I Am The Highway || Chris Cornell

Los Angeles California, July 13 1995

I was starting to get into the groove of getting to know Jon and the guys from Bon Jovi. After spending the last week around him, I realize he's not such a bad guy. I was never one to judge anyone before so I shouldn't have been so defensive with the way I was acting the first day I met him. I have always been the person to give someone a chance and I feel bad that I was such a bitch that first day.

Fuck, I never thought I would ever be saying that Jon Bon Jovi is pretty cool...to anyone. I never thought I would be sort of working for them either. But it's only just until the end of this week and then I head back home to Seattle where they are recording the last of their tracks for their album before it's released.

So right now I'm in the studio to make sure that Jon and the guys are ok and if they need anything or not.

Oh they joys of being a P.A. How did I end up doing this? Oh... yea... right.

"Ok... so I've got the hotel booked for when you head to Seattle... um... you have a couple of interviews with the Seattle times... I guess to go over your new album and... yea that's pretty much it. They have me, kinda set up as your 'tour guide' around Seattle, once you get there... so if you need anything... you can just ask... well obviously " I say as I look down at my planner with Jon sitting across from me in the Control room while Ritchie records some solo work.

"Alright... sounds like a plan," Jon flashes his smile at me as I look back up at him.

"So are you from Seattle... like... originally or...?" He asks me after a few minutes.

"Uh... no, I'm from Ontario, Canada...," I say as I look back down at myself and adjust my Pantera shirt.

"Oh... ok... I thought you kinda had an east coast accent," He smiles at me.

"Really..? I thought it had pretty much dissipated by now..." I say.

"Maybe... I can hear it though..." He smirks at me and flips his dark blonde locks out of his eyes.

" I moved to Seattle for school back in '88... but I dropped out..." I continue.

"Really...? Highschool....?" He asks as he leans forward, resting his arms on his knees.

"Ha! you're sweet... no, um... college..." I giggle at the fact he thought I was so young.

"College... really...? What were you going for...?" He smiles at me and I look up at him.

"Business Administration... I only did 2 semesters and then I got bored and dropped out... I was only 18 at the time... just a kid..." I trail off thinking about it, looking back down at myself and wishing somehow I had just stuck with it. My life would've been so different... but it wasn't me. I'm good at the business side of things but what I was learning didn't seem to be useful unless you wanted to be a CEO of a large company, and that's not like me at all. Music is my life and being in the music business all around is what I love.

"So you're only like what...?" Jon trails off.

"25,"I say as I look up at him.

"My god... you're still  just a kid..." He chuckles and I squint my eyes at him.

"Yea...? well whatever you think then..." I say flatly.

"I didn't mean it as an insult... I just remember when I was 25 and I still was just a kid back then..." Jon says still leaning forward and swiveling the chair a bit.

"Oh so you're like an old man now...?" I giggle.

"Somedays I feel like it," He smiles.

"So you're like what... 40?" I joke.