2000 September 12 Tuesday

I see Sting in concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park.

My roommate Jared Frank gives me the free ticket to the free concert. He's in a relationship with a girl in Utah who eventually will become his wife but can't be in New York City tonight. Luckily, I'm here, and I get in with her ticket.

Jared is very tall, and I follow him from the back to the front of the Best Buy corporate crowd. We stand 40 feet from Sting.

Wearing my These Are Days shirt from a concert in 1993, I'm 17 again for two hours. I'm 17 the first time I see Sting.

I remember Sister Diane Done, my seminary teacher who introduces me to the Savior and to Sting.

These are some of the songs and lyrics he sings.

If you love somebody, set them free

We'll be together tonight

We won't be playing Scrabble for her hand I fear

Desert Rose

Brand New Day

I'm an alien

Be yourself

no matter what they say

Roxanne-o

I'm not alone in being alone

On and on the rain will fall

Nothing comes from violence

Nothing ever could

If I ever lose my

faith in you