Singing with ABBA

I sang in a children’s chorus with ABBA when they performed a concert at the San Diego Sports Arena in 1978. It was the Year of the Child, and they were getting children’s choruses to come up and sing “I Believe in Angels” with them in every concert they performed on their world tour. I met Björn, Benny, Frida, and Agnetha and had them sign the yellow T-shirt I wore. I got a used guitar string signed (on the square paper package) by one of the guitarists. Frida and Agnetha sang operatically during the warm-up / sound-check and I was amazed. Being at their concert was thrilling, although way too loud. Singing on stage with them was one of the greatest joys of my life. My mother said I was beaming the whole time. Years later, when I outgrew the t-shirt, I considered making a pillow of it but ended up throwing it out. Same with the guitar string. Imagine my surprise when I saw the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and Guy Pierce’s character shows off a vial he wears around his neck containing the little “gift” Agnetha left him in the toilet! I thought, “Wow! This guy carries her poop around with him and I threw out the t-shirt she (and Frida and Benny and Björn) autographed?” Well, I do feel some regret for throwing out their autographed souvenirs, but who needs artifacts when no one can take away from you the thrill of actually meeting them and sharing the stage with them? I would much rather meet an artist, talk with them, laugh with them, perform with them, or shake their hand, than have an autograph or—gasp!—physical specimen of theirs to remember them by.