Chapter Sixty Six

Two more weeks had past, and during that time I'd met my Dr again and been signed as fit to return to work,  now I just had to gear the guys up and into focus, re kicking  the tour off again. 

 

My mom had called daily during that time, and I'd ignored each and every call. I'd taken a call from my pop who suggested we meet for a drink, I'd agreed and met him at the bar on 8th Avenue in New York. We'd just got our drinks when he started in, "I know your ma's a pain in the ass, I've been married to her forever, but she's your mom, and she loves you Jon... why you ignoring her calls?"

"Cause I'm mad as hell that's why...this the reason you wanted to meet?"

"Partly... and to see you, you never call round anymore, and I miss ya, I miss our father son chats...""your getting old"

"don't knock it, your getting older too ya know..." we both laughed.. "get you, using my lyrics in a sentence" from the banter, he turned serious..  "look, with your mom,  just take control son...." it wasn't often we fought, in fact never, but I was uncomfortable, two reasons , it felt like my parents were both trying to control my life, or that my mom had talked my pop round and he was sitting with me pouring out her fears and views from his mouth.  "look pop, I hear you ok, but can you butt out, leave this to me... "

"but she's real sorry"

"yeah I'm sure she is, but there are only so many times sorry can be said, and right now, it aint cutting the dice with me."

"Son, everyone makes mistakes..."

"Look I get that, but I'm a grown man with with teenagers, I'm a dad too, so I know about calling the shots, I don't wanna spend the next half and hour fighting, I just wanna spend some time with you before I go out on tour again." then I added, "can we just have a quiet drink together? Father and son?"
my pop smiled at me, "I always said you were a smart cookie... look there's just one thing more and I'll call it quits?"
"Shoot"
"Call her son, be the better man.."
I will, but just not yet ok? "

"why?"

"How you think I feel knowing your the reason for her change of heart, but underneath she feels no different? She couldn't just support me, sorry pop but she needs to get it I'm pissed and I'll take my time... ok?" I said it as a statement, and the look on my pops face made me feel bad.
"I get your pissed, but would it help any if you knew she decided to sort things with you after talking to lorraine?"
"No it wouldn't cause your now trying to spin the same bull she did..."

he held his hands up, "ok,  you do your way... I tired, man you and your mom are both so alike, stubborn little shits" he changed the subject, "so you catch the game the other night?"

"no, I missed it, was it good..."

"hell yeah... I've got it taped if ya wanna come over and see it sometime?"

"thanks, maybe.."

"so you heading back out on tour huh?"

"yeah, I've gotta, been away long enough, all those people have paid good money to see me, and the band, and in twenty three years of being in the band this is the first time I've ever cancelled shows..."

he put his hand on my shoulder, "don't beat yourself up your human son.."

"no dad, I let my guard down and became a victim, which caused me to let my fans down..."

his brow furrowed,

"Jon can I ask  you a question?"

resting my arms on the bar, I looked at him,

"sure, anything"

"why are you so hard on yourself, don't you think this one time you should cut yourself some slack?"

"Why am I hard on myself?, let me see... maybe cause this machine don't run itself pop, everyone has a part in the success of Bon Jovi, from the stage hands to the wardrobe guys, lighting techs, rigging guys, roadies,... the list is endless, I've just had to cancel two months of shows because of that bitch, so to answer your question, I'm hard cause people, rely on me for their jobs and too take home a pay check at the end of every month, and at this rate, paying everyone when we aint on the road, I'll be broke..." I gave a half hearted laugh,

"you been paying the staff while you have taken the hiatus?"

"yeah, not their fault, they have families relying on that pay check."

"Your a good man son, can't see many of the top bands paying staff when there's no tour."

"were all different pop, I just look after my staff and that way they are with me for years..."

"you know what this set back has cost you then?" 

"no" I shook my head, "I guess its a chunk...I'll figure it out at the end of the tax year.."

"Where you start off with next?"

"Seattle, is the next town, then the rest of the American leg will go on hold and I'll fit in with the dates for Europe, then re schedule the other shows for later in the year, gonna mean I will be working to Christmas, and into the new year."

"good luck son, not that you need it, " he paused for a second... "you know, I'm real proud of you, right? you make my and your mothers heart sing...." he grabbed me and hugged me real tight., It kinda took me off guard and my stool  I just thanked him, as he added...

"and Jonny, think on what I said about your mom ok, your going round the world son... don't leave regret waiting for you on the return..." he smiled as he left the bar, leaving me sitting on my own to think.