Crash into me

by Amanda Stutevoss
Editor in Chief

Never before have I felt that feeling. Butterflies in my stomach, sweat on my palms and a twinkle in my eye.

He stole my heart from the first words he spoke to me.

I first met him my freshman year, although I had seen him around before that.

A friend of mine introduced us. She promised that he was my type and that our first meeting would not be our last.

Then we met, and I melted.

There was something in his voice that cried out to me, it made me want to get to know him more.

He was gentle, yet abrasive, youthful but wise. I knew from that moment on that he was my soul mate.

It may seem strange to some. Yes, maybe we have never really been formally introduced, but our souls collided in harmony. The chemistry that was formed when we met was explosive.

We finally met face to face last May in Irvine.

After years of longing for him and long nights listening to gentle recordings of his voice, our time had finally come.

I could not sleep the night before. My stomach rattled with uncertainty. I was so nervous; would he understand the magnitude of my feelings for him?

I walked up to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, our meeting place, with anxiety and restlessness.

Each second seemed like an eternity. Although the place was packed with people, I felt alone with only his face in my mind. I walked through the front gates, heading toward my destiny.

I walked down in front of the stage; I sat for a minute and glared up to an area where he would soon stand, my heart racing. Time now was the only factor that stood between us.

As I was sitting in the front row, I peered behind me as the sun went down to see the seats behind me fill up. Everyone behind me envied me, and I knew it.

Then there he was. His slow confident strut on stage drew me in even more. He picked up his guitar, adjusted his microphone and waited for the spotlight to hit his face.

Then he began.

Singing the words to the song "So Right" was perfect. That moment was so right in my heart. A few songs had passed, and I was enthralled with him. Then it happened.

Right after he finished singing "The Space Between," he walked to the right of the stage, traded guitars with a stagehand and then peered into the front row.

Our eyes met, locked and we read each other minds. Not only was he looking into my eyes, he was gazing into my soul. Our eyes stayed locked for what seemed like an eternity, although in reality it was only a few seconds. Regardless, it happened and neither one of us could deny the attraction.

I walked from my front row seat that night comatose. My dreams had become my reality.

Yes, Dave Matthews and I had a moment. A brief relationship. One crisp, cool May evening I fell in love.

And with every song I hear him sing, I see that I am still falling.

Amanda Stutevoss, a senior broadcasting and journalism major, is editor in chief of the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at astute4@aol.com.