Tip of the cap...

I met Dustin Diamond twice in a one-week period in Wisconsin...

First time was in a Blockbuster in West Allis... one of the employees was making a fuss exclaiming to other customers, “That’s that guy! Right?! Isn’t that that school guy from that show?” https://twitter.com/variety/status/1356315837687341057
Dustin was with a date and he turned around and said to the guy, “Nah, you probably just recognize me because my picture is up in the post office.”

I was in line behind him when this happened. I stayed silent but I chuckled at the whole situation. Then the Blockbuster guy...
...grabbed my shoulder and went, “Dont you think he’s that guy from that show?”

I replied, “Dude, I don’t care. Why don’t you leave him alone? OK?”

Dustin gave me a wink, rented his dvds and split

Then one week later, I ran into him at a hibachi restaurant in Greenfield, WI...
I approached the door of the restaurant and lo and behold, so was Dustin Diamond

He held the door open for me and he recognized me.

He was like, “Oh! Hey man! Thanks for that at Blockbuster...”

I was a bit caught off guard - here’s “Screech” again and we’re chatting...
I said something like, “It was nothing. It’s got to suck dealing with that shit all the time.”

He said “It comes with the territory, but it’s nice when guys like you help defuse things.”

We talked a bit then we each said “Enjoy your dinner, take it easy” and that was that...
I know he had a rough life... His dad basically squandered whatever money he made when he was on Saved By The Bell, the typecasting, all of the career moves he had to make to survive, getting blackballed by his former cast mates b/c of these decisions, then to pass away SO YOUNG
I’m thinking of his friends - the people who truly loved Dustin and took better care of him than the people who should have- today, and I’m praying for Dustin Diamond and his safe journey into the great beyond...

Thanks for the laughs

And thanks for being a nice guy when we met
You can follow @Benjamin_G_Lund.
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