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Dan and Bruce almost met KISS

There was a cancelled KISS concert this week in Ottawa and it brought back a wonderful memory of my St. Boniface Elementary School best friend. "Danny.   Danny, myself, Manuel and Carlos were walking home from Shop Class and we went thru the parking lot at "The Aud" and we saw the KISS buses. Being the shy one I knocked on the door and a nice lady opened. Dan stepped forward and with a sedrioous look, he asked if Gene or Ace were around. She laughed, but invited us in.  Picture 4 very awkward, voice-changing-soon to have pimples Grade 8-fan boys inside the bus beloning to KISS. The boys were at Sam-The-Record-Man for an autograph session.                   

WOW...we hit the makeup/costume bus where the Detroit boys came two hours before the concert to get made up. She showed us all the makeup and the four costumes, boots included!  She was so impressed with our politeness she put our names on a guest pass at the main entrance for the concert that night.       

1976---KISS is THE North American parental nightmare and no way my parents would ever let this 12-year old go see KISS...if I told them. Carlos and Manuel asked their parents and each were not allowed to go. They called me with the bad news.

Danny and I had to improvise. We each told our parents we were staying at the other's house. A little fib for the concert of a lifetime and we survived unscathed and a unique way to finish out our Grade School expereince before we left our portable at St. Boniface and entered high school.  It has been six years since your passing but I have never forgotten that memory.

Thanks Dan for being a good buddy in grade school and I hope you are spinning a KISS album up in Heaven as you read this. I am sure this memory will bring you a smile as it did for me. Reminds me to cherish a wonderful memory and a wonderful childhood friend.

I consider that adventure my own personal version of "Stand By Me."

Posted by Bruce McIntyre
Friday November 24, 2023 at 4:52 am
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