What a night is was!! The event started at 10:00pm with the pre-party...which consisted of a Rain Phoenix and her band in the Hotel Ballroom...we skipped that, we just wanted to get down to business! The actual wrap-up party for the Sarasota Film Festival with the tribute to Jack was to commence at 11:47 in the Boathouse Club which was behind the hotel, near the water where a yacht was to be docked for the celebs.....we headed that way after a trip to one of the service bars...it was very chilly and we were dressed in very skimpy dresses! We talked to the security people and they said the celebs would probably stay on the yacht...ughh....well, 11:47 was here and we were first to get on this Boathouse, the yacht was already docked, from the window I spotted Joe F'kn Perry! He was talking to Jack Douglas, who I saw, but wasn't sure if it was him, so now we were sure, then Tom, they were all standing near the dock....we spotted Steven on an upper deck outside and Joann and I started waving to him, he saw us and waved back!!!

We started motioning for him to come over to us...we got a drink, a few minutes later we saw Steven coming off the yacht with a short dark haired woman....holding her hand!!! I thought she was a news person, but later found out she was a local concert promotor, who my friend Ruth from work knows and the day before lied about not having anything to do with the event...ughh....Joann and I darted out of the boathouse when we saw Steven walking our way!! There was a good size crowd outside, we were all excited, smiling, Steven sees us, stops in his tracks!! He say, such big smiles...looks at me and then Joann with genuine recognition! "You guys! What are you doing here"? lol...we say, in unison "We live here"!! He kisses us both on the lips!!! woohoo!!! Steven gives me a little tickle in the stomach! OMG! Joann asks if we can have a picture and he tells her after this interview he was doing inside the Boathouse!!!

So we follow along...Joann hanging on to Steven's jacket!! I get my camera out and ready, a boathouse worker who was holding back the crowd says she will take the picture, so after the short interview, we get our picture with Steven!!! Security leads him out and we spot Jack, Joe, Tom heading towards the ballroom, off we go there too, get right in front of the very low, non-gated, no security stage!!! Steven presents Jack with the award, Tom speaks after Steven, then Jack, he dedicates his award to the fallen heroes of the Columbia and then we see Joe get his guitar, Steven getting ready, takes off his jacket, Joey on drums.....OMG!!! They start with WTW.....then Sweet Emotion!!! Robin Zander, Rick Neilsen and David Johansen are up there singing too....next, Walkin' The Dog and the last one, Train Kept A Rollin', it was so amazing!!!! Like our own private concert!!!!!!!!!!! A night I will never ever forget!!!!

Elaine "Sweet E"