The Sauna Part 87

We shot three more rounds of pool, guys against girls. Jon was a fair shooter and so was Richie, but Elaine was just as good. We beat the guys two out of three and decided to quit while we were ahead. It was just after seven and I was getting hungry now and the clams had only been a snack, so we headed off for dinner.

We went to my favorite restaurant, the Scotch & Sirloin, where I’d always gone for special occasions since I was a little girl. We had no reservations and it was crowded on Saturdays, so we sat in the lounge by the fireplace rather than waiting for a table in the dining room. They had an acoustic act tonight and the guy played a lot of old stuff we all liked. The fire and the wine and the company made me mellow and I asked the singer if he knew “Puff the Magic Dragon” and he did. Jon and Richie both laughed at me when I got tears in my eyes, but it always happened when I heard that song.

Jon bought the guy a drink for playing it for me and he came over and joined us during his break. The conversation naturally turned to music and the guy asked Jon and Richie if they wanted to play a number, apparently not realizing who they were. Richie agreed readily and Jon didn’t need much prompting either since we’d already finished our dinners by this time.

“What do you want to hear, babe?” he asked me.

“Lay Your Hands on Me” I replied without hesitation and Jon made a face.

“What?” I asked innocently.

“It sounds better with a chorus. What do you think, Richie?” he asked.

“Yeah, it does, but I think we oughtta play it anyway. I don’t wanna disappoint a lady” he grinned at me.

Jon made a face and shrugged, but he didn’t argue. I felt bad then and asked what he wanted to play instead. I didn’t want him to play something he would be disappointed in and that he wouldn’t enjoy, knowing what a perfectionist he was, and it was more important that he had fun.

“How about ‘Silvia’s Mother’ instead? You like that one too and it’ll sound better” he offered and I nodded.

As soon as the break was over, the singer, Dave, announced a special guest. He simply announced “Jon & Richie” and I had to laugh. We certainly weren’t in Jersey and I wondered how they both felt about not even being recognized by another musician, but they were both making a point of not admitting who they were and they chose a song they’d be less likely to be associated with.

Lainie and I sat back and watched, enjoying the opportunity to see them both like this in a much more intimate setting. A small crowd gathered, but that wasn’t unusual when there was an act in the lounge. They sounded wonderful and there was a round of applause as they finished and stepped down and rejoined us at the table. Our desserts arrived, with coffee, of course, when a woman who looked to be about our age approached the table.

“Excuse me for interrupting, but aren’t you Jon Bon Jovi?” she asked.

Jon swallowed his first bite of dessert and grinned. I noticed that this time he looked genuinely pleased. I wondered if he would have been disappointed if no one noticed him after hearing him sing. He extended his hand to the woman and introduced Richie too.

“I thought so! My husband said I was crazy, but I’d know you two anywhere, even if you didn’t sing a Bon Jovi classic!” she said ecstatically and motioned her husband over.

Jon and Richie shook hands with her husband and she asked for an autograph before excusing herself and apologizing again for the interruption. The lounge singer noticed all of this taking place and I guessed that someone had finally clued him in about who the celebrity in his audience was. When he finished his number, he motioned to the guys to come back up and then announced them again, adding “from the band, Bon Jovi” after whispering an apology for not having recognized them. This time they played their current hit, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” and the entire bar started to sing along.

After a huge round of applause this time and a few more autograph requests, Richie paid the bill and we made ready to leave. I was glad they got such a welcome response from the crowd and that the song Jon was so proud of was immediately recognized. But I was also ready to go home. I was feeling a little selfish and I didn’t want to share Jon all night with the public. I was greedy, and I wanted him all to myself.

It was just striking midnight when we got home and the cats were hungry. I filled up their food bowls and freshened their water and Elaine yawned. Richie gave her a squeeze and she sagged against him. He looked at Jon and I and said goodnight as he escorted Lainie towards his room and shut the door.

“Well, wife, whaddya say we hit the hay too?” Jon asked, looking a little sleepy himself.

“Tired, love?” I asked, sounding a little disappointed.

“Not that tired” he said smiling, but fighting a yawn, and we headed for the bedroom too.