by Railey

I carried a book with me for every tour & show since age 18. The second half of the book (Portrait of Dorian Grey) was added by me~a personal addition to that story~age 13, finding "me", my center, my lightening, the heavy death of father at age age at 17, looking at the painting in the attic a totally different way. Anyways, it was a good addition to that book. Good enough that I could not just throw it on stage. Instead, every show, multiple shows, every tour...that book sat in my pocket. Many times, I could've thrown it on stage, hit one of the boys over the head with it. But, it had to be a genuine, sincere hand off.

Finally, November 23rd, my home state (seeing U2 in my desert land is always the best! U2 is good anywhere I go, but Arizona is always...like a fresh, prayed for rain), I'm inside the heart, at the tip. "All I Want is You" is being played. Amazing. Stunned. But then, as if out if a slow motion movie, Bono leans over...my little sister (only family knew about my book) said "now! Now is the time!" With that, I pulled my book out of my pocket, lifted it up & Bono's eyes twinkled, he smiled big at the sight of a book he knows all too well...he took the book graciously from me.

He spoke to the crowd about "Dorian Grey" being really written about Larry...that Larry had a painting in his attic somewhere. Bono thumbed through the book while holding it, talking & I saw he noticed the extra written "chapter". He leaned back over to hand me my book back.

What horririfyi moment & horrifying look I gave him, I'm certain. I motioned "NO, please, No!" In a very big way "NO", pointed at him saying "for YOU". He put his hands together prayer style, did a little bow of "thanks", put the book in HIS back pocket and it remained in his back pocket for the entirety of the show...encores & all.

Finally, that book, that chapter was taken off my hands! Awesome awesome thing that it happened at a show in my desert land. Even more awesome, I'd brought my little sister, who loves to catch a moment w/a proper camera. That she did!

The show he takes the book that was in my pocket for all shows previously, the book I was determined to wait ages for, until I found the "proper" moment to hand it off, haplened- in my desert lad, where it all began, with my life sister by my side who captured the moment. Priceless. My brother (again, family knew of my longstanding "book" deal) was seated way up in the stands at that show & he said the moment Bono started talking about "I know this book...Dorian..", he said he was yelling "she did it! My sister- she finally found the right moment to give 'em the book!!!!"

After the show, I turned the corner at the venue and my brother was there. He picked me up & swung me around. It was the sweetest thing. Truly. It was a family affair. A secret, private, quiet little joy wrapped up in a portrait. People around me asked if I put my name & # in that book. The answer was "No. No need. It wasnt' about that. It's precious this way". Here is one of the pics my sister managed to snap of that perfect moment in the making for...20yrs. Good times. It's nice to not have a book in my pocket at a show anymore ;) 

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