I peeked back over my right shoulder. Surely that was directed at me, although that's not how I typically prefer to be addressed. (I was pretty sure I was the wheelchair user in question because although I was situated in the back of the accessible seating area at the Meijer Gardens, I was the only concertgoer on wheels. I don't make a practice of comparing disabilities to one another, but does one foot in a boot entitle five senior citizens to the entirety of the front row of the section? It's technically within the arbitrarily enforced rules, but I digress...)I spotted the gentleman who had asked the question. He looked...out of place. These Beach Boy tickets were $62, yet this guy looked like he had been out fishing earlier, or on a jog and had decided impromptu to see a concert. Short running shorts, kind of grungy shirt, weird hat...all the better I guess to remain incognito.
Because the guy was Bruce Johnston, Grammy-winning songwriter, keyboardist and vocalist and one of two original Beach Boys (along with Mike Love) to grace the stage that night.
Overhearing murmurs around me that this oddly dressed guy was a Beach Boy, I froze. My mind was immediately purged of Beach Boys song titles. Just don't say a Beatles song, I thought. Favorites like "God Only Knows" and "California Girls" were erased from memory.
I stalled. "Uh...um...uh..."
Still nothing. I bit my lip. Choking in the clutch! Lyrics popped into my head:
"...c'mon, let's cruise, you got...nothing to lose..."
Finally! But still no song title. Oh well. I started lightly singing, "C'mon let's cruise, you got..."
He cut me off. "Still Cruisin! Great choice!"
They played it halfway through the first half of the concert, dedicating it to 'his friend in the back'. Pretty cool moment.
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You may have seen a video or two online over the past few weeks of people dumping ice water over their own heads in the name of charity. Who am I kidding, of course you have. It's impossible to go on Facebook or even step outdoors without seeing someone accept the Ice Bucket Challenge, some reluctant, some eager (usually depending on the ambient temperature) and proceed to soak themselves in ice water.
ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease, is a debilitating muscular disease. It truly is a terrible affliction and deserves this spotlight, money, and research attention. The background behind the Challenge is pretty cool; it's amazing to see how and why things go viral on the wild, wild Internet.
Of the many iterations of the Challenge floating around out there, this one's my favorite. Steve Gleason, a former New Orleans Saint and an inspiration of mine, participated wholeheartedly in the Challenge. Read his story here and watch his video:
Without further ado, here's my video (edited for length and expletives):
Now what should the challenge be to raise awareness and money for Spinal Cord Injury research?
Burrrrrr!
Now what should the challenge be to raise awareness and money for Spinal Cord Injury research?
