Chapter 3 - Weekends, What Fun.

Saturday mornings are supposed to be one of rest and relaxation, Jon always thought.  So, why was his mother waking him up at 8:00 am?  "Jonny, it's time to get up." his mother says as she slightly shakes him.  "Ah, mom why are you waking me up this early?", as he opens his eyes to look at the alarm clock.  He couldn't think of any reason he needed to be up.  He and Liz had plans that afternoon, so what on earth is so important that he needed to get up?  His mom sat down next to him on the bed and said, "Did you forget what today is?"  He rolled over onto his back and put his arm up on his forehead.  He thought for a moment and said, "It's Saturday, what am I forgetting?"  His mother looked at him and smiled with that adoring look and said, "Honey, it's Valentine's Day.  Did you forget we were going to go for breakfast?"  It all made sense to Jon at that moment.  His mother was dressed and looked like she was going to church.  Her hair so nicely in place, one of her favorite Sunday dresses on and she had even put make up on.  He was happy to see her wearing the earrings that he had bought her for Christmas the year before.  He sat up and yawned, "I did forget Mom, I'm so sorry.  Give me a few minutes to shower and we'll go.  Okay?"  Mom rubbed his chest and said, "That will be just fine.  I need to make sure Matthew and your father will be alright.  I'll see you downstairs."  She kisses him on the forehead and heads down stairs.  Jon plops back down onto his pillow and thought, 'She's the only person I would get out of bed for this morning.'  He lays there a few more moments and then slowly pours himself out of bed.  Walking into the shower, doing the man scratching, he recollects last nights subway train ride.  He wondered what had gotten into Liz.  How on earth was she able to let her self go and handle the feeling of being so unabashed?  He turned the water on and let it get warm, while he brushed his teeth.  When he finished his teeth he got into the shower and just stood there.  Letting the water roll over his face, waiting for all of his hair to be wet he soaped up his wash cloth and scrubbed his face.  After washing his face, he stood there in the shower and shaved.  Shaving was a waste of time for Jon, but he wanted to look nice when he took his mother out to breakfast.  He didn't want to be an embarrassment and he didn't want people looking at them funny.  Face was shaved, so he started the task of washing his hair.  After his hair came his body; he worked his luscious chest hair into a nice bubbly lather as well as the rest of his body - final rinse and then a handful of VO5 conditioner through his long beautiful hair.  He let the conditioner stand for a few minutes, to get the full conditioned, no snarl affect.  He took an extra long time rinsing the conditioner out of his hair.  He wasn't ready to start the day, he wanted to sleep.  Deciding what to wear was the toughest decision he wanted to make today.  He settled for a pair of jeans and his Godfather t-shirt that Liz had bought him for Christmas.  He respectfully left his hair alone and just kind of pulled it back.  His mother didn't mind his long locks, but she wasn't overly fond about it.  His dad did keep the ends nice and clean.  And Jon hated to have it cut, but he knows he needs to keep pretty, he knows he's pretty.  He saunters down the stairs where his mother is patiently working a crossword puzzle and says. "Let's go hot stuff."  His mom laughs and out they go.

 

Breakfast options in Sayreville are limited, so they decided on the Sayreville diner.  Local favorite and great food.  They walk in and immediately find a spot in the front by the windows.  The waiter comes over and both he and his mother order coffee.  The waiter walks away and Jon's mom says, "What time did you get in last night?  Your father nor I heard you come in."  Stirring his coffee for no reason at all he says, "We went into the city, I think I was home by midnight?"  Pondering what time he really got in?  He thinks it was close to midnight.  "What did you and Liz do in the city?"  she asks.  "Well, I knew David Bowie was playing at the Hard Rock so I drug her in there to see his show.  She's a big Bowie fan.  He came over and she got to sing with him.  It was pretty cool to watch her do that.  She was so excited and embarrassed at the same time."  He smiles thinking about it.  "What's with the shit eating grin Jonny?" she questions, knowing his answer - she thought.  She thought he was smiling because he was pleased that happened to Liz, and he is - but that's not why he's smiling.  He takes a drink of his coffee, sets it down and tells his mom about the compilation album and his song being played on the radio. His mother, just being shy of a celebrity herself, was super excited for her son. She was thrilled. She grabbed his hand and just smiled.  She knows he has what it takes to be successful. She raised her boys to be kind, confident and strong and they were all of the above. Matthew lacked ambition and likes hanging out with his older brother, and Jon is quickly growing tired of it. But Jon is Jon, he'll continue to allow Matt to tag along.  Being twelve years younger than Jon, Matt seen how his life was going to go.  Jon did a little recording on a silly little Christmas CD and even worked with Scandal - but session works isn't what Jon wanted.  Jon wanted it all and he knew how to get it. 

 

Their breakfast came and Jon grabbed the ketchup and poured it on his scrambled eggs.  His mom always thought that was disgusting, but Jon couldn't eat them any other way.  He and his mother sat there eating their breakfast and chit chatted.  His mom wanted to know how thing with Liz and him were going, so she says, "How are thing s with you and that girl going?  I haven't seen her around much?"  Jon finishes the bite he has in his mouth and says that things are going as well as can be expected.  His mother was puzzled by that comment, so she asked, "What do you mean by that?"  Jon told her about Liz's reaction to his song being released and the homegrown album.  He also stated that she's been working alot.  His mom didn't know that Liz had been working alot, but she did know that Jon has been busy writing, recording and trying to put a band together. 

Breakfast was over and Jon sat there and had a cup of coffee with his mother while he smoked a cigarette. His mom has something to say, he can see it - so he finally asks.  "Mom, what's on your mind?"  Mrs. Bongiovi starts to get a little teary eyed, causing Jon to almost panic.  She continues to say, "Matthew said you were talking with David about moving out.  Is that true?"  At the age of 21, it was time for Jon to move out.  He has a good job, a great night life and a devoted girlfriend - more time alone with Liz would be wonderful.  He looks at his mom and says, "Mom, you know I really should move out.  I'm at that age where I shouldn't still be living with my mommy and daddy."  His mother didn't like the sound of that.  She says, "First you'll go and then Anthony will go - I want my boys home."  He chuckles, "Mom where do you think I'm going to go?  Europe?  I'll stay right here in N.J.  Liz wants to stay in Sayreville."  That really got his moms attention, and she was curious, she had to ask.  "Jon, what does Liz staying in Sayreville have to do with you moving?  I assumed when you did move you would move into the city?  But you won't because of Liz?"  She was a little irritated with the thought of that.  Her son staying put for a woman?  She didn't like that thought.  "I think she's the one mom and I do want to be with her.  She likes her job here and doesn't want to commute into the city.  That won't be to bad, I'll only have to go into the city during the week."  HE adds.  His mom absorbs that and says, "Isn't there a place like the Fast Lane in the city?"  Jon thought about it a minute.  No there wasn't anything that compared to the Fast Lane, in the same speed and caliber.  He knows Liz wouldn't make it in a city bar.  Jon stamps his cigarette out and grabs his money out of his pocket.  The waitress walked by and he asked or the check.  They waited half a minute and the waitress brought the check.  Jon paid the bill, as he wanted to - he took his mother out for breakfast for Valentine's day.  After all, she is his #1.

 

Jon drops his mom back at the house.  He needs to go get Liz a Valentine's Day present..  He had no idea what to get her.  She doesn't like flowers, and he can't afford expensive jewelery - so what are his choices.  Girls only like those things.  He went into the Sayreville Drugstore and walked around.  He seen a cute teddy bear, but he thought that was lame - continued walking.  He come upon a picture frame that was small, yet elegant and he had the perfect picture for it.  That's what he'll do.  He'll put the picture in it and wrap the frame and give her that for Valentine's Day.  What a great idea.  Paid the $9.99 for the frame and left.  On his way home, he thought he might drop in on David and see what his plans are for the night.  He assumed he and Kim would have plans, it is Valentine's Day.  About 10 minutes later he was at David's.  David's dad answered the door.  "Hey there Jon, come on in.  David's in the kitchen with his mom.", boasts Mr. Rashbaum.  Jon walks in, removes his shoes and heads into the kitchen.  David was sitting there having toast while his mom puttered preparing dinner for later that night.  David sees Jon and says, "Hi, what are you doing here?"  Jon sat down at the table across from David and told him, "I had breakfast with my mom and I just went and got Liz something for Valentine's Day.  Thought I would stop in and see what you and Kim were doing tonight."  David laughed and said, "Kim and I are doing nothing tonight - we broke up last night.  You haven't heard yet?"  Jon sat up, looking like he was interested and said, "Shit man, what happened?  I haven't heard anything!"  David finishes his bite of toast and takes a drink of water and says, "When I got out of work last night, I dropped by her work and I seen her sitting on some guys hood.  She didn't see me pull up, but as I was pulling up - he walked up to her and kissed her.  Like he KNEW her."  Jon's eyes opened wide and he has a slight jaw drop, "No way man, what did you do?"  David confessed that he probably didn't handle it to well, but it fit the situation.  He said, "I walked up to her and asked her for my key, she has a spare for my car."  Jon asked if he got it back and David nodded.  David asks Jon, "Do you think I over reacted?"  Jon laughed and reassured him he did the right thing for the moment and added, "Had I seen that happen to Liz, the guy kissing on her would have picked himself up off the ground."  Jon was a lover, no a fighter but those words could not ring truer.  Liz was his and there wasn't going to be anything like that going on.  He hung out with David for a few and drove back home.  It was a little before noon, so he went upstairs and went into his room.  When he opened the door, there sat Anthony; Jon's other little brother.  Anthony was 4 years younger and he had a passion for audio and video recording.  Jon was the only one that had a cassette player/recorder.  Anthony was in there making a mix tape for his girlfriend.  He recorded some Soft Cell, John Cougar, J. Giels Band, Joan Jett and Human League.  All very popular bands.  Not any of Jon's favorites, but they were tolerable.  He made Anthony hurry it up cause he wanted to lay down and nap before his Valentine's Date date with Liz.