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19th May 2001,Saturday
Magdalene and I go to their hotel to see MDO. Magdalene has called Pablo the night before and he has said that they will be out at nine the next morning. Well, nine comes and goes, and we don't see any vehicles that look like potential MDO transporters. So finally I say, "I'll call Didier." Didier's on the phone, perhaps jawing long-distance to a comrade? I call Abel. Believe me, I had a hard time with the receptionist. "Tala-what?" she says.
"Talamantez."
"Tal-ma-huh?"
"Talamantez! First name Abel!" I have to spell it three times.
Finally she puts me through. There's a beeping sort of sound. Then, "Hello?"
"Hello, I would like to speak with Abel, please."
"Who is this?"
"Is this Abel?"
"Yes."
"Hi Abel, it's like this--my friend and I, we're your fans."
"Oh!" A surprised exclamation.
"Yeah, and we'd really like to meet you, perhaps when you leave your hotel?"
"Yeah, sure. We'll be down in five minutes."
Hahahaha!! Five minutes!
A while later, I walk into the lobby to check if there's anything going on, and there's Caleb. I don't recognize him at first, I just see this bunch of people, and hey--wait a minute--there's a guy with long curly hair--in a blue sleeveless shirt--IT'S CALEB!!
I immediately veer back out, running as fast as I can in my heels. "Magdalene!" I yelp. Magdalene jumps to her feet. "It's Caleb!"
So we charge inside and barge in on the group--really not a difficult feat. Magdalene calls his name and we hand him our Subir Al Cielos and get some pictures. He holds up Subir Al Cielo: "Where did you get this?" We tell him a book and record store, and he nods, impressed. I think he's brought his dad with him--there's an older-looking guy in a grey shirt hovering around whom, if I'm not mistaken, Caleb calls 'Papa'. We ask Caleb questions: "When are you leaving?"
"Um...after the show on Sunday?"
"That soon?"
"I don't know...Papa!" Something in rapid Spanish. He turns back to us. "Monday."
"What time?"
"Um...Papa!" We exchange amused glances. This guy has no idea what's going on.
"Seven thirty."
Magdalene is disappointed. "Too bad. We have to go to school."
"Aw!"
We attempt polite conversation. Magdalene informs him that we'll be at their TV Works performance on Sunday, and he nods in smiling approval. I tell him I've been listening to MDO for a long time, and he is surprised, saying "Oh?" in a pleased and excited manner. We ask him when A Little Piece Of Heaven will be out, but he isn't sure (suprise, surprise).
While Caleb's been signing our Subir Al Cielos, I've noticed a guy standing nearby talking to some girls. 'Who's that?' I wonder, but he doesn't look familiar at all. 'Probably just someone along for the ride,' I think to myself, not giving him a second look. Sure, he's handsome and he's all dressed up, but we're here for the big cheeses, you know?
While I'm trying to take a picture of Magdalene and Caleb, he comes up to me, smiling. "Hi!"
I look at him. Closely. "Alexis?" I say, my eyes widening. I am truly shocked; I never imagined it was him--which doesn't say much for me, but he really didn't look like Alexis!! He's wearing a stripey, fuzzy sort of shirt and his hair has grown out somewhat, no longer Roman and Mark Antony-ish. In fact I think it was the hair that obscured his identity from me! He puts out his hands, palms up. "Yeah!"
I laugh. "You look different!"
"I do?" he smiles.
After I take Magdalene's picture, Caleb goes to change his camisa because it's blue-streaked, and everyone else is in dark colours. Alexis hugs me and I get a picture with him--he's a very smiley person. He was wearing some strong cologne--could it be the famed Dolce y Gabbana?--and he left it in my hair. The essence of Alexis was with me all day!
Alexis says "Be good! Take care!" and walks out the door. Then Abel arrives on the scene! He's dressed in black and is wearing dark glasses. His hair is blondish and sort of sticking up. "Abel!" we chorus.
He says hi and kisses us. He's not much taller than I am, a fact in which I take a bit of perverse satisfaction >:). He has a Texas drawl. :)
We want a picture; he says, "Wait, let me take off my glasses." His eyes are bluey-green and muy bello. He strikes a pseudo-cool pose. Abel, por eso, te queremos.
He signs his autograph, exclaiming, "Subir Al Cielo!" He says something about us listening to MDO, and I tell him, "Oh yeah, since Tiempo De Amar." He looks up, smiling. "Oh, you have Tiempo De Amar?" He's real happy. I say yes and that it is great.
He takes my Subir Al Cielo. "What's your name, sweetie?" he asks me, and I tell him. He autographs it with a flourish.
Finished, he asks, "Are the rest of the guys down yet?"
We tell him Alexis is outside and Caleb is around. "Oh, Alexis is in the car?" he says. We let him wander off after he kisses us again.
I have zoomed in on Didier walking out from the lift lobby. He's wearing a white shirt and fisherman pants. Up close, his features are more prounounced than they appear in his pictures. His eyes are large and framed with long, long dark lashes. I tell him he's my favourite MDO member. He grins. "Really? You go, girl!" He kisses us. I can feel his stubble on my cheek. While he signs Subir Al Cielo, Magdalene commands me to take more pictures. He hands it back to me; it's got a smiley face next to his autograph. Magdalene holds up the camera and Didier makes peace signs and grins into the lens. "Put out your tongue!" I say, and he laughs.
When Didier leaves, out comes Pablo, looking real bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with a little bounce in his step. He's wearing dark clothes, a blue bandanna around his head (which I think I recognize as being from Giordano), and sunglasses, and he's got a backpack. Magdalene waves; he recognizes her and kisses us both. His eyes are large and dark and long-lashed, and he has a slight growth of stubble on his chin. He also has a fabulous Spanish accent.
More pictures and hugs; he takes my Subir Al Cielo. "What is your name?"
I spell it for him in addition. He writes carefully, then shows it to me to seek my approval before proceeding.
I am inspired by Pablo Neruda, whose Cien Sonetos De Amor I was reading the night before. I consider saying something like, 'Te Quise Olvidar is beautiful,' but that sounds really lame. So I tell him, "Pablo, tu voz es como pan y miel."
He looks up, a big grin spreads across his face, and he laughs in delight. "Hey!" he calls to Mr. Edgardo, who's hovering around nearby. "Ella dice: mi voz está como pan y miel!" He laughs again, looks intently at my face, then rewards me by grabbing me for yet another picture. Then he follows his people out, looking back over his shoulder at us, and flashing his sonrisa bella.
