PDA

View Full Version : Happy Birthday Maleah!



EagleLady
08-28-2009, 11:12 AM
Here's to a wonderful Day filled with Lots of love! :birthday:

sodascouts
08-28-2009, 11:26 AM
To the photographer that gave me such great memories of my Chicago concert, and has such a talent for graphics.... I salute you! Hope you have a wonderful birthday.

You know what's coming.... some of your favorites!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c95/Pekahchu/Don%20Henley/d19f.jpg

Love the stubble and I know you appreciate it too!
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/Lulabelle_/donhenleylrooerough.jpg


Let's throw in a little Robin Williams too for a hoot:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/0000382626-006.jpg

Or perhaps a bear!

http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss120/wall_e_2009/CountryBearsHenley.jpg

The man in black...

http://www.donhenleyonline.com/images/DHenleyEraseMS01.jpg

Saving the best for last.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/3-1.jpg

So yummy!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

sodascouts
08-28-2009, 11:27 AM
Oops... both EagleLady and I started threads within minutes of each other...guess I took too long finding photos. ;) Let me merge them!

TimothyBFan
08-28-2009, 11:29 AM
http://images.zwani.com/graphics/happy_birthday/images/pic29.gif (https://eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/%3Ccenter%3E%3Ca%20href=)

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e136/williehoo/Don%20Henley/DonHenley4.jpg

Have a great day Maleah!!!!

Koala
08-28-2009, 11:42 AM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
have a nice Day!

http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss120/wall_e_2009/don1.jpg?t=1251474251

http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss120/wall_e_2009/dh1.jpg?t=1251474310

AmarilloByMorning
08-28-2009, 12:12 PM
Happy Birthday!

Did you know you share one with Jack Black, Jake Owen and Shania Twain? Not to mention Donald O'Connor (of Singin' in the Rain renown).

...and is that Don with one of the country bears at Disney World or some weird interpretation of Planet of the Apes with alternative evolutionary theories?

Hope it's a great one for you!

Stars
08-28-2009, 12:18 PM
Have a very Happy Birthday! Celebrate!:partytime:

EagleLady
08-28-2009, 12:20 PM
Oops... both EagleLady and I started threads within minutes of each other...guess I took too long finding photos. ;) Let me merge them!


You know what they say, Great Minds think Alike ;)

EasyFeeling
08-28-2009, 12:43 PM
Happy Birthday, Maleah :birthday:

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/75613/Don+Henley.jpg

Brooke
08-28-2009, 01:25 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALEAH!


Wishing you a wonderful day with family and friends!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/desperado74/Extras/bdayparty.gif

And be sure to have a bit of Don time:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/desperado74/Henley/DHOOTNera.jpg

Troubadour
08-28-2009, 01:30 PM
Happy Birthday, Maleah! I hope you have a wonderful day! :cheers:

http://www.donhenleyonline.com/images/eaglesHFOTB05.jpg

http://www.donhenleyonline.com/images/DHenley70sHotness.jpg

http://www.donhenleyonline.com/images/DHenleyRedPlaid.jpg

Maleah
08-28-2009, 03:24 PM
Awwwww thanks so much guys! I love you all! :) The day has been great so far! I got to sleep in, my Dad and bro took me out for breakfast, hung out with my bro for a bit, came back and signed on here and got treated to birthday wishes from great friends and fabulous pics of Don!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great day! Thanks for being such an awesome group of friends!!!!

thelongrun
08-28-2009, 03:36 PM
Yo Maleah! Feliz Cumpleaños!:computer:

Maleah
08-28-2009, 04:32 PM
Muchas Gracias! :thumbsup: (I even went and looked it up! ;) )

Freypower
08-28-2009, 06:21 PM
Have a very happy birthday Maleah. You have taken some of the best photos of the band I've ever seen.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/ozeagle/Other%20Eagles/DonChicago.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/ozeagle/Other%20Eagles/DonFargo.jpg

Maleah
08-29-2009, 12:00 AM
Aww thanks FP! For both the birthday wishes AND the compliment! It has been an awesome day! I got a record player (finally!) to play my Eagles albums on!

AzEaglesFan
08-29-2009, 03:05 AM
Sorry to be so late but HAPPY BIRTHDAY anyway.
Hope you received a lot of great gifts. Looking forward to a lot more "Photos by MALEAH".:band:

Molly
08-29-2009, 08:27 AM
Belated Happy Birthday, Maleah! May all your birthday wishes come true!

Prettymaid
08-29-2009, 10:07 AM
I hope in this case it's not in bad taste to give back a gift you have given to us.
Thanks for the fantastics pictures (of our show!)
and for the wonderful sig banners and computer backgounds.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALEAH !!!
SORRY I'M A DAY LATE!


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/Eagles%20Concert/IMG_2310.jpg

Ive always been a dreamer
08-29-2009, 12:45 PM
Happy Birthday Maleah!

I hope you can forgive me for my tardiness, but I didn't get a chance to post on the board yesterday. Hope you have a great time with your record player, and maybe you can stare at this thread when you are listening to your records - you know, just to help enhance the imagery of the music for you! :wink: :wink:

http://www.donhenleyonline.com/images/DHenleySW05.jpg

http://www.donhenleyonline.com/images/DHenleyHFOHotness.jpg

GlennLover
08-29-2009, 10:26 PM
Belated Happy Birthday, Maleah!!!!!

eaglesvet
08-29-2009, 10:59 PM
Just stopped in very quickly to say...happy birthday!!
Make the best of it, and the rest of the year as well, Maleah!:thumbsup:

Maleah
08-30-2009, 02:16 PM
Thank you, thank you, and thank you some more!!! You guys are two sweet! :grouphug:




As for all those GORGOUS pictures!!! I'm absolutely captivated by that guy, whoever he is. :smitten: :hilarious:

Maleah
08-30-2009, 02:20 PM
OH! I should fill you in on my bday a little. They decorated everything with a music theme, which was really cool. The cake was decorated like a jukebox and had little albums on it. The lady who made it wrote "Eagles" on a few of them. ;) My brother and his girlfriend had gotten me 14 Eagles/Joe/Glenn albums when they had went on a trip so I got to listen to them on my new record player. Can I just say that nothing compares to hearing music in the format it was originally made? SO cool! I also got the LROOE songbook!! My friend finished the drawings of the guys that he was working on for me and they turned out great. I got a guitar lamp that's really cool, clothes, a case for my ipod touch with a guitar on it, and a little cash too. It was a good day. ;)

Lisa
08-30-2009, 04:45 PM
Happy Birthday! Thank you for all of the hours and art that you've contributed to the galleries. It takes hours to browse through it!

DonFan
08-30-2009, 08:13 PM
Happy belated birthday from me too, Maleah! :birthday::birthday::birthday:

:partytime:It sounds like you had a wonderful day!

Wildthyme
08-30-2009, 09:06 PM
Belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes from me Maleah!!! Sounds like you had a great day!

Maleah
08-30-2009, 11:56 PM
Thanks again! It was indeed a fantastic day! Except for the whole one year older part. ;)

Prettymaid
08-31-2009, 08:29 AM
Thanks again! It was indeed a fantastic day! Except for the whole one year older part. ;)

Aw, that's just icing on the cake! :thumbsup:

tbs fanatic
09-01-2009, 10:03 AM
Very belated (sorry) HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALEAH. Glad to hear you had a great day.

Glennsallnighter
09-01-2009, 02:19 PM
Maleah! I'm so sorry that this greeting is limping in so late. I'm glad you had such a wonderful day and your gifts sound lovely with plenty of thought from your nearest and dearest.

As said by others thanks for all your fantastic contributions to the board, both the photographs and the banners.

Please continue to post!!

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/Irisheaglesfan/DSC02000.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/Irisheaglesfan/DSC02045.jpg

Maleah
09-03-2009, 12:47 AM
lol! Thank you both! LOVE the pics! Especially that first one.....just somethin' about having the coat off......I think I'll stop and just go admire it again :hilarious:

Peekaboo
09-03-2009, 10:09 PM
Maleah, I'm so sorry i'm late on this but from the looks of all of the yummy Don pics, you must have had a wonderful birthday. I still would like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! And from me to you, enjoy!!!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c95/Pekahchu/Don%20Henley/DonEyes.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c95/Pekahchu/Don%20Henley/2854438390_a8202acdc6.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c95/Pekahchu/Don%20Henley/dhenley-2.jpg

Maleah
09-03-2009, 10:46 PM
*siiiiiiiigh* and *swooooon* :D Thanks Jess! Some of my very fav.'s there!

ticky
09-24-2009, 04:30 PM
WHEW.. I know... little late... but I DID IT! I FINISHED A STORY!! (yay me!!) so here's your birthday story Maleah, better late then never... (and for all ya'll who think I've forgotten you.. let this be a lesson... I have it started.. it just needs finishing..Im working on it..)

The idea for the trip had been a last minute thing. Maleah had heard about the lecture/concert to benefit Walden Lake in Linden, Texas about a week ago. She’d been so dreamy and wishful about it, when her friend Adam suggested they go, she just laughed.
“Right, we’ll just hop in your old Buick, drive 1300 miles and sleep in your car so we can see Don Henley.” She was being facetious but Adam was serious.
“Why not? You have the next 5 days off, The Buick may be old, but she’s big and she’s safe and she’s got a full tank of gas. Come on! It’ll be fun! And it’s a chance to see Don live!”
Maleah grinned to herself. She could do it. She and Adam had done crazier things, like the time they took off and toured all the famous Rock and Roll grave sites in the Midwest. It took them a whole month and they must have put 10,000 miles on the old Buick, but they had a blast. She mentioned the benefit on her favorite message board, The Border, and her friend Jessica mentioned that she had planned to go as well! This was just too convenient. Jessica was on their way to Linden and, between the three of them, and a little Visa abuse, they could afford some cheap hotels and fast food! It was going to happen.
They’d left town on a Thursday afternoon. The concert was Saturday night. They made only one significant stop after picking up Jessica in Oklahoma. They all decided since they were headed for the Save Walden Lecture/Concert, they wanted to see it. Just about 60 miles north of Linden, they saw the exit that lead almost directly to it. They spent half a day taking pictures and hiking it’s wilderness. It really was incredibly beautiful, but civilization had already taken it’s toll on the lake and they could see signs of the encroaching civil boundaries. Unchecked this would be a huge loss. They left the lake with a sense of majestic awe and overwhelming sadness at the possible loss. The rest of the way they shared the driving and, although the Buick handled something akin to a tuna boat, they had good weather and little traffic and they pulled into Linden a good half day ahead of time, exhausted and without residence.
The show that night was in a small converted movie theater down town that now hosted events such as lectures, Community Theater and small concerts. Don’s lecture/concert had sold out in record time and they had been lucky to find three tickets. The old hotel downtown across from the theater was wishful thinking. It was in the middle of the town, considered a historical landmark and was really rather nice, but they thought, what the heck, we’ll check. Luck was truly with them. The hotel had had a last minute cancellation and they got a master suit for the price of a single! Maleah decided right then and there to buy a lottery ticket as soon as possible.
The door lock clicked open and Adam pushed through the door dropping his bag and falling on the first bed he saw.
“Mine.” He said into the pillow claiming the bed for himself. It worked out well. The bedroom had two double beds Jessica and Maleah could share. Jess stretched and yawned. “I think I could use a nap before all the excitement tonight. A mumbled noise sounding like “Me too.” Came from Adam’s direction. Maleah carried her bag to the table and pulled out her camera. She wanted to make a quick check before relaxing, making sure she was prepared for tonight. She’d become known on the board and with her friends and family for taking the best pictures during concerts and events, she sure didn’t want to miss this opportunity. She clicked on her camera,… nothing. She clicked it off and then on… nothing.
She gasped. “NO! OH no!”
Adam jumped up from the bed, his hair sticking up sideways from where he’d been laying on the bed.
“WHA? What’s wrong?”
Maleah looked panic stricken at him. “My camera is broken!”
Adam exhaled and fell back on the bed. “Is that all? I thought it was something important.”
Maleah picked up a pillow and tossed it at his head.
“It IS important! I need my camera tonight!”
“Maleah?” Jess’s voice from the bedroom. Maleah walked into the bedroom carrying her broken camera looking distraught.
Jess was standing by the window looking at the street below.
“That Kinkos across the street has a Camera Repair sign in the window. Maybe they can help you?”
Maleah breathed a sigh of relief. Of course!! Kinko’s. Was there anything they couldn’t do?
“Great! I'm going to go check.”
She was out the door before Adam was asleep.
She crossed the street and trotted excitedly into the Kinko’s front door. The little bell above the door alerted the kid behind the counter. He couldn’t have been more then 17 and was skinny and obviously enjoyed a lot of fried foods as his complexion readily stated. His voice cracked as he spoke.
“Welcome to Kinko’s. Can I help you?”
Maleah smiled.
“I see you do camera repair here? My camera broke and I have an important… uh… engagement tonight. I need it.”
“Well Miss, you’re in luck. Our Camera guy is here today. Sometimes he just doesn’t show up! Let me have him look at your camera.” She handed it to him and he took it in the back room.
The front door bells rang furiously and she knew that sound. An angry customer had come in the shop. Maleah had worked retail for several years now and the sound was always the same. She knew better then to look up into the face of an angry customer when she wasn’t on the other side of the counter, so she kept her head down. The poor kid who’d helped her with the camera wasn’t so lucky. He came out of the back and was face to face with the man standing beside Maleah. The kids face went white and his upper lip began sweating. The man must have been pretty intimidating. He slapped a manila envelope down on the counter hard.
“What the hell is this?”
Maleah’s face went white too. She knew that voice, angry or not, she knew it as well as she knew her own. She looked up and into the profile of him. It was Don. She stopped breathing. Don dumped the contents of the envelope on to the counter. A pile of unfolded brochures slipped onto the counter. Maleah could see the obvious mistakes. The images were blurry and pixilated, off center and the wrong size. She was so glad she had not been the one to mess this one up. The kid was shaking.
“I cant use these! My presentation is tonight.. shit.. in 4 hours… and this is garbage!”
The kid stammered and fumbled over some unintelligible excuse.
“I want these redone and I want them done right in 2 hours!”
“I… I… I cant, Mr. Henley. They’re.. we don’t.. I don’t… We don’t keep the finished projects. I don’t have the templates or the images.”
Don looked as if he were about to explode. The kid rushed to save his skin.
“I can redo the template with the text from these.” He held up the ruined brochure. “All I need it the images.”
Don narrowed his eyes at the kid.
“And where do you expect me to find those?”
The kid shrugged and gave a weak smile.
“The internet?”
Again, Don looked as if he might strangle the kid. Maleah had an idea.
“Uh, Mr. Henley?” Don turned his penetrating gaze at her. Normally she’d have paid anything for this, but at this moment, that gaze was searing and malicious. She smiled shakily. “I’m here in town for your talk tonight, my friends and I. We’re from North Dakota, and on the way down here, we stopped at Waldon and I took lots of pictures. They’re on my camera, if that helps.”
Don’s eyes widened. “And your camera is here? May I see them?”
Maleah smiled. He was starting to relax a little and she might be able to help him. She looked at the young man behind the counter.
“I’m afraid our camera guy has it taken apart right now.”
Don nearly growled at him.
“But if the pictures are on your simm card, I can get it and we can use a reader on the computer to look at them.”
Maleah nodded and the boy ran into the back room.
Don exhaled and his shoulders slumped a little. He looked up at Maleah and smiled. She suddenly realized that this was the man she’d driven well over a thousand miles to see. Her knees started to tremble and she could feel herself flush starting from her feet up. Thankfully before she started to break out in a cold sweat, the boy came back and handed her the card from her camera and pointed to a bank of computers against the far wall.
Maleah smiled and thanked him and she and Don dashed to the nearest computer. She popped the tiny card into the reader slot on the side and clicked a picture viewing icon on the monitor screen. Soon two dozen scenic images of the beautiful lake on a warm summer’s day were laid out in front of them like a travel brochure.
“These are fantastic! You took all these?”
She blushed. “Yeah. Photography’s kind of my hobby.”
Don grinned and pulled up a chair next to hers.
“Well, young lady, you may just have saved my life!” He leaned over and kissed her cheek enthusiastically. “Thank you!”
Maleah wasn’t sure if she’s said anything, smiled or possibly lost consciousness for a few moments, but the whole thing did seem to move in slow motion for those few seconds. She heard herself say, “You’re welcome.” Other then that, she wasn’t sure, but Don didn’t seem to notice. He’d taken control of the mouse and was busily clicking and moving things around on the screen. After a few minutes, he clicked the last image, sent it to the kid’s computer behind the counters told him to have the brochure finished and perfect in two hours. The kid nearly saulted.
“Yes sir! I’ll do it myself. It’ll be perfect.”
Don turned to Maleah and under his breath whispered, “Why does that not fill me with confidence?” He smiled at her and she chuckled. Then he looked her in the eye.
“May I please take you to lunch? You’ve done me a huge favor and I’d love to treat you to the best barbeque Linden has to offer.” His eyes had softened and he gave her that country boy smile, the one she’d fallen for so many years ago. All she could do was nod and smile back and try hard not to drool or fall over. Don grinned and slipped his hand behind her back.
They strolled out the door making the little bell ring. Don looked over his shoulder back at the kid working hard now at one of the printers on the back wall.
“We’ll be back in two hours.” And he let the door swing closed before he could hear the kids response.
They walked together down the street Don guiding her with his hand on the small of her back. Maleah could feel the warmth of him under her t-shirt and begged herself not to start sweating and for her stomach to stop doing little flips.
Don talked about the Walden project as they walked. He was so passionate and informed, soon she forgot she was with her Rock Star idol and felt relaxed and intrigued over his subject.
He guided her to a small storefront restaurant with a parking lot off to one side that had been half fenced off and set with tables covered with red and white checkered table clothes. He led her to this area and they sat at a picnic table. The cloth had been recently wiped down and the benches were clean. As if she’d sensed the presence of customers, a waitress came out of the side door carrying two large glasses of ice water, a couple of menus and her order pad. She sat the glasses down, one in front of each of them and smiled widely.
“Howdy and welcome to Barney’s. What can I gecha’ll?”
Don glanced up at her name tag. “Howdy Beth, we’d like a couple of your pulled pork sandwich plates please?” He looked at Maleah, “Is that okay with you?” She nodded enthusiastically.
Beth smiled down at her order pad. “Alrighty, and anything to drink?”
Don handed her back the menus. “A couple of sweet teas.”
Beth looked up and into Don’s eyes. “Good choice.” She paused and furrowed her brow. “Do I know you?”
“OH great, here we go.” thought Maleah, the hazards of having lunch with a super star.
Don smiled. “Well, maybe. I grew up around here.” He didn’t even flinch, just grinned that country boy grin of his.
Beth looked down at him tapping her lip with her pen. “Now wait a second. You’re a Henley, right? I think my Daddy and your Daddy go huntin’ together out back of Millers Creek!”
Don nodded. “You’re Beth Huntley! Winton Huntley’s little girl! Right! I remember teaching you to shot tin cans off the back fence posts with my air rifle!”
Beth threw her head back and laughed. “We got in SO much trouble for that! I near couldn’t sit for a week!”
Don chuckled, “Well, that old rooster shouldn’t have been on that fence and he wasn’t really hurt anyway. Besides, it was an accident.”
Beth shook her head and grinned. “Not the way my Daddy saw it. Well, it is really good to see you!” She bent down and gave him a half hug patting his shoulder. “Now let me get ya’ll your lunch before you starve half to death!” She stood and turned, winking at Maleah as she went back in the café carrying the menus.
Don chuckled and shook his head slowly. “That’s the way it is when you grown up in a small town. Every corner you turn is someone who can tell you a little bit of your own history.”
Maleah was still looking after the woman who’d so casually hugged Don and seemed to be completely unaware of his fame.
“I don’t get it. Didn’t she know who you were? I mean obviously she knew who you were but didn’t she know…”
Don stopped her with a smile. “ In a place like Linden my fame and fortune doesn’t mean all that much. Well, it does in that it brings in some revenue for the town occasionally, but when I come home to Linden, I'm just a Linden boy.”
Maleah smiled and looked down into her water. “It must be nice for you to have a place to go where you can just be yourself and not have to live up to anyone elses ideas of who you should be.”
Don cocked his head and raised his eye brows and looked at her. “I have parents”
Maleah laughed, “Well, yeah, but I was thinking more about your public. Just different expectations I guess.”
Don nodded. “Yeah, but just as disheartening if you disappoint them.”
Maleah smiled. “I’ve never been disappointed by you.”
Don actually blushed and smiled. This surprised Maleah. She’d thought that after all these years complements would roll off his back like a duck in water, but he seemed genuinely humble.
Beth pushed her way through the side door of the café carrying a tray filled with plates of food and cold glasses of tea dripping with perspiration. Maleah hadn’t really thought about it but the lateness of the day and the heat was making her very hungry and thirsty. The smell of the moist meat drenched with thick sweet tangy sauce made her stomach growl.
“Ahh, now you’re in for a treat!” Don rubbed his hands together as Beth sat the plate before her customers.
Don had to show Maleah how to hold the enormous sandwich, but it was worth every gooey, messy bite. They ate in peace for a while then finally Don sat his sandwich down and wiped his mouth.
“So I’ve been talking all this time about myself and what I’m interested in. Tell me about you. You’re here for my Walden benefit? Are you interested in ecology?”
Maleah was slightly horrified and struck as her mouth was full of bbq, but she managed to finish chewing and swallow. She took a long pull on her sweet tea and wiped her mouth. Don sat patiently waiting for her.
“Well, yes and no. I mean I am very interested in the health an well being of all our natural resources of course, but you are the main draw for me. I’ve always been a music lover and your music has meant so much to me over the years.” She saw Don’s face slightly fall. He was doing this for the benefit of Walden and Maleah understood it must have been frustrating to be so passionate over something and not be able to toss off the mantle of one thing to dedicate your self to another. She leaned forward to emphasize her next statements.
“I guess I never really understood the urgency of saving and protecting places like Walden till I saw it. There’s so much there that need our help and yet you can see societies foot prints quickly encroaching.”
Don’s enthusiasm seemed renewed and he leaned forward and grasped Maleah’s hands over the table and looked deep into her eyes.
“Exactly! You understand! It’s so hard to get anyone’s attention.”
He, at that moment, had her full and undivided attention. His deep blue eyes flashed and darkened with his passion and commitment. He held her eyes for several moments, squeezing her hands tightly, his thumb subconsciously caressing the skin on the top of her hand. She was frozen in time. The few moments she sat there looking into his eyes, feeling his warm hands holding hers seemed to last for hours. She finally broke the spell when she glanced down and noticed Don’s shirt was leaning into his sandwich and dark red barbeque sauce was smeared across his white t-shirt. The blue plaid work shirt he wore open over it was about to succumb to the same fate unless she acted. She hesitantly pulled her hand from his and lifted her napkin towards his shirt. He looked down in the direction she was reaching. He let go of her hands and leaned back lifting his hands. A large red sauce stain covered the front of his shirt. It looked as if someone had shot him. He shook his head and sighed deeply. “So much for grace and dignity.”
They both laughed. Maleah wetted her napkin in the ice water and handed it to him. He dabbed at the t-shirt with the wet napkin but it was just spreading the stain. He finally threw up his hands in defeat.
“You could just button up your work shirt and no one will know!”
Don looked at her then looked down. He buttoned up his work shirt and it mostly covered the stain. He smiled at her.
“You are a very helpful lady! Thank you.”
Maleah smiled back and shrugged. “Anything to be of service.”
Don dropped a few bills on the table and held out his hand for her to stand.
“Come on, I want to show you something.”
She took his hand and he slipped it into the crook of his arm. They walked slowly down the street just beyond Kinko’s to the theater where Don’s lecture and concert were going to take place that night. The young woman in the ticket booth immediately recognized Don and unlocked the front door for him.
“This old theater is very special to me. When I was young I played in a band called The Continentals.”
Maleah couldn’t help but snicker a little and Don smirked as well. “I know, but we thought it was very distinguished. We played at dances here and concerts,” he wandered down the aisle among the folding chairs now set out for the benefit tonight. He smiled up at the stage then looked back at her. “Oh, it was mostly just family and friends at the concerts, but it felt like the real thing. It’s how I knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” Don lifted himself up onto the stage as if he were just hopping onto bed. For a man in his sixties, he was built more like a man in his 30s. There was a microphone stand at the front of the stage and Don playfully grabbed it with both hands tilting it forward and mock singing some old song like a Vegas lounge singer. Maleah laughed and Don chuckled. He wandered the stage like he was getting reacquainted with an old friend and began to talk. She sat on the edge of the stage and listened. He told her stories of his concerts there and the band. He even told her a few stories about traveling with The Eagles she hadn’t heard before. They spent more then their couple of hours there and wandered back to Kinko’s just before dusk.
The kid had been true to his word and the pamphlets were finished and very well done. Don leafed through them and grinned widely at the beautiful images on each one. The kid also presented Maleah with her camera.
“Here ya go, Miss. It’s good as new.” He grinned a big grin, obviously feeling relieved he was out of the Henley dog house and had managed to do good with the nice lady’s camera as well.
Don clapped the kid on the shoulder. “Thanks, ya did good.” He looked at Maleah for a long moment. “Where are you staying?”
She nodded her head to the hotel across the street. “My friends and I got a room across the street. He nodded.
“Nice place. Let me walk you back.” Again he took her hand in the crook of his arm and they wandered back to the hotel’s entrance.
“I think I can make it from here, but thanks for lunch, and everything.”
Don caressed her shoulder, looking her in the eyes.
“Thank you.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “You’re a very special lady.” He paused looking at her. “I wish…” he stopped and shook his head. “Just, Thank you.” He smiled and started to walk away. He stopped a few yards down the sidewalk and turned around. “You will be there tonight?”
She couldn’t move, not yet, not till he was gone, then she just might pass out. She nodded and smiled.
He nodded and smiled back. “Good. Ill see you then.” He gave her a half wave and strolled back to the theater and disappeared through the doors.
Maleah let out a breath she was sure she’d been holding for a few hours and leaned heavily against the door to the hotel which swung open and made her stumble inside quite unladylike. She straightened herself up and looked around. The lobby was deserted, her dignity was intact.
Upstairs her friends wanted to know what had taken so long. She sat down heavily on the bed and told them everything. They listened openly and enthusiastically but Maleah could tell they didn’t quite believe her, after all, what would someone like Don Henley be doing running around Linden doing grunt work just a few hours before his concert? She could understand their skepticism and she didn’t have any proof. If she’d only asked the kid at Kinko’s to take their picture. Maleah gave up the battle trying to convince her friends she was telling the truth. After all, she knew it had happened. It HAD happened hadn’t it?
After a short nap and a shower she was renewed and ready for the show. They walked down the street to the theater. The crowd was substantial and meandered around the front of the theater causing a rather thick and dense group to navigate. They made their way to the ticket window, anxious to get in and find their seats. Being such a small venue compared to what Don usually played, this would prove to be a rather intimate show. All three were looking forward to it. The girl at the ticket window was the same one that had been there when Don had brought Maleah here earlier that day and she recognized Maleah.
“OH hey there! Mr. Henley told me to look for ya’ll” She dipped down under the counter for a moment, long enough for Jess and Adam to look incredulously at her. She shrugged as if to say “Told you so.”
The ticket girl popped back up with a small manila envelope. “Here ya go.” And she handed the three friend three VIP passes. “And ya’ll got special seats too! You lucky ducks!” She grinned The ticket girl waved to a tall young man in an old fashioned ushers suit. He smiled and looked at the groups VIP passes. “Oh, so you’re the ones. Follow me!” He lead the three friends through the crowd and unlocked the door to the auditorium allowing just Maleah, Adam and Jess into the room and locking it behind him. He lead them down the aisle to the front row where he sat them in the first three seats to left in the front row.
“Mr. Henley is really busy right now, as you can probably guess, but he wanted me specifically,” obviously the young man was very proud that he’d been chosen,” to get you any thing you need. Can I get you drinks?”
They nodded and the young man trotted off towards the crowded foyer.
“Wholey crap Maleah!! I didn’t believe you! I am SO sorry! Now TELL ME EVERYTHING!” Jess was practically shaking her with excitement.
Adam was speaking at the same time.
“I cant believe this. You Actually MET him? Here? At Kinkos? That is so weird!”
Maleah laughed. The auditorium was empty except for the three of them and after this afternoon here with Don, it felt like home and she was comfortable here with her friends.
Once again she recounted the days events as her friends listened carefully. The young usher returned with three cold glasses of sparkling cider and three of the now familiar pamphlets Don had been working on. Adam picked it up and stared at it.
“I took that one. Remember? You asked me to stand on that stump to get a better view? Wow, look at that. Don Henley used MY picture. That’s so cool!”
Jess ogled the pamphlet. I cant believe how lucky you are, Maleah. I knew I should have gone with you to that camera store.”
The sound of locks clicking and doors opening followed by mass voices filled the auditorium as people flowed in like water filling the seats and the room. The three seated in the front received a few glances and glares from some ruffled looking individuals, but they sat happily and perhaps a little smugly sipping their drinks and their VIP passes hanging around their necks.
It was only a few minutes before the lights dimmed and Don walked onto the stage in a single spot light. He sat on a stool placed in the middle of the stage right before the Mic stand Don had joked around with earlier that day. He pulled the mic stand towards him with a sheepish grin. He lifted the Mic and shaded his eyes looking into the audience till his gaze finally fell on Maleah and his sheepish grin became a genuine smile.
The applause died back a little and Don held the mic to his mouth.
“Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen and thank you for coming out tonight in support of the Walden Project. It’s a very worthy cause and word of mouth is how we’re going to get something done, hopefully before it’s too late.”
Don sat back on the stool and paused for a moment. He visibly relaxed and smiled shaking his head.
“Before I go any further, I just have to share with you all an experience I had today that has renewed and refreshed me. I met a girl.” There was a snicker from the audience and Don grinned. “I know, don’t tell my wife.” Loud laughter erupted and Don chuckled. “but seriously, this beautiful and charming young woman saved my butt tonight and renewed my faith in the human race.” He looked down at her from the stage.
“Thank you, Maleah. You’re my muse tonight.” And he blew her a kiss.
Don gave an unforgettable show that night and again thanked Maleah at the end before leaving the stage.
As the three friends walked back to their hotel after the show, Maleah dragged her feet a little and slumped.
“What’s wrong? You okay?” Jess had linked arms with her.
“Maleah grinned. “Is it possible to have PEW after a Don Henley concert?”
Jess grinned. She understood PEW very well. “I think that’d be called PDW.” The two girls giggled.
“Whats PEW and PDW? Is it some gross girl thing?” Adam was still admiring his picture in the pamphlet.
Maleah bopped him on the back of the head playfully. “Post Eagles Withdrawl or in this case Post Don Withdrawl.”
Adam looked up at her rubbing the back of his head. “So why do you have to go through that? Isnt he going on tour again next year with the band?”
Maleah thought about it. “Well, yeah. But only on the west coast.”
Jess grinned. “Louise is flying in then and she and I are going to go to one of the shows. You should come with us!”
Adam leaned in close to her and slipped his arm over her shoulders. “I feel another road trip coming on!!”
Maleah grinned. A road trip to the west coast to see Don and the guys in concert might just be manageable and the Buick could probably make it.
“Okay, you’re on. California, here we come!”

Maleah
09-24-2009, 06:43 PM
ROTFLOL!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot even tell you how hard I laughed over that (and swooned too :P )!!!!!! My coworker and his customers were talking about how crazy I am! LOL!!! Oh my, if only I'd REALLY had that experience!!!! LOL wow.....thanks for that Ticky!!! I'll reply more after work ;)

eaglesvet
09-24-2009, 11:11 PM
Excellent story! The only problem with the timing, is I had to double check whether or not I had ever wished Maleah a Happy Birthday in the first place! (I did BTW...)

Glennsallnighter
09-25-2009, 11:37 AM
WOW! Ticky! You have surpassed yourself! that was FANTASTIC!! Well Don. (Sorry, well DONE!). What a writer you are!

Maleah
09-26-2009, 01:46 AM
*sigh* I just re-read it again and I just LOVE it! I saved it on my computer so I'll have it forever and ever (or until my computer crashes :shock: ) LOL Thanks again Ticky!!!! You're amazing!!!! *sigh* I'm Don's muse :nahnah:

DonFan
09-26-2009, 09:53 AM
Ticky, that was a terrific story and I enjoyed it immensely. (I KNOW Maleah adored it!)
From one writer to another--good job! :thumbsup: