Chapter 20 - The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

 

 

Jon needed to cut lose and blow off some steam.  He was still quite pissed about Liz and the bullshit that she tried to pull.  She came into their home and spun a web of lies and made his mother cry.  He wondered, "what does ma think of me now?'  And that thought angered him even more.  Jon wasn't careless and he wasn't one that sleeps around, for his mom to think the opposite really hit him in the gut. 

 

He showered and got ready to go out.  He had no place in mind, he was just going to go, and see where the night took him.  Dressed like a vagabond Jon was ready to hit the streets.  "I'm going out mom, don't wait up."  he said to his mother, as he jumped down the last few steps.  "No idea where to, just going out.  Maybe I'll go into the city."

 

"Be careful son." she says, looking up from her crossword puzzle.  Dad was asleep next to her in his Lazy Boy.

 

"I will ma." And he kisses her goodbye.  He's out the door like he has a hot date.  Getting into his car, he starts it and puts in his favorite Rolling Stones cassette tape.  With Mick belting his favorite lyrics, he puts the car in drive and leaves his Sayreville home and heads toward the shore.  He didn't really want to go into the city, too much hassle.  He quickly decided that he would stop by Monica's house and see what she was doing.  He's nervous, like this is his first date and he has to meet her parent.  Walking up the walk way, he makes sure that his hair is high, his jacket straight and his breathe fresh.  There are lights on inside, so that gives him hope.  He knocks on the door and a few moments later, Monica answers the door. 

 

"Jon!" she says, surprised to see him.  She really didn't think she would see him on a personal level again.  After all, there was talk that he might be a dad.  She figured that they would remain friends, but the hope of anything serious had left her head.  "What are you doing here?"

 

"I stopped by to see what you were up to.  Wondered if you wanted to head down the shore with me and have a drink?" he tells her, pretty matter of fact but he hopes that he isn't coming on to strong. 

 

Monica kind of winces, trying to figure out if he forgot the talk that they had, or if he was just that cocky and arrogant.  "Jon, we kind of talked about this earlier."

 

He holds up his hand, to stop her for a second and says, "Wait a minute, I have something to tell you."

 

Monica stands back and opens the door for Jon, telling him it's okay to come in.  Jon steps in and follows Monica to her living room, where they sit on the couch and he tells her, "Liz was over a little while ago, with her dad."  Monica perks up a little bit.

 

"Really, what for?" she's really curious now.

 

Jon chuckles and goes on with, "Turns out that her and a friend devised the whole pregnancy scheme and her dad found out.  He made her come over and tell me the truth."

 

"No way, really.  What did your mom do?  Richie tells me that she's very protective of you." Monica admits.

 

"Both me and my mom told them to leave.  I told the crazy bitch to never call me again.  But yeah, my mom was relieved and then very pissed.  And that's why I'm here - do you want to go have a drink with me, to celebrate the fact that I'm not going to be a dad?  That condoms really do work?"  and he smiles, feeling a little embarrassed.  He really likes her and he wants nothing more than to be open and honest with her.  With her, it comes easy.  The more she knows about him, the more he's convinced that she'll like him.  Plus, when you have nothing to hide - it's so much easier being yourself."

 

Monica smiles at Jon and says, "I would love to go celebrate both of those with you, Jon..  Where are we going?"

 

"You pick.  I just wanted to head down the shore.  I didn't have any one place in mind."

 

"What do you think is happening at the Fast Lane or the Pony?" she asks him, being quite fond of both places.  They both showcased local talent and you never know when a big shot would walk through the door.  The Pony was the spot for young adults that liked a certain kind of music.

 

"Richie mentioned yesterday that SSJ was going to play the Pony again, but I don't know about the Fast Lane.  Let's just head that way and see what we find out."  And he winks at her.  He is so thankful that she agreed to go out with him tonight.  He spent the last day worrying that he might have a kid on the way and he wondered what that might do to his music career.

 

"I'll grab my coat." she says as she hops up and walks off into the kitchen.  "Do you want a drink before we leave?"

 

"No, I better not."  As she appears, with her coat and purse in her hands.

 

"I'm ready." 

 

Jon gets up and they leave.  The drive down to the shore was a nice.  They heard his song a couple of times, since lately is was put into heavy rotation - putting light on the Homegrown Talent Contest.  Monica asked Jon, "Who's the song about?"

 

"No one person really.  I wrote it one night after working at the Powerstation.  I was leaving work in my car, and I could see these kids, mostly girls, getting off the bus - with a suitcase in one hand and a dream in the other.  It was more or less the fact that so many left perfectly good homes to come to the Big Apple to follow a once in a million shot."  He explains the best that he could, but his writing comes from a place much deeper than that.

 

"I like it.  I like it alot." she admits as she smiles at him.  She can't help but stare at him.  With that long hair and that bad boy jean jacket on, she was very attracted to him.  His hair blowing in the wind and his confidence were mild aphrodisiacs. 

 

"Thanks.  I was shocked that it was picked to be added to the compilation.  The version that they heard was so raw and unprofessional.  Thankfully I was able to rework it before it was added." he tells her with the shyness of a 5 year old boy.  Jon knows he has talent, but he doesn't like to admit it to people. 

 

Resting her head on the head rest, she turns her head to look at him and says, "I think you're going to be a star.  Don't forget about me when you're rich and famous, back here in New Jersey."

 

He laughs, "You don't have to worry about that happening."

 

They arrived at the Stone Pony just in time to see a big commotion going on at the door.  With his arm on her shoulder, they get close enough to the door to see what the ruckus was all about.  Jon could see, over the heads of the people that were freaking out that Bruce Springsteen had just walked in.  The place was in a frenzy.  Bruce was New Jersey's biggest hometown star.  His album, Nebraska was one of Jon's favorite.  Jon was just as star struck as everyone else, but he needed to keep his cool, cause he was with a girl.  Plus he has already met Bruce.  Bruce was a frequent friend of the Powerstation, and Jon had the privilege of watching him record, his upcoming album.

 

They found it helpful that Jon knew so many people.  As luck would have it, Jon was really good friends with the doorman.  Their hands were stamped and they were in the door.  Looking around for spots close to the stage, Jon found a high top with room.  He led Monica over and they took a seat.  They ordered drinks and waited to see what was going to happen.  The talk was that Bruce was going to play with the band.  Monica was a ball of nerves.  She's thinking, 'Oh my God, I am in the same building as Bruce Springsteen', whom she is a huge fan.  She thought he was the sexiest and the most down to earth celebrity to walk the planet, but Jon had no idea.

 

"Are you okay?  You look like ya seen a ghost?' he asks her, concerned that she is flushed and slightly shaking.

 

She looks at Jon and can't talk.  She knows that if she opens her mouth, some stupid words would come out and she'd never be able to take them back.  So she just nods, letting Jon she was okay. It was then that she seen Bruce walk by and take the stage.  She is ready to cry.  Jon is watching her, and he can't help laugh a little bit.  When he's done picking on her by laughing, he asks her, "You're a Springsteen fan?"  Again, she can only nod.  "I've met him and watched him record.  He's a really nice guy."

 

Monica can't believe what she is seeing and hearing right now.  She is on sensory overload and just about to come unglued.  Bruce Springsteen is standing a mere 5 feet from her, and she's with a guy that knows him.  Why didn't Richie tell her all of this?  Maybe Richie didn't know?

 

Bruce picks up and acoustic guitar and starts to play a song, that no one has heard.  The crowd doesn't care, it's Bruce and he's singing.  The crowd goes crazy and Bruce is watching it all from where he stood.  Just a couple feet higher than everyone, he could tell that they loved it.  While he's playing, he can't help but see the kid in front, with the big hair and the jean jacket play a mean air guitar. He seen that the kid was playing just as he was, cord for cord.  Bruce couldn't help but be intrigued by that. When he finished the song he told the crowd that it was a song off of his upcoming album and they went wild.  A new Bruce album, no one had any idea, except maybe the kid in the front row. 

 

The lights went up for a moment and Bruce was able to recognize the air guitarist.  Bruce smiled his million watt smile and said, to the air guitarist, "Come on up here."  Jon looked at Monica, she was in tears.  She couldn't keep it in any longer.  Her idol was right in front of her and he just called her date up on stage.  "Where do I know you from?"

 

"I work at the Powerstation." Jon tells him.

 

"Right, right - you're the young man that recorded for David Bowie the other day.  I heard about you."  Bruce tells Jon, and Jon feels that was one hell of a compliment.  Bruce knows he played for Bowie......Jon is amazed.

 

Jon stands up there with one of his idols and just nods his head. 

 

"You were the gaffer when I was in there about a month ago putting down tracks?"

 

Again, Jon just nods.  He's starting to get a little weak kneed, in disbelief of what he's experiencing.

 

Bruce hands him his guitar and says, "You watched me record Born In the USA, do you remember it?"

 

Jon took the guitar fro Bruce and put it over his head, and Bruce handed him a pick.  Jon was in position to play, and he noticed Monica walk off.  He wasn't leaving this stage, he hoped she was okay - but why would she leave when he was just about to play?  He watched her walk to the bar and stop.  Bruce counted them in and Jon was playing Born In The U.S.A. with Bruce Springsteen.  The two of them and the band kicked ass.  Jon kept an eye on Monica, and as they played she stood on a stool next to the stage bar.  She had a perfect view of her two favorite musicians, rocking to a song she was sure was going to be a hit.

 

When the song was done, he put down the guitar and looked to Monica.  She had a tears rolling down her cheeks and a smile on her face.  Jon, smiled back at her with a look of 'did you like it?' Monica stood there and clapped with everyone else.  She was in love, with both of them. 

 

"What's your name?" Bruce asks Jon when the crowd quiets a little.

 

"Jon Bongiovi"