Trek in the Park (epic fail)

As a low-cost (free) birthday present for Josh, I promised him that we could go to "Trek in the Park" at Woodlawn Park on Saturday. I'm not a huge fan of Star Trek, but Josh has been a huge fan since childhood, and I know I need to be more open to new experiences. The only problem is, I had NO idea how popular this event is (though I should have realized that if I have heard of it, then most of the rest of the Portland metropolitan area has also heard of it), and we only arrived 20 minutes early, so this was our view:

There was a concrete walkway a few feet in front of us, and as people arrived even later than we had, they just stood along the walkway right in front of all the people sitting down! It was super obnoxious, though a guy who is much more brazen than I am asked them to move (I was so thankful!), but then even more people came late and stood in the way.

A guy who worked security had the job to clear the walkway so that the actors could make their exits unimpeded. But then HE stood RIGHT IN THE WAY! At that point, I checked out of the show. The episode they were performing was "Space Seed," which Josh tried to watch before we went (but fell asleep, though by his estimation, he's probably seen the episode 30-40 times throughout his life) and recommended I watch (but I was doing something else). 

If you look closely, you can see me in the background, annoyed, and the guy in the red shirt standing right in my way

I started feeling really sick about halfway through, so I made Josh leave early. He was able to stand closer to watch, but I didn't want to stand for the whole time crammed next to other (smelly) people. Plus, I was comfortable on my little camp chair in the shade (until I felt like my guts were being ripped out of my body).

I think Josh had a good time, though.

At least, he looks happy

We'll try again next year, come earlier, plan for a bigger crowd, not throw up on people (not that I did that, though I may have been concerned it would happen), but this time it was kind of a bust. Josh is already excited because our good friend from our Eugene Institute days, Wyatt Spear, who met us at the park and stayed the entire time, told us that at the end of the performance they announced next year's selection will be the classic second-season episode (and of Josh's all-time favorite TOS installments!), "Mirror , Mirror." I have a feeling Josh is already planning to grow a goatee in honor of the alternate-universe Spock.

BTW: Josh waited until we were walking to the park to tell me that there has been gang-related shootings in the same park to which we were heading. He assured me that we (probably) wouldn't get shot. And he was right (this time).