Ann Jillian

It was twenty-four (ohmigod!) years ago tonight that Rachel and I met our childhood idol. We were eleven and completely and totally obsessed with all things Ann. We were able to get tickets to see her with my Mum and Aunt Bernadette at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. As Rachel and I got all dressed up in our pastel pink outfits, we had no idea that by the night's end, we would have met Ann Jillian. Never having been to a concert of any sort, we behaved as if we were Beatles fans at Shea Stadium in 1965. Pounding on the floor and screaming after every song like escapees from a local asylum. Very bourgeois in a caviar world, but, man, did we have fun. Rachel owned Ann's album, so we knew every song by heart. We flipped out when she sang "Somewhere Out There" from "An American Tale," and when she asked, "How do you sing like a mouse?" Rachel and I burst into hysterical fits of laughter. Then she sang Rick Astley's new song "Never Gonna Give You Up" and we clutched hands and wriggled in our seats, just bursting with excitement.
After her set, Victor Borge came on and we ditched him and went to try to get backstage, not aware of how absurd it was to even think of such a thing. Rach asked an usher who sent us to another usher who sent us to another usher who sent us to another usher who took us to the green room and told us to wait there. We did. The four of us sat there with the security guard that was watching Rocky IV until close to eleven. We were very anxious and getting irritated and Mum and Aunt Bernadette were ready to give up when a door to our left burst open and a princess in gold floated into the room. She danced around the now crowded room talking to the rich and famous locals as well as members of the press. Our eyes were bugging out of their sockets as we watched her and waited with desperation for her to speak to us, which she did. The first words that Ann Jillian said to us were, "Well, hello young ladies!" we all but shit ourselves. Mum and Aunt Bernadette were awesome; they snapped candid shots of Ann talking to us and signing our program and just let us bask out there in the spotlight. We met Ann's fantastic husband Andy who loved us both for asking for his autograph. Then we all posed for a photo. Andy, me, Ann, and Rachel. We look absolutely ridiculous; our faces are red as hell and I have never seen either of us smile like that before or since. We were in a complete state of bliss. Time stood still for those ten minutes or so and every year, Rachel and I would wish each other a happy anniversary and treat ourselves to Mr. Mom and play Ann's cd, remembering back those many years ago to when we were young and deliriously happy. Ann, you are one classy lady and I am still in awe of your grace, kindness and beauty.