Opera in the City - Madama Butterfly

I didn't like the 1st act. I am not sure if it is because I needed to warm up to Cio-cio-san's voice or the uncomfortable feeling caused by a sharp pebble inside my shoe.
It took me awhile to find the appropriate shoes for this event. Not those with rubber soles because they have to sound sophisticated when I walk on the marble floors of the Opera House. Not that the clacking sound can be heard easily because it just gets lost with the other noise echoing inside the opera hall. Mijo also thinks it is obsessive compulsive. I think so too. It was a lot easier when I was younger when my choices were between a pair of black school shoes and a pair of tennis shoes. But I'm not in Novaliches anymore, I thought to myself.
A few minutes after we left the house, I felt something inside the shoes. Something hard. Something small and sort of sharp. Because I didn't want to bend down to undo my shoes, doing so will wrinkle my jacket and my shirt, I decided that I'll take care of it as soon as we get to the opera. We took BART that night so just imagine how uncomfortable it was walking to the Glen Park station and from the Civic Center station to the Opera house.
From afar, I could see the facade of the Cityhall and the Opera house bathed in orange lights in honor of the SF Giants. They were playing that night against the Phillies. The thought of the Giants and the scenery in the Civic Center provided the needed distraction from the pain caused by the sharp pebble.
Finally, Cio-cio san gets married with Pinkerton and then the moment I was waiting for, Intermission. I ran to the nearest men's room to undo my shoes without any care if it will wrinkle my shirt. I remember it was extra hard to bend down. It must be the extra weight, it must be age? But what a relief when I took out the culprit!
When I went back to my seat and I can see Mijo smiling sensing the big difference. It was as if he saw a whole new different person. A few seats away, a group of people was gathered around and then they all cheered and clapped. I was told the Giants just won another one-run win against the Phillies.
Act 2 was superb and the sharp pebble made the difference. :D
~rl
(The photo above was taken inside the War Memorial Opera House. Taking pictures is not allowed but I thought I can get away with this since the performance of Madama Butterfly has not started yet.)