[Grandpa's Grumbles] Mi-chan and Kei-chan have become distant memories!
Yesterday, my grandchildren came over to stay. Spring break is finally coming to an end.
The celebrity my grandchild likes is Sho Hirano.
She said, "I don't really watch TV lately. There are lots of YouTubers I like, though," so it seems like a reluctant choice.
When Grandpa was young, there was no YouTube or social media, and looking forward to seeing idols on TV was a joy.
The ones Grandpa liked were Momoe Yamaguchi and Pink Lady.
One day in my second year of high school, "Pink Lady is coming to Miyazu!" I found a poster on a utility pole.
It was right at the peak of their popularity when 'Wanted' had just been released, so although I wondered why Pink Lady would come to such a rural place, Grandpa took a certain action at that time.
I took down the phone number of the organizer written on the poster and called them.
"I'm a second-year student at Miyazu High School, and I called after seeing the poster for the Pink Lady concert. Is there anything I can help with?"
At that time, they just said, "I can't think of anything right now, but I'll take your phone number just in case," and hung up.
However, a few days later, a man who said he was the president of the organizing agency called me, and I still remember the conversation:
"Are you a fan of Mi-chan or Kei-chan?"
"I'm a fan of Mi-chan."
"Shall I let you meet her?"
"Ehhhhhh?"
After the call, I met this president at a coffee shop in front of Miyazu Station.
"Gather 20 big, athletic guys," he said, and I was entrusted with being a venue usher on the day of the concert.
Grandpa was the leader of the 20 guys.
The perk of the job was having the authority to decide the placement of the 20 people.
I think there were about two or three positions where they had to stand with their backs to the stage, facing the audience.
"Come on, don't say that. Pink Lady is singing right behind you," I said to encourage them, while I took a position in the wings of the stage.
I was able to experience the concert from the side of the stage, where Mi-chan and Kei-chan entered and exited.
On the day of the concert, the two of them arrived in a large bus.
"Hey, get everyone to their posts. And you, take their costume cases and carry them to the dressing room," the president said.
Grandpa carried Mi-chan and Kei-chan's costume cases to the dressing room.
I was truly able to see the two of them up close.
The president kept his promise to 'let me meet them'.
'Mi-chan is so much thinner than she looks on TV. She's so pretty.' Just as I was standing there dazed, a voice called out, 'Don't just stand there blankly, get to your post.'
Well, this experience was also an important lesson for Grandpa.
It is the lesson that 'even if information is equal for everyone, the results differ depending on whether or not you use it to take action.'
I remember that if the organizer's office had been in Tokyo when I saw the poster, I might not have called, but because it was the Fukuchiyama office, even my high schooler's brain analyzed it and thought, 'There might be a chance,' so I made the call.
In the age of social media, information is overflowing.
Perhaps seizing an opportunity comes down to whether or not you use that information to take action.
If you are going to have regrets, it might be better to have regrets from the results of taking action.
Thank you for reading again today.
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