Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Mick and Me

Mick and I have a long and complicated history.

In 1970, I adored him.  I saw him in "Performance" (a very strange film) at the San Francisco film festival.  His androgyny thrilled me to my core.  I had liked the Stones, but found that Mick was the most spectacular performer I had ever seen.

Now the truth is, I didn't see all of the movie.  I was dating a young man who was a labor lawyer and we started sort of making out about half way through the film.  I think I closed my eyes and thought of Mick.  Know what I mean?

At some point, Mick married Bianca and I realized he and I would get together one day, but not until he and the gorgeous Latina woman broke up.

In the meantime, I listened to "Some Girls" and waited patiently.  Oh I had husbands and lovers during those years I waited, but I knew for sure, one day it would be up close and personal for Mick and me.  I wasn't wrong.

In 2005, the Rolling Stones came to perform in the San Francisco Bay Area.  My husband got tickets but I dislike crowds so I encouraged him to go with a friend. At the last possible moment, I changed my mind and got two tickets, inviting my friend Andre to join me.  It turned out these last moment tickets were in a just opened area right in front of the stage.

I clutched Andre's arm as we stood in the cool evening fog waiting for the Stones to come on stage.  Andre had thoughtfully brought along a silver flask filled with good scotch for us to sip while we waited.  My heart was pounding in my chest as I waited for Mick to appear.

A roar came up from the sold out crowd and there they were!  The Rolling Stones!  Right in front of me!  It took a moment for me to realize that Mick and changed somewhat drastically since 1970.  It wasn't that he was older.  I had expected that.  Something else nearly knocked me over.

Mick was tiny.  He was about half my size.  He was skinny as a super model.  (Actually, all of the Rolling Stones were tiny men.)  For just a second, our eyes met.  For just a second, I thought "There he is!"

And then I started laughing.  Uh, no way.