Waltz of Her Life - Page 10/229

He lowered himself down for her.

"Oh, no, I couldn't," Linda said, envisioning Seth crumpling over from the strain on his back.

Jeannie egged her on, nudging her toward Seth "Go ahead! Do it!"

Nervously, Linda lifted her leg and looped it around Seth's neck, feeling as if she was going on some type of wild horse ride. He lifted her onto his shoulders with swift ease, as if she'd been a little rag doll. Lauren turned toward her and at first laughed, but then shouted out "Woo-hoo!" giving Linda a high-five.

Onstage a few shadowy figures loomed about, racing here and there and the sound system emitted a few squeaks and squawks. Moments later a spotlight flicked on and raucous, rapid guitar notes filled the air. Jimmy Page, with his long, wavy black hair and shimmering, glittering guitar, picked the notes into the air. He smiled broadly, his eyes puffy slits as if he'd been joining in on a long smoking session backstage. Linda could barely hear: the crowd started cheering so loudly they drowned all of the notes out. She knew she should also hear the crashing drums and cymbals, yet only screams and cheers reverberated through her ears.

A spotlight shone down on Robert Plant. He stood toward the front of the stage, draped in a long, flowing, glittery crimson garment, looking like a warrior angel. Through all the cheering and screaming, Linda could still Somehow, Linda could hear the first words he sang: "I had a dream. Crazy dream…" She clapped her hands, giddily recognizing a song she and Lauren had sung on the trip over: "The Song Remains the Same." She lost herself in the music, gleefully bouncing up and down like the other girls perched on guys' shoulders.

When the song ended, Robert Plant smiled and said "Good evening!"

The crowd responded in unison, roaring back to him. Linda got jostled a little, sensing that Seth was staggering beneath her. She could hear him laugh, but all at once she felt horrified. She wondered if she was crushing him. Onstage, Led Zeppelin had already started into another song. Linda reached down to tap Seth on the shoulder. She looked down and shouted "I want to come down, now!"

Seth looked up and said "What?"

Linda repeated "Let me down! Please."

"It's okay. Stay up there!"

"No, I want to come down." She started to lean forward enough that Seth had no choice other than to lower down and let her dismount. When she hopped off his shoulders she turned to thank him.