Ch. 7

“Where to rock star?” Trina asked Jon.

“My hotel room.” He replied pointedly. Trina spun her head around so fast that Jon thought he would snap off. He began to laugh.

“I gotta change. I left my street clothes at the arena, then can we go out.” Trina was embarrassed began to laugh uncontrollably.

“What?” he asked her.

“You. You’re really not what I thought you were.” She told him.
”And what’s that?” he asked

“Unapproachable. It took 3 people to get to you and now this.” She said.

“Seriously? Why didn’t you just go through Heather?”

Trina shrugged.

“I guess people are just watching out for you.” She smiled.

They reached the hotel. Jon rolled the car into the back entrance. He parked the car in front of the door.

As he turned off the ignition, he turned and looked at her.

“Does it look like I need protecting? “ Jon asked.

“That’s why I’m laughing. You were right. About everything.” Trina said.

“Stand around the Jersey Syndicate for a few days and you’ll get it. For some reason even though the band is called Bon Jovi, I want to know when the band actually became Doc McGhee and the Machine?” Jon said sarcastically.

“Huh?” Trina said looking concerned.

“Forget it.” Jon said. “Let me change. “ he continued.

“Okay. I’ll wait here. “ Trina said.
”Yeah?” Jon said looking surprised.

“Well not everyone wants to sleep with you Jon.” She told him.

Jon laughed.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about sleeping with anyone? All I wanted to do was to go and get a drink?” Jon said.

“Your expression said it all.” Trina told him.

“My expression?” Jon asked.

Trina chuckled. “Your expression.” She said.

“All right.” He smiled. “Back in ten minutes.” He told her.

“Okay. “ she nodded. He got up and flew up the hotel steps and through the door.

Trina could not believe this. This was surreal. It was supposed to be an interview about what goes on before and after the show. And now? She was in the middle of a relationship drama with one of the biggest rock stars in the world.

“I can’t believe that I’m about to have a drink with Jon Bon Jovi.” She thought. “Freakin Jon Bon Jovi! Man, do I need Darryl…Right now!” she said aloud.

She never even realized that Jon opened the driver’s seat. He appeared wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt with some obscure writing on it and a jean jacket. He had sunglasses in his jean jacket pocket.

“Well that was fast.” Trina said.

“God forbid you don’t make deadline. “ Jon said.

“God forbid is right.” Trina said. “I worked my ass off for this opportunity. Not going to have some rock star mess things up.” She quipped.

Jon smiled.

“This rock star will make sure you don’t blow this.” He said as he turned on the ignition.

Moments later, Doc McGhee, Dorothea and the rest of the band had no idea that the red Honda that had just sped passed them was Jon and Trina. Dorothea was still visibly upset as she pleaded her case to the rest of the band.

“Son of a bitch just left. He didn’t even want to talk to me.” She said.

“C’mon Dot. He’s just mad that’s all. Let him blow off some steam.” said Richie.

“With that reporter?” Dorothea said. “Dumbass couldn’t ask a decent question if her life depended on it. “ She sneered.

“What did happened with you and her tonight?” Richie asked.

“Oh Richie, it was nothing. I was only trying to help her. She was talking to him about his songwriting and going off the beaten patch so much that I had suggested going another way with her story.” She told him.

Richie and Dave looked strangely at Dot. “I liked the questions she asked me.” Dave said. “They were different. She seems cool to me.” He continued.

“Dave, no offense, but you’re not a songwriter. You know how these stories go. No ones cares about the keyboardist.” She said pointedly.

Dave’s blue eyes turned red. He was livid.

“Dave, Dave, c’mon. You know what I meant. You are great at what you do. However, we all know whose last name this band holds. Plain and simple. We all love him and would do anything and everything for him. I just can’t believe this is how he repays us all. “ She cried.

Doc nodded his head.

“You know Dot. He’s tired. All of these guys are tired. Maybe he just needs some space. “ Doc told her. “Well rest is a luxury he can’t afford. And by playing Diva is just going to make matters worse. Trust me, I know all of us are tired. Hell, I’m tired too. He better get the stick out of his ass now. There are a lot of bands out there that would kill to be in his shoes if the opportunity came their way. He’s taken too much of this for granted.” She told them as she stomped out of the car and into the hotel.

“Jon should drop that bitch now!” Dave said.
Richie shook his head. “I’m too tired for this shit.” He said as he went up to his room. “I’m going to bed.”

Jon and Trina pulled into a small bar that Jon frequents when he’s in town.

Called “The Bowery”, the bar was on the outskirts of Philly. It was small, unpretentious. Perfect for a young band starting out, but the last place that someone would expect Jon Bon Jovi to be.

“Jonny! Welcome!” yelled the bar owner Mark Denehey.

“How are you Mark? Nice to see you!” Jon said.

Mark patted him on the back. Mark, a former cop, was a tall man with jet-black hair and blue eyes. Formerly, one of Jon’s old bodyguards, he was now a trusted friend. Jon turned to Trina. “Trina, meet Mark Denehey, owner of The Bowery. Mark, Trina Logan of the Philly Post.”

Mark smiled. “Good evening Miss Logan.”

“Nice to meet you.” Trina said extending her hand to Mark. The two shook hands and Jon smiled.

“We missed you tonight.” Jon told Mark.

“We were busy. Pool league. “ Mark said.

“Oh yeah?” Jon asked.

“Yeah. We get easily 60 to 70 people in here on Saturdays. On Sundays minimum is 60. “ Mark replied.

“No shit?” Jon said. He looked surprised. He turned to Trina.
“Hey Trina, do you play pool?” He asked.

“No.” she replied. “Not well at all. Can you play Jon?” she asked

“Yeah?” Jon said.

“He’s pretty good.” Mark said. “Jonny, remember London Bridges?” Jon began to laugh.

“London Bridges?” Trina asked.

“Trina, you don’t want to know.” Jon smirked. “Mark, she doesn’t want to know.”

Mark flashed a huge grin across his face.

“Get me a beer. Please?” Jon said. He was still leering about London Bridges.

“Sure. What would you like Miss Logan?” Mark asked Trina.

“Beer is fine. “ Trina said.

“I’ll be right back.” Mark said. The two sat down in front of the bar as they watched Mark pour two mugs of beer from the tap.

“Okay, what the hell is London Bridges?” Trina asked.

Jon laughed. “Okay it’s a game we made up on the Slippery tour. After a show one night, we all went to a bar that was a lot like this one. We began to play pool. Well, these girls come up and challenged us to a game. Needless to say we lost our asses to them. So we’re like fine, you beat us let’s win our money back and they beat us again. I swear we kept on going back and forth with them all night and we could not beat them. Later on we find out that these girls were pros and that they were hustling us. So Richie came up with an idea for them to lose their shirts. Literally.

We call the game London Bridges. Winning team wins the money, losers well they get lose everything-including the shirts off their backs and then some.”

Trina’s eyes widened. “Who won?”

Jon laughed. “They did.”

Trina let out a huge belly laugh. “London Bridges, falling down!” She squealed.

“They fell down all right.” Jon said taking a long sip of his beer.

“Feel better?” she said.

“Yes, I do. I love this place. I know when I come here I can just be myself and instead of being whisked away in some VIP area.” He said.

“Awww. You don’t like preferential treatment?” she asked.

“No I don’t. VIP sections most of the time are so closed in. I like open spaces. “ He said.

Trina sipped her beer. “You would think you’d want to be by yourselves because your life is so open.” She said.

“Being on tour is not what people think it is. As fun as it is to perform every night, what most people don’t know is that you are alone three quarters of the time. You go to bed late; wake up late; you go to your destination; then to the venue, you eat something, after that you maybe do an interview or two. Then you get ready for the show. After having that freedom for 2 sometimes 3 hours, then it starts over again. “ Jon said.

“With all those people around you who would think about things being so lonely. “ Trina said.

“It is because you can’t exactly trust everyone around you. Everyone wants something.” Jon said.

“Talking about Dot?” Trina asked.

“She’s changed. A total 180. She’d rather have me kill myself night in and out than to actually ask me how I am. “ Jon said.

“You do think she’s just being overprotective?”

Trina asked.

“I thought that before. But now? I think she’s getting used to this lifestyle. Just because she’s my girlfriend doesn’t mean she’s entitled to tell me how I feel and how I should act. “

“Then tell her that Jon.”

“Easier said than done. “ he told her as he took another long sip of his beer.

“Why’s that?” Trina asked

“She’s got the powers that be convinced that I’m the one with the problems. “ Jon said.

With one long swig, he finished his beer and pushed the empty mug to Mark. Mark quickly refilled the mug and pushed it back to him.

“I don’t think she’s gotten to them.” Trina said.
”I do.” Jon said.

“Then tell them.” Said Trina.

“Not that easy.” Jon said.
”Stand in my shoes and watch the Bon Jovi organization at work. You’ll see why. Too many people are dependent on what I do.” He continued.

Trina glanced down at her watch. She had only drunk a quarter of her beer compared to his now 2-½ beers at that time. She needed to write this article and get some rest.

“I’ve gotta get going. My deadline’s up in a couple of hours.” She told him.

“Can I go with you?” Jon asked. “To be honest, I don’t feel like going back to the hotel right now and dealing with Dot. Not yet. “

Trina hesitantly agreed. “Okay. But you’ll be bored. There’s not a hell of a lot that goes on.” She said.
”Better than drama.” Jon said.

“Give me the keys.” She said. Jon handed her the keys. He took out a few dollar bills and handed them to Mark. The two of them left the bar and drove up a few blocks to where the Philly Post was located.

As the two sat in the parking lot, Trina took out her notebook and pen. Jon looked out the passenger window.

“Ready for this?” Trina asked.

Jon looked at her strangely. “Why?” he asked.
”They’re not going to believe what they’re seeing when you walk in.” she replied.

Jon laughed.

“I think they’ll be okay. You didn’t even know who I was earlier. I bet they have no idea it’s me.”

She laughed. “I bet these guys do. All of these guys doing pre-press rock out in the pre-press dept. That freakin’ radio blares so much around here after 8’clock that you’d think they were at one of your shows.”

Jon laughed. “No shit.”

“C’mon.” she said as the two of them went into the Philly Post.