Meeting Shania

I have a name-dropping problem. Sometimes I just can’t stop. At least that’s what my friend from the Shania Twain Band tells me. Speaking of him I had a run in with Shania a couple years ago when she came to town.

My wife and I met up with my friend (did I mention he plays in Shania’s band) and we hung out back stage talking before the show. When it was time for him to go up on stage my wife and I walked out to go watch the concert but we were still back stage.

There is a thing called a “Meet and Greet” and it’s usually something for radio contest winners to meet the famous person back stage. It promotes the show. Anyhoo, I saw a line of a bunch of kids and parents with baseball hats and t-shirts and posters with Shania’s picture on it. I saw her making her way toward the line of fans. I told my wife to get ready. As she approached I cut in the line, explained who I was (did I mention I know this guy from her band?) and tell her that I would like to get a quick picture with her. She kind of snapped back, “Yes but make it quick” but in a Canadian accent. So the picture is taken and she walks to the line of people waiting. By this time the music from the show had started and I had just outsmarted a bunch of lame contest winners.

Here’s where it got lame. My wife jabs me explaining what had happened. “You just cut in front of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.” Hmm. I looked. It was true. The kids, the parents, all waiting for their one chance to meet a famous person.

I was torn. On the one hand I felt awful. I couldn’t have done anything more selfish. But was it really selfish? The picture I got with Shania, I will (marginally) treasure for many years, maybe 35 years if the ticker doesn’t give out. However, how long did these kids have, 5, maybe 10? Now who’s being selfish?

I’m a pretty terrible human being sometimes. Thanks for reading.