Corner Pocket

When LaVar Christensen was in his junior year in high school in California, his class raised $1,533 at a bake sale to pay for their senior concert. A year in advance, LaVar spent nearly every dime to book a relatively unknown group called Chicago Transit Authority. By the time the concert rolled around, though, the band had shortened its name to Chicago. They had a hit record out and were too big to play high schools. The band producer offered Elton John as a substitute, but LaVar had never heard of him. Instead, he settled on a double-header: Blood, Sweat and Tears, and Don McLean. I like to fact check stories before I share them here. It usually doesn’t take a lot of work, and it’s definitely better than publishing a retraction later. When I checked Mr. Christensen’s tale, I found he doesn’t remember it exactly the way it happened. I don’t care. It’s still a great story.