Cowboy Diaries - a Jon Bon Jovi fan fiction

41: Price Of Love

15. October 1992, Kaufman Astoria NYC

Jon's  POV

"Would you all please take another step back now?!" a desperate Gary said.

Being our only available body guard at the moment, he had the task to keep all the screaming masses of fans away from our car, at least so far away that we, the band, could get out. 

We grabbed the few pieces of equipment stored in the trunk, at least those that could work without electricity access. So our instruments got reduced to two acoustic guitars and some spare drumsticks that Tico had originally packed to throw into the crowd after our show, plus a battery-worked microphone. 

Gary continued having great trouble in keeping the fans back, I constantly felt some hands touching me everywhere. Not violently, but they were realizing that it was their chance of their lifetime to get close to us. Common politeness doesn't even play a role in that moment. I couldn't even blame them. I knew exactly how it felt, I had been a little boy with dreams too.

Just as I wanted to say something, I heard an angry person scream. It took me a moment to locate where the screaming was coming from. It turned out to be a boring looking man in a suit, shouting at a boy who couldn't be older than 20. 

The boy looked at the floor, as if he was ashamed of something. It still was so loud that you hardly could overhear something, but the sudden "you're fired" and the young boy walking away fuming while he tried to not let a tear slip told me enough to know. 

My eyes switched back to the suit man. That was when I saw that he was coming closer. Actually it seemed like he wanted to talk to me. 

"I'm really sorry Mr. Bongiovi. Me, and the whole staff from the Astoria want to apologize sincerely. Seems like one of my workers has told his girlfriend about the concert, probably to impress her. And you know how girls are. They can't keep secrets. Of course this worker has felt our consequences, we will not tolerate such behaviour here." 

All I could do was to nod and assure him it was alright. 

Again, even though I was pissed I couldn't really be angry at that boy. That always was my problem, I could relate to other people way too much. Especially when I thought of me as a little kid, always on the look of getting it to something bigger and not seldom running away from authorities because of that. 

"We would really like to make it up to you for your troubles. Of course we can just reschedule the date, but is there anything else that you want? You know, if the press found out about that, it wouldn't be a smart move for our institution." 

Who was going to tell him that there were already press people approaching everywhere? Me keeping silenced made the boss look around, realizing there was no need for another offer. For a short moment you could see panic in his eyes, but he immediately pulled himself together again. 

"Oh, never mind that." 

"Rescheduling should be fine." I assured him to finally close this conversation. "But I think before the people here will let us go we have to play them something short." 

Again a short flash of panic, but then he seemed to think of ways he could make money with that, and that was when he agreed. 

"Alright, good luck. I hope they will keep you in one piece."