The
Stones Might Come
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"Listen, Geoff, I think we have to assume, you and me, that the Rolling
Stones are coming to Long View, and not weaken the effort by any thought that
they might not."
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I started calling Alan Dunn about midday, the next day, but got his
answering machine each time. His voice — on the assumption it was his
— seemed crisp, cool, and thoroughly under control. Not at all rock 'n'
roll.
He returned the phone call to me later that afternoon, while I was
still in the office at Worcester. Very formal, very polite, very to the
point. Yes, they had liked Long View Farm, particularly in respect of
its privacy and general inaccessibility to the public. No, there was no
one area at Long View quite big enough to accommodate a full-scale
rehearsal of the Rolling Stones.
I then explained to Alan Dunn our plans for the loft in the barn, and
attempted to convey to him my feeling that the construction could be
completed in time for their intended starting date of Monday, 17
August. Alan Dunn sounded skeptical, and not at all ready to make up
his mind. Not yet, at any rate.
They had worked in Woodstock the last time around, three years ago.
Apparently using some of the facilities at Bearsville — the recording
studio. How they had worked out the living accommodations was never
quite clear to me, although I detected some lingering dissatisfaction
with these arrangements. But at least Woodstock was a known quantity.
Long View was an unknown quantity. And now, with Mick gone to India, or
going to India tonight, it was going to be hard to get a decision, or
even a mild consensus, concerning a totally new place, like Long View.
"Alan," I said. "I think it would be a good idea if we could meet
each other. I'd like you to see who you're dealing with, and you need to be
further informed concerning our plans for the loft in the barn. Let's
let the eventual decision take care of itself."
"That's all very nice, what you say," Alan replied. "But I might be
making things a lot easier for myself if I didn't try to turn them on
to something too new at this point. I'm going to go back up to
Woodstock tonight, I think. Although it's supposed to rain."
"I hope it rains hard, Alan," I said. "I hope it rains hard and
that you hate the place all over again. Tomorrow's Saturday. Why don't you
call me when you get back from Woodstock, and you can give me further
news then."
"I hope you understand my position," was his reply.
"I understand, Alan. Call me tomorrow if you want, or on Monday."
I hung up with an unsteady hand and a cold feeling in the pit of my
stomach. Maybe this deal wasn't going to happen
at
all,
maybe not
even get to first base. Mick's in India. The band has temporarily split
up. They have to start
somewhere
on the 17th. That's three and a
half weeks from now. This fellow Alan Dunn seems to want a sure thing,
which would seem to favor Woodstock, but then he seems a bit
susceptible to me on the phone. Who knows?
My desk phone rang again, almost instantly. I stared blankly at it for
a second. It screamed at me again with its stupid thousand-cycle
chirps. The ear can't easily locate thousand-cycle sounds, and in a big
office like ours it's sometimes hard to find the phone that's chirping.
This time it was my phone, and it was Geoff Myers calling in on the hot
line from the Farm.
"Great news, Gil."
"What's up, Geoff?" I asked.
"Nigel can cut the beams tonight and deliver them tomorrow. Only $800,
but he needs cash. My cousin Billy said he can come, although he'll
probably bring a girlfriend. We've got to pay Billy this time. Bruce
said he and Happy don't want to work the second shift, so they're going
to start tomorrow at 8 AM."
"That's Saturday, right, Geoff?"
"Doesn't matter, they know what's at stake. They'll be the first
shift 'til
further notice. Happy needs some money to give his wife in
Connecticut, and I've already told Kathleen. How's everything in there?
Did you call Alan Dunn yet? They're still coming, right?"
I didn't know what I was going to say. But my mouth started moving.
"Yeah, Geoff, I'm here. Listen, Geoff, I think we have to assume, you
and me, that the Rolling Stones
are
coming to Long View, and not
weaken the effort by any thought that they might not. I
did
talk to Alan Dunn. Just a few seconds ago."
"And they're coming, right?"
"Yes, Geoff, the Stones are coming. We've got to assume the Stones are
coming. So, full speed ahead."
"Great, see you later, Gil."
"Maybe not until very much later, Geoff," I said. "I thought I
might go up to the El Morocco tonight for a meal."
"No problem," Geoff replied, "leave everything to me. I'm glad the
Stones are coming."
"The Stones are coming, Geoff," I said.
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