August 12, 1989

I was working in New Haven, Connecticut in 1989. In fact, I was working at the single best job I ever had.

You see, back then I was trying to find a career. I had graduated college, and bounced around a few jobs. I had a book out, was teaching creative writing and writing copy for a magazine.

The teaching was fun, but I hated the office job. My Dad was on the site in New Haven and he called me.

“I need someone to work in the office here. The mayor wants a daily report of progress on the job.”

He didn’t ask twice, but just a few months into it, things went sour for Dad and the mayor, and Dad left. The company kept me.

A month after Dad left, I was offered a different position with the company that Dad up and left. They wanted me to be a fire watch on the second shift.

I didn’t accept the demotion.

I walked down the hall and got a job with the concrete company. Same job. Just changed hardhats and I stayed through the end of the job.

Had a lot of fun as a 24-year old kid. Lived on my own. Wrote a lot.

Anyway, on 08/12/89, I was listening to the radio and they kept teasing a surprise appearance by rock and roll legends at Toad’s Place on the Yale campus.

I was less than a mile away, so I went, and stood outside the place as a huge bus pulled up.

Toad’s Place is a college bar that holds about 700 people. We didn’t know who the ‘legends’ were but we got in line for $3 tickets to see whoever showed up.

Problem being there were about two thousand people there. I didn’t get a ticket to get inside.

“We’ll open the doors and you’ll hear a great show,” the guy in charge said.

Turned my attention back to the bus, and the doors opened and Hall & Oates came running down the steps.

“Bah!” I thought. I didn’t mind Hall & Oates, but legends?

They ran into the club.

The door to the bus remained open, and from about 12’ away, I almost passed out when I spotted Keith Richards and Ronny Wood of the Rolling Stones coming down the steps.

Twelve feet away!

Keith & Ronny had their arms around one another. Both had cigarettes and Ronny had a bottle of Jack.

I couldn’t believe those two legends were standing right in front of me, and then, I thought:

“Mick and Charlie are still on the bus!”

Charlie calmly walked by next, and then…

…there was Mick Jagger.

Easily one of the most famous people on the planet jogged past me.

When I close my eyes, nearly 37 years later, I can still see that jog. He waved, yelled something, and then went in.

A moment in time.

The band ripped through a bunch of songs.

I didn’t see a second of the show, but man, I didn’t miss a note either.

What a day.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I’d be riding around 37 years later listening to their new album, and marveling about how great it is.

Legendary.

Hall & Oates?

They did ‘Rich Girl’ and ‘I Can’t Go for That’.

We all sang along.