I had it.
I lost it.
I found it.
Now, I have to have it autographed.
I've written before about a brush with history that I had, a Forest Gump moment at Lambeau Field back in 1980. I just happened to be at a game that September, one against the Bears that would become legendary. I was covering the tilt for the Stevens Point radio station I was working for, and happened to be standing in the end zone as Chester Marcol lined up for what we thought would be a chip-shot, game-winning field goal. Chicago's Alan Page blocked the kick, Marcol caught the ball and scampered into the end zone. Game over. Amazing.
I was trotting toward the tunnel with the rest of the team as Marcol passed by, clutching the ball. A photographer for the Stevens Point Daily Journal snapped a picture of us two, and sent it to me later that week. I've had it ever since, and temporarily lost it until it turned up a few weeks ago. I've always wanted to get it signed and framed up for the man cave, but never had the chance.
Until now.
Marcol is doing a book tour for "Alive And Kicking", his autobiography. I interviewed him when it first came out, but it was a phoner--thus, no chance for him to sign. Marcol was at State Fair, too, but I was jammed up. I was starting to think my only hope would be to send the picture to Marcol's home and hope he'd sign it and send it back.
I was walking through Southridge this week when I saw it--a simple sign in front of a sports memorabilia store that said Marcol was coming. My window of opportunity is here. I can accomplish my mission tonight.
And I'm really, really nervous about it.
What will I say? Will I come off like a doofus? Will Chester be impressed, or will he think I'm an elderly dork?
I'll let you know. In the meantime, I gotta figure out what I'm going to wear.
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