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.
