Meeting The Man at Last

Ok, I cannot believe I forgot to post about this...Most of you have heard the story and seen the photos so that must be why I let it slip.
So, the day was December 28th, 2013 and we had just finished our normal Saturday group run. It was an oddly small group (we normally have between 10 and 20 runners). This day there were only seven of us. It was lovely and quiet and a bright sunny morning. I nearly didn't go running as I was so tired and fought myself until the minute I needed to leave.

Well, after twenty minutes in the café, one of the runners looks over at me and sort of lowers her head, as if to signal that she needed to tell me a secret. It was odd, and I had no idea what she was communicating. :) Then she points and motions her head to the right, while forcefully whispering, "BONO JUST WALKED IN AND IS SITTING OVER THERE!".
I go, "Huh? Shuddup, you guys are teasing me."

At this point, I had seen him 3 times in about 10 days so the running joke among all of them was that HE was stalking ME. har har har. :) I like it though, I'm goin' with it.

So I stand up and peek over the partition separating that portion of the café and, yep, there he is, 10 feet from me! They all geek out and tell me they can't go over because they're all Irish. They said, because I'm the American, I'm the ONLY one for whom it would be acceptable to approach "his majesty". :) I couldn't do it! I was completely frozen and didn't want to bother him and was afraid he'd be angry if I interrupted and rudely inserted myself into his tea-time. (he and another guy had ridden in on bikes (chained to the front of the café) and Bono had just taken off his helmet). He was sweating buckets which I did not notice until I was standing in front of him, blabbering about seeing him sing on Christmas Eve, as he wipes his forehead with a napkin. (taking off his blue sunglasses to do so). I mentioned being from Seattle and he sang/said something about how lovely Seattle is. haha!
So he took of the glasses and shook my hand while I awkwardly introduced myself and he kissed my hand (oohhhhh swoon!). I was holding my phone like an idiot (clearly hoping for a photo) but I felt awful for bothering him so I said, "Well, I won't bother you for a photo. Lovely to meet you. blah blah-awkward", and walked away.

We all sat for another 15 minutes or so and finally got up to leave. As we did so, Bono and his friend (later found out he's his trainer) got up as well. We walked out of the café and the 5 of us stood there saying our goodbyes. Well out walks Mr. Paul Hewson, and as he stands on the top step of the café, he opens his arms and says, "Well come on then Seattle, how about a picture??" "Ahhhh! Really?!?!" So I jumped on up the stair, realizing how short he was (nearly my exact height) and made the decision to stand on the same stair as him. He had his arm around me so tightly and I kid you not here...I am not exaggerating, I felt like I was in the presence of a life icon (almost nearing a religious figure). I know that sounds ridiculous but I had tears in my eyes. (which I was not aware of). He was so gracious and kind and hugged me like I was a real 'loved one' (which is pretty impressive given that it would have been perfectly acceptable for him to have snubbed me when I (rudely) interrupted his peaceful cup of tea after a bike ride. So not only was he the picture of grace then, he then went out of his way to exit the café when we did and asked/offered to take a photo.)

 

(tears in my eyes)
As a friend took the picture, I said to him, "My friends all teased me and said no one would believe me without a picture". And he said, "Believe what?", and I said, "That I met you" and as I said that he looked over at me for the second photo.

 

(ok, terrible of me but I share this because it was such a lovely interaction in that moment. I am still in utter shock that he's embracing me and chatting with me)
Anyway we stood there for a few seconds more and the guys asked for a photo with him (pretty incredible in itself because you NEVER see Irish people, men especially, show excitement over Bono). There's this country-wide pride in either out rightly disliking/resenting him (because of his fame/fortune) or this sort of put-on nonchalance about him. Well, I was there, and saw, first-hand, four grown Irish men, like giddy little kids.

(I was nervous, and trying to hurry so you see my red glove in the corner.) Donal joked that it was a gnome, photo-bombing the picture! haha!
Even after the picture, then he sat down on the step to get his helmet on and get ready for the ride. I went to take off toward home and Killian (bottom) asked any of the guys if they wanted a ride. Then Bono goes, "A ride? I thought you were runners!"
What kills me is that we could have chatted longer but I felt like I didn't want to push my luck so I sort of pre-maturely wished him a happy new year, and took off. You would not believe how fast I sprinted home to show Wayne the photo. Needless to say, he was gutted that he wasn't there that morning. Next time.... :)