A Beautiful Night With a Stranger

Five Years Later (2005)

I had just gotten out of the longest day at work at the hospital and just wanted to relax. I had been feeling depressed lately, and overall just lonely. Was this my life? Mundane and boring? There had to be more than this. I came home to find my roommate Kelly talking on the phone excitedly. Something about free tickets to a show. Nothing important, I just tuned her out. I went to my room and changed into short jean shorts, a black tshirt with the converse logo on it and my worn out red chucks. I went into the kitchen as Kelly got off the phone, with a huge smile on her face.
“So guess what we’re doing tonight!” she squealed. I gave her a bored look and said “are we inviting Jeff over and having a threesome?” she gave me a weirded out look. “Ummm no sorry. We’re going to a show. My friend had won them through some radio contest but can’t go. The band is supposed to be good, they’re called Green Day.” I sighed. The name of the band sounded familiar. Didn’t they have that song kids played at their graduations? I hope you had the time of your life or some shit like that. Whatever, as long as it gets me out of the house. “What time are we leaving?” Kelly looked at the clock. “We should probably leave now to get them at Karen’s house. She also got backstage passes.” I headed out the door. “Whatever.”
We got to the show pretty late. We had seats in the pit but were pretty much stuck all the way in the back. I noticed how people were dressed, oh is this like a punk band or something? I could barely make out the people that took the stage. All of a sudden the lights got darker and a guitar started up. “Don’t wanna be an American Idiot!!” I heard a male sing. I recognized the song. It was played like everywhere these days. Oh so that’s who Green Day is. I enjoyed the show despite the fact that I didn’t know any of the songs, and someone spilled a beer on me. Oh and I got kicked in the head by some dude who was trying to crowd surf. I had lost Kelly in the crowd about half way through the show. I found myself getting pushed closer and closer to the stage. I could finally make out the lead singers face. Hey, he’s not bad looking. I like the eyeliner, it’s a nice touch. There’s something about him that seems familiar but I can’t put my finger on it. He’s so energetic and passionate, you can tell throughout the whole performance. He controlled the stage and the audience. I was fascinated by him. But I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen him before “Alright,” he panted. He was sweaty from jumping around the stage for like two hours straight. “This is our last song, it’s called Whatshername. It’s dedicated to a girl I met a long time ago. I never got her name but she was the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on. Whatshername, this is for you.” My eyes almost popped out of my head. No way, it can’t be. Could it? I pushed my way to get closer to the front as he sang. Holy shit it was him, the Beautiful Stranger. I hadn’t thought of him for the most part in five years. I can’t stop staring at him. He’s as beautiful as ever. I just stare and stare. He looks down into the audience. Then we made eye contact. When he saw me, he stumbled his words a little but didn’t miss a beat with his guitar. He never looked away from me. “And in the darkest night, if my memory serves me right. I’ll never turn back time. Forgetting you, but not the time.” The music fades out and the crowd is going wild. He never keeps his eyes off me. His band mates join him at the center of the stage. They all take their bows. He stares at me again. His band mates turn to exit the stage. He slowly begins to follow them. Then he stops and turns around, walking towards my direction. He kneels down in front of me and holds out his hand. I take it without thinking, with no hesitation. He pulls me up to the stage and we look at each other properly for the first time in five years. The crowd is going crazy but I don’t hear them. “Hi whatshername” he whispers. I smile, “Hello, beautiful stranger.” He pulls me in for a kiss and the crowd cheers and whistles. He smiles into the kiss and dips me down. I laugh. When we finally pull apart he holds out his hand. “Billie Joe Armstrong,” he says. I look into his eyes. “Jennifer Winters” I laugh. We shake hands. “Nice to meet you Jen” We walk off stage hand in hand. Somehow, I felt like we wouldn’t be strangers anymore.