The Day Tom Jones Changed My Life

[Kire]

Up until that point, I'd never been much of a Tom Jones fan. He was more my mother's generation, not mine. Oh sure, I knew he had some hits here and there since the mid-sixties. I'd danced to "Sexbomb" and "Kiss" while I mindlessly hummed along to his Welsh baritone. Still, I didn't own any of his CDs. Didn't know the lyrics to most of his songs, save for a few bars of "What's New Pussycat?", "It's Not Unusual", and "She's a Lady". But that's only because I recalled them from endlessly listening to my mom's stereo. Had I any alternative, I would have changed the record. Of course, as a child, I had no alternatives. It was mom's way or the highway, so to speak.

So when my friend Sheila invited me to the concert, I was ambivalent at best. Would I be the youngest woman there at thirty-two? Would watching a middle-aged man gyrating on stage gross me out? Would my friends tease me mercilessly? Would I have to pay to witness the spectacle? Ah, the last question was the deciding factor. And, no, I didn't. So, yes, I went. Free is free, after all.

Besides, even I had an appreciation for the concept of "legend". And it's not every day you get to see one up close and personal, regardless of your feelings towards that person beforehand. Plus, Sheila couldn't find anyone else to go with her. I was tempted to give her my mother's phone number, but decided it was best not to put my friend through the torture of three hours alone with her. My mom would always be my mom; Sheila could easily erase me from her speed dial and forever be done with me.

At eight o'clock on a warm Saturday night, I found myself fifth row center in a lovely outdoor amphitheater, surrounded by a thousand or so fans, most of which were women. The men, I assumed, were beleaguered husbands and boyfriends. Sheila was already grinning from ear to ear. I was on my second glass of wine, hoping to catch up with her sense of joy. It turned out, I didn't have long to wait.

More: http://www.theweirdcrap.com/stories/2005/tomjones/01.html

[medeak]

1. true Tom Jones story

husband built high rise casino and Mr. Jones was opening act. Mr. Jones refused to go on stage as was not satisfied with the sauna in his dressing room (penthouse floor)

Husband had it with the guy and had mechanical contractor install so many steam vents that you had to run for life to escape the steam.

Tom Jones opened with no complaints.