Mr. Destiny

All but Elk Grove Village was a concert.

In 1990 a movie starring Jim Belushi was about a man who though successful in life was still feeling ill will about what happened to him during a baseball game as a kid and got the opportunity to change it. However, changing that seemingly insignificant event completely changed his life and eventually caused the main character to need to change things back to what they were as his new life was not quite what he had hoped it to be. I know other tv shows and movies had the same theme including a Simpsons episode this season.

I would love the opportunity to possibly change an event like that or more importantly change an event where I got hurt or hurt myself like when I permanently damaged the bursa sac in my left leg while bowling in a league with the best amateurs in the Chicago area 15 years ago. However, that would definitely change my current life. Even preventing me from stepping on that hot dog last September could have done something as I could imagine getting into a car accident only caused by me not being at Sam's Club later filling out an accident report.

Anyway, seven years ago this past week was a convention called ALCON III. I was real excited since Weird Al was actually going to make an appearance there unlike the one in 2000 when he was on tour. Others had seen him there at the one in 1998 where I found out about it one week after it was over.

I was there early that Friday all excited and was helping people setting up. I was helping Luke Ski get his items from his car when my camera fell out of the pocket of my Hawaiian shirt and I noticed it was cracked. I was able to snap the camera back together and it still took pictures.

On Saturday the guest of honor showed up and I got someone to take a pic of me with AL with my camera. He offered to take one with his camera because I told him what happened to mine. I declined that offer stating I got it to work.

When I developed the pictures two week later, I found out the film was exposed and none of them developed. The timing was not good either since it was a very trying time with my family.

Since then, I have had instances where I thought I could replace that picture but due to timing and one person's ignorance, I never did. (Note: That second incident and my reaction over a year later possibly changed history on the Dr Demento Show.)

Since then, I have found out that where I live makes it difficult to get backstage after a concert to meet him. There are certain people, like the one who organized the ALCONs and the two who run AL sites along with the family of AL's drummer, Jon "bermuda" Schwartz who all live in the Chicago area and join AL backstage whenever they are there. That makes it difficult if not impossible even for my friends. They at most get two passes and use them for themselves and a s.o.

At times that instance has created a problem on its own in my head especially after hearing others who by not living in Chicago are able to go backstage and get a pic with AL or having people I would not expect get a pic. It would make before and after his concerts difficult for me. I used to even think people would purposely exclude me and put me down. Maybe one did but then again, I got back at him.

Would I want to alter that moment from seven years ago? Definitely. I don't see it causing any harm though I could picture an instance similar to that of the hot dog. With AL not on tour currently, I did get the next best thing earlier this year: