Pasadena, California - Exchanging donated can foods for old Depeche Mode merchandise out of the back of the trunk of his car on the roadside on the way to the Rose Bowl where the rock band U2 is performing, Al Martinez, 47, wears a t-shirt from their 101 tour back in 1988. "I'm here to remind people going to the U2 concert tonight that Depeche Mode was the first to do it at the Rose Bowl 20 years ago," said Al Martinez. "Only when they did it, it was for charity. Asking all their fans to bring a can of food for the price of admission."Al Martinez, a fan himself of the Irish band and socially conscious leader, Bono, says they lost their heart and that are only interested in making money, while America wallows in an economic recession that rivals the Great Depression in many ways."I called my girl friend at the time (recenttly his ex-wife) and my male friends telling them about the Depeche Mode concert," said Al Martinez, recalling his invitation. "I had all my can goods ready to go. But my girlfriend didn't want to go, and my so-called buds stood me up." Al Martinez later watched the Depeche Mode concert at the Rose Bowl a year later turned into a movie, with much regret. Now roadside, Al Martinez patiently waited for a single can good donation, while his son, Michael Martinez, pulls up roadside besides him on the way to attend the U2 concert. "Hey, dad," says Michael as he approaches, wearing a U2 t-shirt; nervously placing hands in his blue jean pockets. "How's the protest going?"As the father hesitates to respond, turning away just as nervously as the son, only straitening out his homemade 'Depeche Mode' cardboard sign, and the empty food donation box instead."I'm okay," says the father, while he sniffles a couple of times. "Aren't you, ah, going to be late?""Nah, I got VIP parking," replies the son. "Hey, dad. Listen, um, I still got an extra ticket."Michael places the U2 ticket on the dashboard of his father's car. "So if you change your mind, here it is. Okay?" he says, turning to get into his car and driving away. Al Martinez wipes his nose as a tear comes to his eye, looking down, staring at a single can of green beans in the donation box. "That's all I ever wanted," says Al Martinez to himself, as he gets into his car and drives off toward the Rose Bowl, honking his car horn for his son to slow down and wait for him.
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