Those Tickets Had My Name on Them

(Photo G00gled ~ Stones 1972)

I'll be at The Eagles concert in Nashville in a couple weeks.

This got me thinking about my "concert days" back when I was being a *Pennie Lane*.

It was my junior year. 1972

The radio stations were all abuzz about The Rolling Stones coming to Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI.

I HAD to go.

There was this nerdy guy, Paul, in one of my classes. It was known that his dad was somehow affiliated with different venues and Paul was always able to get tickets to anything he wanted.

I decided I was going to the Stones concert via Paul. (I know, don't say it.)

So I entered flirt mode a couple weeks before the concert. Sure enough, he asked me if I wanted to go.

In the meantime, (yes, MEAN having a double entendre here) Karin and I were hanging out at Hart Plaza, downtown Detroit, and met a couple guys. I started dating "Ray" and still kept Paul on the side, until after the concert of course. (Again, I know ... shhhh)

The concert was on a Saturday night. I bought a new outfit (probably something short and tight) to wear. The tickets were 3rd row center, main floor. (First row was crappy at Cobo, you just saw security thugs and your neck hurt from looking up)

Early Saturday morning, I got the dreaded call from Paul. He couldn't go to the concert. Right. He said he had come home in his father's car drunk the night before so he was grounded.

I held my breath waiting for him to offer me the tickets. He didn't.

He said he was going to go out on Woodward Ave. while his dad was at work, and try to sell them. Chit. "Try" ... right ... everyone and their brother wanted tickets to the Stones.

A couple hours later, as I sat home bumming out, Ray called.

He was so excited, "Nancy, you're not going to believe this." I just scored the most awesome Rolling Stone tickets for tonight ... can you go?"

:::blink blink:::

(Let me guess, 3rd row center?)

"Sure Ray ... how did you get tickets?"

As the words came out, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "I was on Woodward and some guy rolled down his window at a stop light and said he had Stones tickets for sale, so we are going!"

I never told Ray, I never told Paul.

I did go out with Paul a couple times after that, not to a concert, just because he really was a nice guy. And Ray ... well I was 18 and he was 28, I knew that was not a good long term thing.