We snaked our way through the sea of dancing, girating, grooving phish-pholk. After hours of exhausting legwork, we took a break. Everyone got really comfortable about 250 feet from the stage, but not me. Trey would know my face TONIGHT!! I pressed on. Two from our party followed me on my quest. 

We donned our best smiles and mosied out into the crowd. We tried to flank the band on Page's side and were stopped by a seemingly hostile crowd and an 800 pound man(at least) passed out flat on his back. But we pressed on. We passively squeaked our way back toward center stage and pushed forward again. 

Our chant of "Love train Comin' through" was working quite well until we were met with "SSSHHHHH" from the tapers. Damn, we were trapped again. Unless I wanted to piss off every taper by trying to squeeze through them, we would have to find another avenue to accomplish my quest. As the sun began poking it's head over the trees on the horizon, I knew it was now or never. We backed up a bit and pushed toward Trey. 

I found a lane, and it led us diagonally to a spot about 20 feet from Mike. Everyone was so packed in, there was no going anywhere. We couldn't even back up. Not bad, considering we had probably walked about 3 miles to actually move 500 feet. What a trek it had been. Out of the hundreds of people that we met, there was not one meanie, grouch, or even negative comment. 

We did it right though, peacefully, safely and with good karma all around, and we were met by smiles the whole way. As we stood there with 80,000 people at our backs, we felt unstoppable. I pondered the night's events and relished in our accomplishment. Then I felt something in my pocket (no not that you pervert). I pulled from my jeans my stainless antique lighter/cigarette case that was given to me by a friend I saved. 

Like a bolt of lightning, I realized this night wasn't over yet. I calmly tapped the guy in front of me and explained to him that we had fought all night from the back of the venue to get up to the stage so I could give Trey a New Years present. When I showed him the lighter with a FAT blunt inside, He turned and shouted, "HEY, MAKE A HOLE. PRESENT FOR TREY COMIN" THROUGH". I held the lighter aloft like an Olympian, and watched as the crowd before me parted like the red sea under Moses' command. 

The three of us, battered and bruised, strolled to the stage right in front of Mike. I mean, I was pressed against the gate, and the boys busted out with Wading in the Velvet Sea. I motioned to security, pointed to Trey, and handed him the lighter. Everyone cheered, and although I didn't high-five Trey, I swear, he smiled at me when he sang. We enjoyed the last few songs within spittin' distance of the greatest band on earth and collapsed when they called it quits. That was one of the best nights of my life.