STEVIE WONDER!!!!

Okay so I'm excited. I just saw Stevie Wonder. For free. In Montreal. For free. It's four in the morning and I don't care.

So I got to the Scène General Motors at about 12:45 pm, just after class, where I met to really nice schoolteachers from Toronto who schooled me on my relationship issues and assured me that life was going to be great, because soon there would be Stevie Wonder. They had us gated all the way up at the back of the area, and they were planning on opening the gate at 3.

This chatty lady sits near us and that was all well and fine, and then my friend Alex showed up, and we were waiting for others, but they opened the gate and all hell broke loose. We ran down to near the stage, and were literally, fifth row center. So we're chilling in the sun (which is a little bit painful at times, but enough people had umbrellas out for shade that it was okay), and then we made friends with the people around us.

It started with this guy Claudio, who was right behind us, then this circle of people behind him, Amira, Jamal, Steve, and François, and then after a while, this friend of Claudio's, Rosie, shows up, and so does this guy Dominic who's friends with the group. Dominic looks familiar, but we go on with our lives.

This group of people did not mess around with food. They have sandwiches, fruit, everything. I'm sharing my grapes and strawberries and things with Alex, mostly, but then I break out my cookies to share with everyone, and that was great. They were a big hit and then the three groups meld into one group of friends, sharing food, dép wine & coke, and water and watching out for each other. Rosie and I have a great talk about our potential futures in public service and how much good we want to put in the world.

Stevie does his sound check, and we all get to listen. It was like a whole free concert. Just chilling in the 5th row watching Stevie check the sound. Amazing.

Then I realize why Dominic looks familiar - he was a waiter at this restaurant I went to with Karen and Carla a few weeks ago, Marché 27. We had a pretty extensive conversation at the time, and then we were really like OH! That's who you are. Awesome.

At this point, all of our stuff is in a pile, we're dancing to the warm up DJ, and it starts to rain. Boo hiss. We cover all of our things with a sheet, and then cover it with my umbrella. Very smart. Then we are dancing in the rain. Everyone else has their umbrellas up like pansies, but we are letting loose and having so much fun. Then the rain stops, and STEVIE PLAYS.

There are no words but magic. It was so full of good energy, and he put a lot of energy into talking about Michael Jackson's recent passing and what that means for music and for us, and played some of Michael's songs, some newer stuff, then just a beautiful revue through the classics, ending with Superstition, ending in the rain, ending with a mélange of Michael Jackson songs to end, and fireworks, because at this point, it's past midnight, and thus, is Canada Day.

Then me, Alex, Jamal, Rosie, and Dom all go on a mission for food and bathrooms. We end up walking from the Jazz Festival to a pizza place on Saint Laurent and Pins probably, which is far, in case you were wondering, and are just delighted to eat. Alex breaks off, and the four of us find Amira to give her back a bag at a bar on Saint Laurent, Vol de Nuit, and split a pitcher, and told stories about being kids and laughed a lot. Then we walk home, and in the end, it was me, Jamal, and Rosie, and we realized that none of us had known each other a day ago and how Stevie brought us together and how great that was.

Also, my team won at Trivia Night on Monday which equaled a free pint of beer for Rebecca and the three teammates. I also definitely brought two correct answers to our team, which felt awesome. People are so willing to be friendly and caring in this city.

I love this city. I want to live here forever. Life is great.