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An encounter with Bob Dylan
Meeting with a musical great created an unforgettable experience
By Ken Morton
Staff writer
So what do you say to a legend,
an icon, a man who has helped shape
the face of popular music and
arguably the world in general?
Well, in my case, absolutely
nothing.
When faced with the opportuni
ty of a lifetime, I couldn’t even man
age a “Hello, Mr. Dylan.” All I could
do was just stare and smile as he
walked by.
The whole situation came com
pletely by chance, one of those ffeak
occurrences where everything hap
pens at exactly the right time.
I had ordered the tickets online
for the April 4 concert the day they
went on sale and snagged 25th-row
seats - not too bad, I thought at the
time.
My bandmate Jeff and I had two
of the tickets spoken for and had two
more waiting for friends if they
wanted them.
Jeff invited his pal Greg along,
and another friend Tim took the last
ticket. Tim was pretty much broke,
but I told him I would knock a cou
ple of bucks off the price if he would
drive. Tim accepted and the four of
us were off to Omaha.
After a quick trip to Bronco
Burger - where their motto is “Serve
‘Urself and Save,” whatever that
means - for a dinner of grease burg
ers and melting fries, we headed
down Dodge Street to the Civic
Auditorium.
A giant, plush black bus was
parked in front of the Fuddrucker’s
on 72nd Street, and Greg said jok
ingly, “Hey, I wonder if that’s
Dylan’s bus.”
We all chuckled and kept going,
and about three blocks later, Jeff
spotted a man wearing black sweat
pants, a hooded black coat and black
combat boots.
“Hey, that looks like Bob
Dylan,” Jeff said.
We laughed again, but this time
with a small pause. Things were get
ting really weird:
“No, seriously, that had to be
him,” Jeff said.
Tim turned the car around and
headed back to the parking lot where
we had seen the black-clad man. He
had turned down a side street, and
Tim drove by him slowly.
“Holy shit, that’s Bob Dylan,”
Jeff yelled.
Tim stopped the car about a
block ahead of him. We didn’t know
what to do. We had no plan, not even
an idea of what to say. Jeff got out of
the car as Dylan got closer.
“Can I shake your hand?” Jeff
asked him.
“Nope. Got my gloves in my
hand,” Dylan replied. He kept walk
ing toward the car, and the rest of us
got out. He looked weathered but
healthy. His gray hair under his hat
made his head look huge.
We just sat there and looked at
him - just sort of awestruck.
“We’re going to see you tonight,”
Tim said as Dylan passed the car.
“Hope it’s good. See you there,”
Dylan said.
He turned a corner and walked
down another street. We got back
into the car and sat there.
I had just met Bob Dylan, and I
hadn’t said a damn thing.
I guess Dylan handled the situa
tion as well as anyone could expect.
Just imagine: You’re a mega-famous
star in a strange town. You’re com
pletely alone, out for a walk, and
four strange men drive up and get
out of a car.
He may have been afraid of get
ting mugged or just didn’t want to be
bothered. He wasn’t really rude, just
short.
On the other hand, what the hell
was Bob Dylan doing out walking
the streets of Omaha by himself?
You would think he would have
bodyguards or something with him.
Dylan’s dress, too, completely
gave him away. It was like he was
trying to dress so inconspicuously
that he stood out like a sore thumb.
He’s in Nebraska on a nice day and
he’s dressed in all black.
Nice disguise, Bob.
Whatever his reason for not talk
ing to us longer, we felt a little jilted.
We expected him to say more, but we
didn’t exactly dazzle him with our
wit and intellect.
After our brief brush with fame,
we made our way to the concert. I
wondered if he was frazzled, if our
little encounter would affect his per
formance.
It didn’t. He had probably for
gotten about it ten seconds after it
happened. Dylan was energetic and
playful onstage, most of the time
taking guitar leads and just noodling
around, improvising as he went. His
backup band was loose enough to
roll with the changes but still tight
enough to breathe life into some of
the most classic songs of all time.
Dylan mostly stuck to the big
hits, but pulled a few obscure ones,
such as “This Wheel’s on Fire” off
“The Basement Tapes” album "and a
wonderful cover of Buddy Holly’s
“Not Fade Away.”
As I sat in my seat no more than
150 feet from the stage, I couldn’t
help but think how far away he
looked after being a few inches
away. I don’t think I would change
my experience if I had it to do over
again.
I smiled at a legend, and that’s a
memory that’s not likely to fade
away.
Rjf, npui /, ■ lsoily nwuiaoiuui ■ lagv 11
Mrs. Seinfeld
has bun in
the oven
NEW YORK (AP) - Imagine Jerry
Seinfeld inside his Long Island mansion,
baby bottle in one hand, burp cloth in the
other, musing: Whyyyyy do they call it a
burp cloth? *
That’s right. First came love (1998), then
came marriage (last December) - and now
Seinfeld and bride, Jessica Sklar, will soon
be pushing a baby carriage.
The big announcement was made
Thursday by Seinfeld pal Regis Philbin on
TV’s “Live With Regis and Kathie Lee.”
“Yes. It’s true. There will be a new little
Seinfeld sometime this fall,” said Seinfeld’s
spokeswoman, Elizabeth Clarice.
It is the first child for both Sklar and
Seinfeld.
But that was then and this is now, and *
soon the 45-year-old Seinfeld will be up to
his diaper bag in commitment.
Seinfeld apparently asked Philbin to
serve up the news for him. Philbin did it
gladly, informing viewers that the little
Seinfeld is scheduled to arrive in October.
Clarke did not want to pinpoint the due date.
The new arrival may have the undevoted
attention of his dad, who retired his series in
1998.
Baby Seinfeld will also have plenty of
room for all that kid stuff like swing sets and
building blocks. The couple are reportedly
paying as much as $40 million for Billy
Joel’s 12-acre oceanfront mansion in East
Hampton.
• '. •••••
Thefollowing is a brief list of events this week
end. For more information, call the venue.
CONCERTS:
Duggan s Pub, 440 S. 11th St.
m (402)477-3513
Friday: Blackberry Winter
Saturday: Face Value
First Plymouth, 20th and D streets
* . (402)436-1785
Friday and Saturday: “Carnival of the
Animals”
, tt- : Knickerbockers, 901 O St.
(402)476-6865
Friday: Project Wet, Planet Arsenal
- Saturday: Polyester, The Dick Prall Band
Royal Grove, 340 W. Comhusker
• I Highway
(402) 474-2332
Friday: Negativland
Saturday: Case Wicked
7th Street Loft, 512 S. Seventh St.
(402) 477-8311
Saturday: Anne Hills and David Roth
The Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St.
(402) 435-8754
All weekend: Matt “Guitar” Murphy
THEATER:
Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N.
12th St.
(402) 472-4747
All weekend: “Fiddler on the Roof”
Lincoln Community Playhouse, 2500 S.
56th St.
(402) 489-7529
All weekend: “Children of Eden”
Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater,
12th and R streets
(402) 472-2461
Friday and Saturday: “Julien Donkey
boy”
Sunday: “Earth”
O'Donnell Auditorium, 50th and
Huntington streets
(402) 465-2319
Saturday: Small Ensemble Festival
Concert
Sunday: Huntington Trio Concert
GALLERIES:
Burkholder Project, 719 P St.
(402) 477-3305
All weekend: Laron McGinn, Harry
Dingman, Fine Crafts Group Show
DocsPlace, MON. Eighth St. Suite 150
(402) 476-3232
All weekend: Liz Dodds
Gallery Nine, 124 S. Ninth St.
(402) 477-2822
All weekend: Audrey Greve
Hay don Gallery, 335 N. Eighth St.
(402) 475-5421
All weekend: Carol Thompson
Noyes Gallery, 119 S. Ninth St.
(402) 475-1061
All weekend: Western Nebraska Artists:
Carol Sexton, Maxine Yost, Alis
Rodgers, Richard Tucker; Jo Brown,
Sheila Downey
Rotunda Gallery, First Floor Nebraska
Union, 14th and R streets
(402) 472-8153
All weekend: MFA Thesis Exhibition I
The Sheldon Memorial Art
Gallery, 12th and R streets
(402) 472-2461
All weekend: “Visions of the Prairie,”
“Parallel Perspectives: Early 20th
Century American Art,” Josef Albers:
“Elements of Art”
The Venue, 1247 S. 11th St.
(402) 475-8368
All weekend: San Francisco Artist John
Burton
Daily Nebraskan $5.25/15 words
20 Nebraska Union m tt A ^ $3.50/15 words (students)
sssssu. vyLAoolrliiUS
dn@unl.edu '—' ky ■« -A—^ ky $0.75/line headlme
1 ^ __Deadline; 3 p.m. weekday prior
DailyNeb.com
--
} WANTED
\ We need you to help us save lives by donating I
your plasma at our state-of-the art medical facility, a U
Are you: 1
18 vears or older? S
*11 Cl lbs or more? §
* In good health? 1
* Interested in earning extra 1
cash while you watcn TV, read, i
or just relax for a while? |
REWARD
Earn up to $140 for donating your plasma four times, n
and up to.$230 this month. -«
* 1 I «(j
hr touts, please at 474-2335 1
Mil Plasan Ceater |
- 300 S. 17th, Liacala II
I
200s Far sate
3 piece sectional with recliner and queen fold out
hide-a-bead. Clean, neutral color, $500 OBO. High
back desk with shelves, $100 OBO. 483-1634.
Matching sofas, love seat, oversize chair. Only 8
months old. Also, coffee table, 2 end tables and 2
lamps. Call 328-8381.
Kenmore washer/dryer for sale. Good condition. $250
for the pair. 466-4995.
___l_
‘81 V.W. rabbit pick-up, good condition. $1400, hur
ry-up. 421-8659.
'98 VOLVO S70 T5. Loaded, 52K, beautiful, wholesale
$22,500.402-489-9100, 434-9110.
1986 VW Jetta, Wolfsbura Edition, clean, good condi
tion. 40mpg. $1300 O.B.O. 435-0221 after 4pm or
472-5023 before 4pm.
ADOPT
A young loving couple long to provide your newborn
with endless love and security. Full time mom and pro
fessional dad. Expenses paid. Please call Denise and
Paul 1-800-243-9247.
Happy, secure couple awaits newborn to show
them the marvel of life. In return we will provide
loads of love, laughter and opportunity. Expenses
paid. Drag and Diana, 1-800 <86 3864.
Bridal Designs By Michelle
We do custom wedding invitations at low prices. Call
488-6826.
www.nebraskadating.com
Natural Herbal
Breast Enlargement
Safe, effective, and affordable. Please visit
www.figureplus.com, 1-888-603-9800. Distributor
ships also available.
Auto Accidents & DWI
Other criminal matters, call Sanford Pollack, 476-7474.
For all your insurance needs: auto, home, health, life
and business, call Jim Wallace at American Family
Insurance, 1340 L St., Lincoln, NE 68508 or call
402-474-5077.
Need help moving?
Moving help within Lincoln or Nebraska for home furni
ture, office or merchandise. By the hour. NR Express
Movers. 470-2970.__
Summer Storage
Advance Self Storage. Safe, secure and low, low rates!
Call 464-8829.
Will do daysare evenings, overnight and weekends in
my home. Strong family environment. 438-7385,
Southwest.
Free
Pregnancy Test
Birthright is a confidential helping hand. Please call for
appointment or more information, 483-2609. Check
out our website www.birthright.org.
400s l0IISlB8
1-2 summer roommates for house on 19th & Hol
dredge. C/A, W/D, walk to campus. 477-2019.
Female nonsmoker to share 3BR apartment,
$175/month+ 1/3 utilities. Call 476-1159 or 472-6364.
Looking for a place to live? www.housing101.net...
Your move off campus! Free roommate sublet listings.
Roommate needed to share clean 2BR apartment with
patio and fireplace. $230/month. 1 block north East
Campus. Call 325-8043.
Wanted: male roommate to share 2BR apartment for
summer. $275/mopth, ask for Andy. 477-9882.
Room for rent in 3BR house, five minutes from campus,
$300 per month. 476-5580. Leave message.
400 Terrace Road, 3 bedroom, A/C, garage, fence yard,
references, no pels, $850.483-4887,483-7720.
1535 N. 28th, 2 bedroom complete remodeled like
new, covered porch, dishwasher, washer/dryer, central
air, parking, $508. Call466-5626 or 423-7356.
April 1 availability. 2BR, newly decorated. Central air,
all new appliances, dose to campuses, off-street park
ing. $575 range, garbage and water paid. 489-5358,
messages returned immediately.
Great houses dose to UNL, available in May or earlier.
432-0644:
• 1237 Court, 3BR, $650
• 1438 N. 21,4BR,$800
• 1541 N. 26,5BR, $800
• 1426 N. 23,5BR, $950