Charlies First Mosh Pit

*Please read note at end of post...
The guys went to Edgefest on Sunday. There were about 20 rock bands (Seether, Frogger, Buck cherry...I've never heard of any of these, but all 3 of my guys were hyped to see them). Even though Mark got tickets the day they came out, I guess they had some lousy seats so Mark slipped someone some bucks and got 3 wristbands for the stage floor.
This is pretty much where Mark lost Charlie.
Mark called me around 8 p.m. and tries to casually ask if I've heard from Charlie. WHAT???
He called back about 40 minutes later to let me know that he'd found him, talked to him and instructed him to check back with him after every set.
Well, that's good for something, I suppose. I know, if it were me I'd have those little kiddie leashes on them. Embarrassing, but true.
So, Charlie got to finally be in his first mosh pit. He said that somehow, the crowd just sort of parted for him and he got to be in the very center of the first row behind the rope, nose to nose with security. "So cool, it was awesome". Yeah...I can remember enjoying that at a concert, and I probably was about his age. However, I remember what I was doing at that age...at the concerts...and so, I tend to worry. But, thank God, Charlie isn't me. A lot like me, but not me.
He said the security kept spraying him with water, as well as pouring water in his mouth. It was outside, in Texas summer heat, after all. He said he stood there, in the same spot, for three hours...until he had to go to the bathroom. When he came back, the crowd didn't part for him, again. LOL. He danced and head banged in the pit till he said some huge guy came up and sort of butted him and pushed him way too hard and he said that was it, he'd had enough. Found a good standing place and stayed.
Yeah, he said there were people getting high around him, and even though they were passing joints back and forth, no one offered him any. He said that he'd thought about what to say, in case they did, but they didn't. He said he was going to say "Naw, I don't smoke" and just passed it for them, but it never came to that.
Mark...what were you thinking?? I don't even want him passing it for someone, regardless if many years ago, it'd been me someone was passing it to...or for. Shut up.
But I'm proud of this kid. Charlie said that the singer of one band, Staind, stopped once and yelled at the crowd to quit pulling girls shirts up or off. Charlie said he gave a small lecture to how uncool that was and to stop it or he'd have security throw anyone they saw doing it out. He thought that was pretty cool that the guy did that, that he'd never seen anyone do that at a concert before, and he's been to a few (System of a Down, Rush...a few). So, I was proud of Charlie that he thought what the singer did was a good thing. I asked him if he saw any women flashing and he grinned and said, "I saw some stuff, Mom".
My boys, all growing up. They got home around midnight and Charlie said it was great. Charlie said he loved all the bands (they all said that) and he'll never, ever forget his first mosh pit.

Yeah, well, I'll never forget Mark calling me, asking if I've heard from Charlie...telling me not to worry, that if he were to end up in emergency that someone would surely call one of us. Besides, it was just a small crowd of say...30,000 people.

*Note: Casey just told me about the knot on the side of his head that he got in the mosh pit. He said he butted heads with the big guy that had made Charlie decide to stay out of the mosh pit. Casey, apparently, enjoyed the pit and got in it several times. Who in the world would ever had thought Casey... And, where was Mark??