Blackmoor Vituperative

I had a great idea for a vacation. I was going to buy tickets to Wicked during one of the breaks between Susan’s classes, and we’d fly to wherever it was playing, stay there a few days, and then come back home. As it turned out, the show is playing in Costa Mesa, CA during Susan’s end-of-summer class break. This is down the road from one of my sisters, as well as being practically next door to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. I even found a deal on a four star hotel in Los Angeles for almost half price. Everthing was working out.

So we sat down today and planned out the dates, so that we would get the best prices on airfare (the most expensive part of the trip). Leave Virginia on Tuesday, go to Disneyland on Wednesday and Friday, Knott’s Berry Farm on Thursday, go to the beach Saturday and Sunday dutring the day, see the show on Saturday night, visit my sister on Sunday night, come back on Monday. Everything meshed perfectly.

So I go to the web site to order tickets. Not available online. So I call. They do not go on sale until 2006-06-19. No problem: I can wait a few days to order them. Out of curiosity, I asked if shows at this theater normally sold out.

Him: “Oh, this show will sell out very quickly. In fact, there are only a few seats left, in the balcony at the back.”

Me: “Wait a minute: I thought you said that tickets wouldn’t go on sale until June 19th.”

Him (cheerfully): “That’s right.”

Me: “…”

Me: “How is it that the seats are almost sold out if the tickets aren’t on sale yet?”

Him: “Oh, season ticket holders, and some American Express premiere card members have bought tickets. Over 80% of them have been sold already.”

I wanted to say something really nasty, but I didn’t. What I did say was, “I guess we won’t be going. Nevermind, then.”

I would still like to say something really nasty.

I’m not sure what, if anything, we will do for our vacation now. I’m kind of bummed.