Yesterday at Waterstones!

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Meeting Tori was amazing.

Originally, I was going to get there early, at about 9-10am, because I didn't think I'd get in otherwise as they were only letting in the first 200 people. I didn't get on the bus into town until 10, so by this point I was convinced I was too late, but I thought I'd try anyway - even if I wasn't able to make it, I could still have a day in London. I'm so glad I didn't just give up and stay at home all day; I arrived at about 11.30, and was number 82!

This morning I asked my Dad to lend me £20 - I had about £5 on me anyway in change, too. I wasn't sure if the bank transfer for a pair of shoes someone has bought from me had gone through, and I'm so glad it had! When I got there, I checked the price of the books - they were 12.99 for a paperback, and I counted my money and I had just £11.50 left. I was trying not to panic; it would have been so cruel if I couldn't go, all because I was about £2 short! There was an Abbey bank nearby, and I checked my balance and nearly screamed, the money had gone through so all problems were now solved. I took out another £10, and asked one of the assistants how I got into the signing. They gave me a ticket and told me to pick up a copy of the book (I could only get a copy I'd bought there signed), pay, and go downstairs to join the queue. I bought it, shaking, was offered a toffee to eat while I waited (yay!), collected a ticket, and joined the end of the queue. Most of the people around me were on their own, so I didn't feel quite so weird. I had brought a copy of Colin Forbes's 'Year of the Golden Ape' that Dann lent me ages ago, but that I had never got around to reading until recently, so I sat reading some more of that. There was also a mix of Tori songs (both from the Beekeeper and older) playing, so I was kept entertained. At about 12.30, half an hour before Tori was due to come out, a lady came round with a post it note asking who people wanted the book to be signed to and sticking it on the inside page. I waited about half hour more, before the photographers started to get itchy and clicking everytime the back door twitched. By now everyone had stood up, and so I was a bit closer - the queue zig zagged round the book shelves, and I was quite close to where Tori was going to appear (they had put a table out and a display with lots of copies of her books on, as well as lots of Waterstones signs). We had a talk from the guy organising it, who came round and explained that just before we got to meet Tori, he would take our bags and have them ready for us after we'd met her, so that we could hug her and not have our things in the way. He also explained that although we couldn't have our photo taken with Tori, we could take photos as much as we liked afterwards and before, and I kicked myself for not having brought my camera! (I didn't think they would have been allowed, like at her concerts.)

Another 10mins wait later, with the photographers still itching at the triggers, the organiser said "can you all please put your hands together for TORI AMOS!" and there she was! because of where I was standing, she was only about 10 feet away from me, it was amazing to see her so close - I almost burst into tears there! While she posed for photos I tried to calm down, and loads of people screamed and shouted "we love you Tori!", and there were quite a few gasps! People then started to meet her, and the queue slowly moved forward.

Tori took her time talking to everybody, and I think everyone got a hug. It was so nice, I waited just over an hour to get to the front but I really didn't notice. When I got to the front the organiser moved my post it note to the page that was going to be signed - the second page inside, and told me to hold that page so that it was a bit quicker when she came to sign it. By now my hands were shaking, and he asked if I was okay, and I said I was just fine. After the girl infront had finished talking to me, Tori looked straight at me and I almost froze. She gave me a big smile and said "hi! How are you?" I almost burst into tears, I was in so much shock, and all the things I had rehearsed beforehand (about Ralph and the concert, and about winning the tsumani CD auction) completely went out of my mind. I said I was "great thanks" and she asked how my week had been, I said "it wasn't too bad, but it's definitely got better now!" She took the book from me and looked at the post it note, and said "you want it signed to Ralph?" and I explained that he'd bought me tickets to see her concert a few weeks ago in London and then he hadn't been able to go, so I thought it would be a nice present. She signed it, and then asked "what's your name?" and said "shall we sign it from you too?" and asked me how to spell my name. I only just remembered (haha). She then said "you're a very good friend" and gave me a hug, said thank you for coming and I said bye and left, feeling totally starstruck. I got my bag and just stood feeling dazed for a while before being guided back out of the barrier. I stood and watched a few other people meeting Tori, called Ralph, almost in tears of shock, and then went outside still in shock.

I didn't quite know what to do after, I called my Dad just because I had to talk to someone, and almost cried on the phone as well, then later rang Greg who had no idea I was going to see Tori Amos today so was a bit confused! I then bought an ice cream from Thorntons, sat down for a while, and started to get home. I had work in the evening and was just in a daze, the time went so quickly as I just couldn't stop thinking about how amazing meeting her had been. I'm such a Torigeek. :D