you are comfortable in the seat I'll move you up front"! Needless to say I was thrilled and knew that my daughter was going to flip out! He tells me to surprise my daughter with the seats, but he winds up telling her when we get outside! My son came with us but wasn't going to see the show he was just going to wander around NY for a while and meet us after. The man convinced my son to attend the show with us and gave him a ticket for only $20 as well!
Now here we are 5th row center watching what I can only call an AMAZING show! That's the word my daughter kept saying, "AMAZING"! And it truly was. The singing and dancing was phenomenal and the show was so moving. I had tears in my eyes at the end and I don't think I've ever clapped so hard in my life! Even my son, who is not really a big RENT fan, could not believe how great the show was.
And to top it all off? After the show we waited outside to see if we could get autographs of some of the performers. We got to meet a few and they signed my daughter's program. But the best was when we got to meet Tracie Thoms who, although she wasn't in the show that night, was set to start in the show this past weekend. She was in the movie version of RENT and is on TV in Cold Case and is in the movie Grindhouse "Death Proof". I was so excited I could barely even say anything beyond "OMG I'm so excited! Thank you!" She gave my daughter an autograph and took a picture with her and gave her a big hug! She was so sweet and even more beautiful in person!
The man from the theater who helped me said "It's a good thing you wrote that letter. That's what you have to do nowadays." I told him that I knew no one was sitting around thinking "hmmm I wonder if there's a fat chick in NJ who'd like to take her daughter to see RENT?" so I figured I'd write a letter and at least ASK.
I gave my daughter a night she will never forget and it all happened just because I asked.
Is there anything you ever decided to just ask for and were surprised to have gotten?
If there's something you want or want to do but aren't sure about, why not just ask for help? You never know what could happen!
This is a story about something I did that was inspired by a story I read in Randy Pausch's book The Last Lecture. Sadly Randy just recently passed away. The story in his book was about him, his son and his father riding the train at Disney I believe. As they were getting ready for the ride they asked the son where he wanted to sit. The son said that he wanted to sit up front where the conductor was. Randy's father said "oh, you can't sit up there." And Randy thought for a minute and said "why not?" So he decided to ask if they could and the conductor said "sure!" The lesson? Sometimes all you have to do is ask!
Here is my story......
My daughter loves the movie RENT! She really wanted to see it on Broadway, but it was closing in September for good. I knew that there was no way I could afford tickets to go see it. After thinking about it for a while I said to myself, why not just ask and see what they can do for you? I went on the website and saw that they offered handicapped seating for people in wheelchairs (and a companion) for only $20 a seat. I called the theater and told them that although I'm not in a wheelchair I do use canes/crutches because of my recent leg problems. The lady said there was nothing she could do for me. Not one to give up so easily when I wanted to make a dream come true for my daughter, a few weeks later I decided to write a letter. I sent it to the theater's corporate office and explained my situation to them. I said that my daugher was a big fan of RENT and it was her dream to see it on Broadway before it closed, that I was disabled and could also never afford a full price ticket, and also that I was a larger sized woman and wasn't sure if the regular seating would accomodate me. I received a call from the office a few days later. They said that they would love to work something out with me and someone from the theater would be calling me back.
After a bit of going back and forth with the theater they said they would love to accomodate me and would give my daughter and I the $20 tickets! My daughter was so excited!
This past Thursday we arrived at the theater. When I went to pick up the tickets the agent immediately went to the phone and called the person who was to help me with my arrangements. As I was looking at the tickets I saw that they had written "give box seats" on the envelope. OMG we're going to get box seats I told my daughter! She was thrilled!
From there on out we were given the VIP treatment! I could get used to that real quick! lol The man helping me asked me to come inside with him for a moment. As I went inside he showed me where he was going to seat me. They were going to set up one of the seats from the box section where they normally would put a wheelchair. I said that would be just fine. Then he told me that if I wanted to I could have the box seats instead! He showed me where they were and they were so close to the stage and had a great view! I knew my daughter would love it. He said that he just wanted to make me happy and he would do whatever he could to make that happen. Then, coming to the issue of how I said I might not fit in their regular seats he says to me "oh, you're not that big!"
He said why don't I try out a regular seat and see if I fit. As I was trying the seat he said "and if you are comfortable in the seat I'll move you up front"! Needless to say I was thrilled and knew that my daughter was going to flip out! He tells me to surprise my daughter with the seats, but he winds up telling her when we get outside! My son came with us but wasn't going to see the show he was just going to wander around NY for a while and meet us after. The man convinced my son to attend the show with us and gave him a ticket for only $20 as well!Now here we are 5th row center watching what I can only call an AMAZING show! That's the word my daughter kept saying, "AMAZING"! And it truly was. The singing and dancing was phenomenal and the show was so moving. I had tears in my eyes at the end and I don't think I've ever clapped so hard in my life! Even my son, who is not really a big RENT fan, could not believe how great the show was.
And to top it all off? After the show we waited outside to see if we could get autographs of some of the performers. We got to meet a few and they signed my daughter's program. But the best was when we got to meet Tracie Thoms who, although she wasn't in the show that night, was set to start in the show this past weekend. She was in the movie version of RENT and is on TV in Cold Case and is in the movie Grindhouse "Death Proof". I was so excited I could barely even say anything beyond "OMG I'm so excited! Thank you!" She gave my daughter an autograph and took a picture with her and gave her a big hug! She was so sweet and even more beautiful in person!
The man from the theater who helped me said "It's a good thing you wrote that letter. That's what you have to do nowadays." I told him that I knew no one was sitting around thinking "hmmm I wonder if there's a fat chick in NJ who'd like to take her daughter to see RENT?" so I figured I'd write a letter and at least ASK.
I gave my daughter a night she will never forget and it all happened just because I asked.
Is there anything you ever decided to just ask for and were surprised to have gotten?
If there's something you want or want to do but aren't sure about, why not just ask for help? You never know what could happen!
