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Joni Mitchell sang to me.

I don't mean her music truly spoke to me (which is true), I mean she literally sang to me. So when and how did this happen?

The first time I went to college (before my father died and I had to drop out) was in Philadelphia. It seemed like an adventure to 18 year old me, while still getting in-state tuition. I was (and remain) a huge Joni Mitchell fan. She was an ethereal yet fierce force that, when I discovered her in high school, instantly became my favorite artist.

Joni!

In my first year, I went home for spring break, to suburban Pittsburgh. When I returned to Philadelphia, I chanced upon an ad for an upcoming concert in New York City by Joni. My thoughts raced, could I afford a day trip to see her live? I decided that I would, no matter what. I looked up the number of a ticket agency downtown and called immediately. When I asked about tickets, the agent informed me that he just had a cancellation for the Joni Mitchell concert. In Philadelphia. I was stunned; I didn't even know there was a concert there. Even better, he said he would sell me the tickets at face value, even though the show had sold out immediately. However, he said he would only hold the tickets for 20 minutes. I accepted his amazing offer and ran down the seven flights from my dorm room to the lobby. Then I ran several blocks to the subway station and, after a few minutes, jumped on a train. When I got off at my stop, I had to run another four blocks, but I made it with time to spare. I got the tickets for thirty dollars (for both)!

When I got back to my dorm, I showed the ticket to my roommate. He told me those were very good seats.

Later in the cafeteria, I talked about getting tickets to see Joni, and a girl I knew at the table told me how much she liked her. So I asked her if she wanted to go, and she said "Yes". It wasn't a date or anything like that. I had just broken up with my long-term girlfriend and I wasn't ready for that. We went to the concert.

The concert was at the Academy of Music (where the symphony plays). When we got to our seats, they were second row aisle. Holy crap. I took the seat on the aisle, looking at the stage where there was a microphone right in front of me.

Soon, Joni walked out onto the stage. She was beautiful in a long, flowing gown. She had several guitars set up in stands next to the mic, and she took one and began to play. And she looked me directly in the eyes.

I could barely breathe. This person who I idolized, standing a few feet from me. Looking at me. It never occurred to me that she would look directly at anyone while she was singing, but it probably beats staring out into the dark void. So she looked at me. For the next song she sang, then the next, and the one after that.

I was right in her line of sight, a thin eighteen year old with a fair complexion; thick, wavy dark blond hair, wearing a Mickey Mouse T-shirt. Can't get any more non offensive than that. Visible in the reflected stage lighting. Someone clearly in awe. It probably helped that most of the other people around me were either women or had gray hair. Every time she smiled, I thought my heart was going to stop.

She replaced one of her many guitars in the rack and went back and to the left on the stage, where she sat and did several songs on the dulcimer. It was almost a relief to be able to breathe normally again. She then did a few piano tunes. At some point she came back and did a few more guitar songs, looking directly at me again. After intermission, she performed mostly on other parts of the stage, and had Tom Scott and the LA Express as a backup band for several of her newer numbers.

She did three encore songs. This wasn't just the best concert I have ever been to, it is one of the high points of my life.

I am sure that Joni would not remember this two nights later. This was almost certainly something she normally did, so why would she?

But, once upon a time, Joni Mitchell sang to me.