People of the World!

It was around 1996 or so, and I was out of work and kicking around Boston, MA – Andover to be exact. My childhood friend M (of M+M) was living there and had gotten into a car accident that left her pretty injured. She was home, convalescing and in need of some company. Having just been laid off from my job at Sport Magazine I thought it would be good to go hang out with M and nurse her back to health … or at least just make sure her mail didn't collect by the door.

M had a little 8 year old nephew who tossed out barbs like a half pint Truman Capote, arched brow, bitchy inflection and all. He was more than just precocious – he was flat out spooky. Yet when he wasn't commenting on your appearance or explaining why you were wrong about whatever it was you were talking about, he was cute as hell -- a lot like that kid that makes up the "half" in Two and a Half Men, but with a biting sharp tongue that could cut you down in one syllable. I loved him. My favorite exchange with him occurred the afternoon I was deciding to get a set of fake nails applied. (I was bored and unemployed, and this was the 90s).

Luvviepuffaroo: Should I get regular length nails or really long ones?

Half: Get long ones. And when you have them, wave your hands around a lot. Point to things. You DO want to get a man, don't you?

Oh yes, Half ... I sure did. So I got really long claws -- almost unrealistically long. And I got them painted a dark shimmery blue ... like the finish on a car. Hey, this was the mid-nineties. It was actually pretty cool. For the mid-nineties.

That afternoon Half and I took a walk around downtown Andover, and I decided to try out my nails on unsuspecting men. We went into a record store and I saw a rather cute man (not a kid … no a fully grown MAN) behind the counter.

"Oh look," I said, pointing, "you have that new Spice Girls song. I can't get it out of my head!"

Man (Smiling, and handing it to me): Is this what you want … what you really really want?"

Luvviepuffaroo: No … tell me what I want, what I really really want … (wink, smile, laugh until ...)

Half (shouting): You HATE that song! Why are you buying it! You're an idiot! You said you'd NEVER buy that song!

I glared at Half, tried to smile at the guy again … but the moment was gone. I sheepishly paid for my very own copy of Wannabe, then dragged Half outside. Once we were out of the store's sight line, I started screaming.

Luvvie: Don't interrupt adults when they're flirting! People don't always say everything they mean! YOU TOLD ME TO GET A MAN!

Half: If you were flirting, why didn't you POINT to things so I would know!!!

Luvvie: I did point to things! I pointed at the Spice Girls cassette single!!!

Half: But you hate that song!

Luvvie: I know! But it was the first thing I saw! And I could point to it! And I had a funny comeback for his joke!

Half immediately turned into the little boy he actually was, and his little eyes filled with tears, and I hugged him and brought him to Starbucks to buy him a special hot chocolate.

And that was the last time I remember even thinking about the Spice Girls who quickly fell off of my (and most everyone else's) radar. The only memorable thing about them is that I coined my most favorite line ever when Won't and I were discussing Gerri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell's decision to break out on her own.

"I predict a very long career for her," I told Won't, "... a very Shelley Long career."

The other memorable thing is all the tabloid fodder lately what with Scary Spice doing the whole "you my baby daddy" thing with Eddie Murphy and Posh Spice doing the whole "not gonna smile, not gonna smile" thing with everyone else.

So imagine my surprise when a co-worker told me she had an extra ticket to the Spice Girls reunion show at Madison Square Garden! More: Imagine my surprise when I shocked myself by agreeing to go. I'll be honest, the only reason I went was curiosity. HOW did they look? HOW would they sound? WHO would be in the audience? WHERE were we sitting? WHAT the hell?

From the very opening notes of Spice Up Your Life last night I was on my feet and screaming. So were about a million 15 year old girls who'd taken the train in from Long Island and were dressed for a party -- that took place in 1985. I never saw so many gold belts, high hair and glitter in one spot. Who'da thunk it -- Spice Girls have a rabid following among the young and badly dressed.

The concert was oddly energizing and fun -- yes I stood up for most of it -- yes I wiggled around as much as the high haired badly dressed teen next to me.

I was all "Girl Power!" and "Spice up your Life" and "Yeah! Posh!" for almost 2 hours. I learned 2 things -- 1) If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends and 2) that sentiment doesn't mean as much once you're past your teens.

The really funny thing was, I couldn't help remembering so many years back when I was walking around with 2 inch long dark blue shiny nails, pointing to things, hoping to attract a man. And now, so many years later, I stood waving my hands about, pointing to the sky, my dark blue sapphire and diamond engagement ring sparkling for all the world to see -- or at least all of Madison Square Garden.

The Spice Girls were now Spice Women, they almost all had children ... and I finally had my man (she says, as she points to the right ... there he is!)