ATROPHYMEETSAARONOMG!

YOU GUYSSSSSSSSS I MET AARON PEIRSOL OMG OMG OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

It's like, hours later and I'm still GIDDY.

So, lets set up the scene for y'all who weren't lucky enough to be there...

It's about 9 in the morning. I had heard the night before that tickets were sold out. I'm thinking "I won't go. I'm a wuss." Michelle and Sarah tell me if I don't go I'm not worthy. I say "Ah, **** it," and go.

In the car. Halfway there. Almost think about turning around and going home. Get to exit. Try to find lala's work. On my way there, get a call from AimsRos who tells me (literally) "GOGOOGOGOGOGOOGOGOGOGOOGOGOGOGOGOGO." Park at lala's work. lala tells me she'll kick my *** if I don't go to the event. I go.

I get to the event and try and get to the best seat. I see all the racers drive out on the back of a truck, waving to the crowd. I see Aaron. SO YUMMY! They get interviewed by the announcer dude then all get into their cars and do a few easy laps around the track. Then the race BEGINS. In the first lap, one of the actor dudes spins out (HILARIOUS). During the rest of the race, I am RUNNING around trying to figure out where I can stand so I can see him at the very end. I watch the very end of the race (Aaron gets 3rd!), then continue my mission. I go to this gate where a few security guards are and turn into Charming!Atrophy. With my biggest smile and flirtiest voice, I ask one of the guys if he knows how i can meet Aaron Peirsol. The guy was like "Do you want to marry him?" I said "Well, I'll settle for an autograph, but hey, if he wants to go to Vegas..." The guy laughed. Another security guy (Pepe was his name. HI PEPE THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!!) comes over and is like "Lets go, I'll take you to the back area." We go to the back where Frankie Muniz (TINY YO) is being interviewed but no Aaron (sigh!). He then takes me to this other area where Amanda Beard and the other people are being interviewed. I beg to be let in. No go. I wheedle. No go. I'm annoyed now. I am a woman ON A MISSION. I am not leaving Long Beach until I meet him.

I wander. I keep wandering. And then... I see him. Atop a balcony, maybe 7 feet above me? Give or take. He's being interviewed by CBS. While I'm on the phone with Michelle and mid-sentence, I yell "AARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRON WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The guy at the merchandise stand that I'm standing next to looks amused and says "You like that guy?" And I say: "YES. DO YOU KNOW HOW i CAN MEET HIM?" (literally. Heh.) He shakes his head and says no.

After Aarons interview, I talk to some media security guy about getting me up there. We have a long talk about how he taught swimming at Novaquatics and met Lenny. He can't get me near Aaron. I go to the HQ of the Grand Prix. They can't get me in either. Apparently, no one was to bother them or something.

Defeated, I go back to the main area where some other celebrity is now being interviewed. And there... I see Aaron DIRECTLY above me on the balcony...

I yell: HEY AARON! He looks down and spots me as I wave to him. I'm wearing my OG "Backstroke" shirt. (This, of course, is on purpose)

So, he looks down at me and yells "NICE T-SHIRT." (lala claims that this means he noticed my boobs too. WOOOO!)

I faint.

No, just kidding. I yell back "THANKS! CHECK OUT THE BACK" and turn around to show him the "PEIRSOL 05" written on the back. He gives me a thumbs up. I think, I can't remember what happens. I yell up "What place did you get?" He flashes me three fingers and then does the "so-so" symbol with his hands. I yell "That's not so bad!"

And then... I go crazy, apparently, and yell "HAS BRENDAN TOLD YOU ABOUT THE RACE!?" But all he hears is "MUMBLEMUMBLE BRENDAN" apparently, and goes "Brendan!? *thumbs up*" And then I'm like "NO, DID HE TELL YOU ABOUT THE RACE!?" and he goes "RACE? WHAT RACE?"

Like, thanks Brendan, LOVE YA TOO.

Anyways, so I yell up "Well. You know Brendan's website? (I think he nods here) I challenged you, Ian and Brendan to a race." Now, I'm not sure if he actually heard that but he kind of chuckled and then turns to talk to someone up there. I get a call from Michelle and answer the phone with "I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION WITH AARON PEIRSOL". Heh.

So, I head back inside DETERMINED to find a way to meet him. I go up to this security girl and shes like "I'm not sure how to get there, but lets see..." and we head back outside and THERE HE IS. In all his glory. He's on the other side of a chain-link fence signing autographs. I BOLT away from the girl with a "OMGTHX" and then ran to him. He finished signing for some other girl and it seems like he's going to walk away and I kind of blurt/yell AARON IT'S ME WITH THE TSHIRT.

Because, you know, HE CAN'T SEE ME WEARING IT OR ANYTHING. Anyways, he says "Oh yeah!"

So, I reach into my purse as he finishes signing stuff for other people, and get out my ticket and... my business card, which features my work info PLUS my cell #, my email address and my AIM name. (/nerd) I'm all CAN I GET AN AUTOGRAPH. (NERD) and he's like "SURE!" So, I give him my business card and he motions like he's about to sign it, and I go "NO NO that's my business card!" And he goes "You have a BUSINESS CARD!" and I go YES! I work for a mortgage company! I hear you're crashing with Brendan (here he looks me in the EYES SWOON OMG) now!" And he says "Not anymore, I just bought a place!" (here, I hand him my ticket to sign along with a pen YOU GUYS HE TOUCHED MY PEN) and I'm like "Oooh, where?" He replies "Austin, Texas!" (please, I KNOW WHERE AUSTIN IS) and as he gives me back my signed ticket, I go "Awww, you gotta come back to California!" He laughs and goes "Thanks!" and I take off and FREAK OUT.

I didn't get to take a picture with him, but I got a lot of pictures OF him.

YOU GUYS I LOVE HIM.

- Atrophy aka Deena - www.aaronpeirsol.org