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I Fought The Law


Breaking rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I needed money ‘cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I left my baby and it feels so bad
I guess my race is run
She's the best girl that I ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I'm not much for reality TV in general.  I try to shy away from the Real Housewives of Orange County, the Jersey Shore, the Bachelor, and especially Toddlers with Tiaras.  Seriously, what is up with those moms?  However I must admit once in a blue moon I've been captivated by Lock Up on MSNBC.  This is the show where they visit one crazy, scary prison each week and talk about life behind bars.  I usually cannot make it through an episode before I have to recheck all the locks, pull the covers over my head, and furiously count sheep before I head off to sleep.  So, you can imagine my fear when Donna mentioned a MDA fundraiser named Lock Up. 

She explained that the MDA contacted us to participate in a fundraiser where we would be locked up until a local person raised enough money to set us free.  I'll be honest that in some strange way I've gone from postponing MDA events to looking forward to them.  Standing in front of a crowd and telling our story is a bit cathartic, but taking my family to some prison and getting locked up did not sound like fun.  I've seen those guys on TV and they may be twisted, and maybe even interesting, but never fun, but OK...

At the day of the event I punched the address into my GPS and surprisingly arrived at a local restaurant, not a prison.  I was thrown off when we had to take photos behind bars, but was happy that we were immediately set free.  When I walked in, found the buffet, fresh coffee, and no scary guys with handcuffs I felt even better.  What I learned is that the MDA has run these events with local business people for years.  The gimmick is not that we were locked up, but rather the business people are. They agree to raise a few thousand dollars and show up at the restaurant to make calls until they reach their quota.  Our job as members of the patient community is just to thank everyone for coming and explain how their efforts can impact a local family.

In the end, there was no parole board, no gray walls, and no scary guys.  There was just a welcoming environment filled with people doing their part to make the world a little better.  Perhaps I should keep this in mind next time I pass by MSNBC and on my way to the Survivor.

Scroll below to see our mug shots.

Happy summer,
Matt

Credit to: The Clash, "I Fought The Law"









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