The Challenge of Surprises with Rachel

A classic Story....Rachel is the most impossible person to surprise in the world (sligh overstatement...but only slight) refusing to be kept int he dark about presents, plans or well..anything. But this time I'd done well, kept all notion of this surprise away from her twitching ears.... She thinks shes just going for a meal, and then BAM big surprise were off to see Paolo Nutini instead, that was the plan. Hurdle Number 1: Rachel calls saying that she is getting alift in and will be there an hour early. So I try and ring round and ACTUALLY book a meal so as not to rouse suspicion, only problem is the place I said were going to is booked up, but say I should turn up and check it out, only problem is that this is soooo not conducive with the "Its been booked all along..." thing and the other restaraunts which would be a step up (and therefore a better option without broching why we couldnt eat at the original restaraunt) are all fully booked for Friday night. So I guess the only option is, is to show her the tickets straight away and then see if she still wants to grab something to eat, she does, and is suitably elated at the surprise tickets. Hurdle Number 2 Appearing on the horizon: We end up actually getting into my original Restaraunt intention and have a really nice meal, which stretches well past opening doors at the concert, as we figure we'd just miss the opener, who would probably be some crap Aberdeen band anyway. So anyway we leave the restaraunt and make our way to the venue...we walk and hear sounds of a pretty RAAR band playing, which makes me think, Oh we didnt miss the crappy opening band, but willing to put aside out little timetabling issue we move ahead to the bouncers/ticket guy who first takes my ticket and rips off the stub then Rachels and looks puzzled. Que Hurdle 2: Bouncer: "Paolo Nutini, sorry that tomorrow night"....I could not believe it! All this hard work for a month trying to hide tickets and spin stories of going out for Dinner, while saving the plan and actually getting into the Restaraunt...to be told the tickets Ive had in my posession for weeks said Saturday all along!...Anyway I took it pretty humourously as (fortunalty) did Rachel who remarked the blunder meant that our date was streched over the Weekend! Saturday night, second trip to Aberdeen for Paolo Nutini.