You know those Star Wars fans who literally camped out overnight on the concrete basement floor of a convention center just to see J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy present the new trailer for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens? Those seriously crazy people who SLEPT ON THE BASEMENT FLOOR??
I am totally one of those people.
Hei hei. My name is S.T. Bende, and I am a Star Wars fangirl. I was right there last week at Star Wars Celebration 7 (because let’s face it, if there’s anything affiliated with Disney, ever, I am right there). And the BIG event of Star Wars Celebration was Thursday morning’s presentation of the new The Force Awakens trailer. Naturally, this meant every Star Wars fan in the known universe just HAD to camp out, on the off chance they ran out of spots in the auditorium.
Including me.
Here’s how it went down:
Wednesday, 6:05 pm: Pillow, check. Sweatpants, check. Toothbrush, check. Change of clothes for morning, check. Awesome Star Wars friends to sit with, check. Here we go!
Wednesday, 7:05 pm: What a lovely room full of like minded strangers. I wonder how many new lifelong friends I can make by morning? Better get started!
Wednesday, 8:15 pm: Holy cow! Dak is walking the room! I’m so glad he made it out of that snowspeeder okay, after. Maybe he’ll take a picture with me. Dangit, why did I already wash off my makeup??
Wednesday, 9:05 pm: Seriously? They only have the one food stand in here? And it has a ninety minute line? Good thing I brought trail mix.
Wednesday, 10:10 pm: WHAT IS HAPPENING?!! J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy just bought the whole room pizzas! I can get out of this food line!
Wednesday, 11:20 pm: I AM EATING J.J. ABRAMS/KATHLEEN KENNEDY PIZZA! THIS IS TOTALLY LIKE A FRIEND DATE! WE’RE, LIKE, FRIENDS NOW!
Wednesday, 11:50 pm: Lovely new friends behind me are asleep. Should probably try to close my eyes. Tomorrow’s a big day!
Thursday, 12:55 am: How are those people asleep? Are they robots? This concrete floor is killing my ribs.
Thursday, 1:30 am: For the love of all that is good and holy, would that guy over there PLEASE stop talking in what is not an indoor voice about how his dream pet is a fennec fox? Also, what the heck is a fennec fox?
Thursday, 2:30 am: They’re really not turning off those fluorescent overhead lights all night, are they? Wonder if I can wrangle up some kind of a sleep mask. Dangit, why didn’t I bring a sleep mask ? And enough already about the fennec fox.
Thursday, 3:45 am: Makeshift sleep mask worked! I totally slept! I am so the next Macgyver. Also, seems like as good a time as any to go brush my hair. Bathroom line’s not too bad.
Thursday, 6:00 am: They’re handing out the entry bracelets! We’re so getting into the auditorium, like, really soon!
Thursday, 7:00 am: They. Are. Still. Handing. Out. Bracelets. I don’t think we’re getting into the auditorium any time soon.
Thursday, 8:00 am: Wait. You mean they didn’t open the food stand for morning? AND THERE IS NO COFFEE?
Thursday, 8:30 am: Bless you, amazing line neighbor friend, for sharing one of your Red Bulls with me. I think you are truly lovely. As do the people around you who might have been frightened by my growling. Also, tropical Red Bull is REALLY good.
Thursday, 9:30 am: We are still in this basement. With no air flow. And no food. Isn’t this a fire hazard? And just generally a bad idea?
Thursday, 10:00 am: I DON’T CARE. THE NIGHT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT!! WE ARE GOING INTO THE AUDITORIUM!! WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE TRAILER!!! AND BB8! AND J.J. ABRAMS AND KATHLEEN KENNEDY! AND OMG THE ORIGINAL CAST!!! AND THE NEW CAST!!! AND…
. . . CHEWY, WE’RE HOME!!!
THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!
Because I got to meet Ian Doescher, the brilliant author who mashed up Shakespeare and Star Wars . . .
. . . Lawrence Nobel, the sculptor George Lucas commissioned to craft his amazing Yoda (and Indiana Jones!) sculptures . . .
. . . and Darth Maul (Ray Parks)!! Who turns out to be the cutest supervillain ever. Who knew?
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go ice my back. #ConcreteFloorSleep And maybe have one more slice of pizza. Skål! And May The Force Be With You.
