Could it be karma? Part I

The first time it happened, in Dublin last year, I just counted myself really really lucky. Having arrived at the Croke Park general admission line about 2.5 hours before the doors opened, we were waaaay behind people who had begun to 'queue' 2-3 days prior. The line itself was a thing to behold - people snaking through a poor neighborhood in North Dublin, from whence the U2 boys originally hailed. When the gates opened and the people poured through them, I expected to see at least half the GA section - on the pitch, as they say there - filled with people, and I would still be able to see from the back, considering the rising stage and 90-foot video screen...

But no - we walked/ran right up to the stage. Apparently security made a mistake in the order they let the different sections in. So I was in front of those poor peeps who had waited days. And I smelled a lot better.

And then, it happened again at Aloha Stadium (Honolulu). We got there dead last, there wasn't even room in the 'cages' for us to stand. We were to wait outside the cage and then enter it to follow the crowd in, sure to be behind the other 14,000 people who were obviously MUCH better fans. Now, we suffered a bit, walking back and forth being told different things by different security-type folk - all the while being serenaded by Pearl Jam doing their sound check - but that's another story. In fact, if we hadn't gotten the runaround, we would not have been dead last.



After escorting a crowd that obviously was led into the circle (done by first come and not the usual lottery), our wonderful security guards made a mistake and started with our little crew outside the cages. Yes, we were let in essentially, first. Still didn't realize it - that couldn't possibly happen again. But as we entered the stadium ("where are all the people?") - the people were almost ALL behind us.

Yes, we were right up by the stage again. In hour 3 of 12...

Part Deux later.