Saturday, July 16

4:50 pm
Suite

Okay, I'm officially tired of talking.  Ha ha.

I was on Skype with the Boys for over an hour.  I've been promising Jakey and Romey we'd talk on the "TV phone" as Romeo calls it.  But they've been so damned busy and all over the place and with the time zones it's been hard to find a time that works on both ends.

So when I talked to Dorothea yesterday we agreed to set it up for today.  This morning their time, afternoon here.  She called me then we dialed up the Skype and she set the laptop up on the kitchen table for the Chuckleheads.

Then she fled to take a shower.  Told me it was my turn to entertain them while she got a couple minutes' peace, ha ha.

It was a lot of fun, though it took Romey a little bit to get the point that he didn't have to put his face right up to the webcam.  I swear, I spent the first 10 minutes of the conversation looking up his boogery nostril.  At one point he even mashed his nose against the cam.  Of course me laughing didn't discourage him from doing it.  But I couldn't help myself.

And then after he figured out I could see him better if he sat back, and I could see BOTH him and his brother if they sat side-by-side, it became show-and-tell time.  Jakey would be rattling on about something and Romey would bolt out of the room and come back with some toy or piece of paper or something.  I swear I saw every Transformer that kid owns.

And I got to talk to Russell, which was basically me talking to a picture of the kitchen table, ha ha.

At one point Jake got the bright idea to pick up the laptop because he wanted to go watch TV but he still wanted to talk to me.  I had to yell at him to FREEZE because I knew if he fucked up D's laptop she'd have Jakey's ass.  And then she'd probably blame me.

Finally Jess came wandering into the room in his boxers, fresh out of bed at 10 am on a Saturday morning.  He saw what was going on and helped get the Chuckleheads settled down, then he grabbed a Coke and sat down to say Hi.

We talked a little about last week's Round 3 of football camp, and what his plans were for the weekend.  Jake and Romey totally lost interest once I started paying attention to Jess and disappeared to watch TV.  That was fine with me; I love 'em but I was exhausted just trying to keep up with them.  And I wasn't even there.  I was sitting here in my posh hotel suite trying to hold a somewhat sane conversation.

So Jess told me his Mama was cutting him a break, letting him go down the Shore with some buddies today and overnight tonight.  I said that's great, I'm glad he and D are getting along better.  She told me yesterday when we talked that Jesse's attitude has been a lot better, he's more his old self.  I had to chuckle at that.  It's because all is well in the Woman Department, no doubt.

I asked about Bridget and Jess just grinned and kinda hung his head like he does when he's a little embarrassed.  She's not going to be out in Jersey with him this weekend; she had to go to a wedding someplace.  Just a boys' weekend, hanging out in some beach house one of his friends' folks have in Wildwood.

But next weekend Jess and Bridget have BIG plans.  It's her birthday on Saturday, and he's taking her out for a fancy dinner and to see a show.  I asked him what he's getting her for a present, then about choked on my tea when he told me.

He got her a ring.  From Tiffany.

Bet that took a nice chunk out of his checking account.  I tried to hide my surprise but I don't think I did very well.  I casually asked "what kind of ring?"  And my Son, obviously the Original Chucklehead, said "a silver one."  DUH.  I laughed and said No, I meant was there something special about this ring, does it symbolize something?

Jess just shrugged and mumbled "yeah, kinda."

Shit.  The Boy bought a promise ring.  Is that what they still call them?  That's what it was when I was his age, when a guy bought a pretty little ring for his girl and swore someday he'd buy her an engagement diamond and a wedding band.  And then probably at least half of those promises were broken, and the guy ended up with a lighter wallet and the chick ended up with a piece of jewelry to remind her of young love.  Ha ha.

Anyway, I didn't push.  I just said I'm sure Bridget will love the ring, and made a mental note to have a heart-to-heart with Jess when I get home.  After all, he's only gonna be a junior in high school, for Christ's sake.  And Bridget's heading off to college.  I get the burning passion of young love and vows of devotion... but chances are it ain't gonna last.  I hope for Jesse's sake it does, but I have my doubts.

So I could see he didn't really want to share, and being the Cool Dad I am I just changed the subject.  To football, ha ha.  I told him I got an email that my Giants tickets were being mailed this week so we'll be sure to catch a few games.  And I told him I had it on good authority from an Inside Source that this lockout's gonna end in time for the season to go, so not to worry.  This fall I got nothin' but time to be a Football Freak.  Tour's done, no new record on the way, no more movies.  Just Family and Foundation.

Jess grinned at that, said he can't wait to hang out with me.  Then he slurped down his Coke and said he needed to go hit the shower and get his shit together for his weekend.  Jeremy was picking him up at noon.

I told Jess to have fun and be careful and use his head; he doesn't want to get himself back in the doghouse with Mama.  He said he would.

So then I had nobody left to talk to as the Chuckles had abandoned me.  So I closed up Skype and went to take a shower.  Now I'm just waiting for the knock on my door to head out to Soundcheck.

Another day, another dollar.  And only a couple more weeks 'til I get to go home and hang out with my Boys.

7:10 pm
Dressing Room

Berg's hanging around, snapping shots of me.  You know, those "intimate, private moments" of the Artist backstage.

Surprised he doesn't want to shoot me taking my Pre-show Dump, Ha ha.

Alright, Dirty Cookie.  Let's see what you got for me tonight...

"There are a lot of fish in the sea, but you're the one to Mount."

Heh heh.

I may have to use that line on Cate.  How romantic, comparing my wife to a prize tuna.  Ha ha.

Berg got me on film opening my cookie.  I look like a Doof.  Best Rock Photog in the fucking universe and he can't even make me look Cool.

No way that one's going up on his site.  That one gets the Official Reject Stamp from Jon Bon Jovi himself, Ha ha.

Go the fuck away, Berg.  I want to call my wife before the show.