a story of triumph

I was eighteen years old and in my first semester of college.  I was driving to school when I heard an advertisement on the radio about U2 performing that night in Salt Lake City.  The radio station was going to be giving away 2 free tickets before the show to the contestant who put together the best U2 poster.  The concert was sold out...so these tickets were a hot commodity!

The requirements for the poster were as follows:

It had to have the band's name somewhere on the poster - U2
It had to have the name of the radio station (KISN 97 - pronounced Kissin' 97)
It had to say something about a rocket

Not sure why the rocket theme, but it probably had something to do with their tour.  It was their Elevation tour, so I guess that makes sense.

I decided at that moment that I was going to make a poster and win those tickets.

All day during school I was contemplating just how I was going to go about winning those tickets.  I had formulated in my mind the poster.  I knew it had to be good if I were going to really win.  In my mind I was picturing a giant rocket with the words U2 and KISN 97 on it.  Perhaps U2 and the radio station could be riding on the rocket??  I was scheming.  ALL. DAY. LONG.

After school I had to head to work.  I told all of my co-workers about my plan.  They laughed and thought I was just being silly.

"I'm serious," I told them.  "I'm going to win those tickets!"  

One co-worker stepped up to to the plate and agreed to help me win the tickets.  I told him all about my idea with the giant rocket.  While I worked, he got busy finding some cardboard boxes.  He then proceeded to cut the cardboard into the shape of a giant rocket.

After work, I rushed to the store, bought some spraypaint and some battery operated Christmas lights (it was November after all).  I then met my co-worker at my house and we frantically finished up the rocket.  We spray painted it, wrapped it with lights, cut out lettering for U2 and KISN 97 (being oh so creative and using red lips for the KISN).

And WAHLAH.  We had our "poster."

The rocket was big...at least 5 feet in length.  We then attached it to a wooden dowel so we could hold it up high in the air...you know...like a rocket.

We threw it in the back of my grandpa's old rusty Toyota pickup and headed to SLC.

We arrived just in time.  We saw our competition with their puny little posters parading around the streets chanting, "U2, U2, U2."  My co-worker, who is at least 6'5" tall held the rocket high high high in the air and we joined in on the chanting.

"U2!  U2!  U2!"

We did this for about 30 minutes until someone from the radio station came over and presented us with 2 tickets to see U2 that night.

Score!

I will always remember this story.

I knew in my mind that I could win those tickets.  Even when people doubted me or laughed, I knew I could do it.

And I did.

And it was epic! 

Below I have drawn (using only clip-art mind you) me and my co-worker with our stellar poster.

Moral of the story: You can do anything if you put your mind to it!


Now, who's up for a little With Or Without You?!?