Forward.
Beautiful sunny morning just like any other morning and she gets a text from Main, call right away. Mani informs her that P has died. She goes home, the press are waiting outside with high power lens. She goes in and closes the blinds and makes no comment. She knows enough not to make comments that would be turned into sound bites.
.
As per Manuela of Paisley ‘everything is locked down’. She called Wendy, Lisa and Shelia and they welcome welcome her to come to Minn.
.
She highlights the whirlwind life it was: performances, after shows, one-off gigs, TV, photo, etc.
.
It had been years since she last saw him but she always honored his privacy. She too is hungry to hear stories of his life to fill in the gaps. She hopes all who knew him shares their own stories. This is her story and she is going to tell it her way.
.
*Now I must admit to everyone. i never thought about her one way or the other. I wasn’t going to read the book, and i certainly wasn’t going to buy it. But all the hate and cruel things people were saying about her brought out the 'protect the underdog' instinct in me. Once I defended her, i boxed myself into corner and realized i had to buy the book and I had to read it with an open mind. One of the first things (besides the tragedy of her son) I got from the book was the overall kindness she showed for people, many of whom in my opinion did not deserve her kindness.
.
I have no need to ‘fact check’ her. That is a waste of time. I take the book for what it is, a brief glimpse into P’s world through her eyes. Some have said, there is her story, his story and somewhere in the middle the truth. She never tries to make this solely his story, he is a person in her life (ok who happens to be a rock star). I’m glad I read the book. Thank you, Penny for such a wonderful forum to share a few tears and a few laughs in a judgement free zone.
~~DD55
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I agree. It's so difficult, because with Prince, everyone around him was NOT family. Just like he grew up. Mayte became his family for a short time, but she, or anyone else seemed to be able to penetrate his 'do not enter' sign. On one hand, I want to shake Mayte for not grabbing his face and saying: Hey! Let's go to a fertility specialist and find out what's going on, it could be a quick fix and boom, you'll be a dad. On the other hand, he NEVER was vulnerable with her. I mean in the sense of tearing down the 'do not enter' sign and being 100% vulnerable. So she must've grown accustomed to his body language and was afraid to cross certain boundary lines that she noticed. The baby and his fertility probably had a flashing DO NOT ENTER sign so Mayte steered clear.
Side note: I imagine that Prince had encountered just as many gorgeous, talented women who did not make history for the simple fact that they were not going to put up with his 'do not enter' sign. He probably cut them loose or they left him (Susannah). Along with other employees, friends, bandmates, etc.
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Right. But why not wait for him to join you to finalize a home purchase? It must've been a hasty move on her part; the money hadn't been arranged yet.
Side note: I found it odd that she included the part about the money at all. The money later cleared and the story didn't go anywhere so I wasn't clear on why she included it. Are we supposed to read anything into it?
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I agree that there are small contradictions but the thing I found the most frustrating was the stories she told us about were from YouTube videos we had seen. Almost like she watched them and then built her memory based on the stories instead of recalling a story and telling it from her memory's perspective. It may seem odd, but there is a difference between a recollection and watching yourself on video and narrating the scene for outsiders.
I agree that she was a yes person. I think the whole way they got married was an example. I mean this in a sense that she did not encourage any type of premarital counseling or have a say on the timeline. It was like she allowed herself to be the physical representation of HIS fantasy wife instead of a loving couple organizing a marriage together. In fact, I believe this to be the case for their entire marriage, not just their wedding. HE chose when they became intimate, HE chose when they married, HE chose when they made a baby. Goodness! Then again, she was SOOOO young AND very sheltered in the sense that she had never been in any type of relationship.
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I think it didn't matter what house it was, as long as it had the square footage he wanted, he would redo it to HIS liking anyway. | |
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Yup, that's what she said, but as I read it I remember feeling that while she fought WITH P against joining JWs, she ended up not foghting FOR P against Manuela.
I think he was waiting for her to fight for him and when she didn't he figured he was justified in leaving her cuz she must not love him anymore.
On her end, I think she didn't fight cuz she thought it was a phase, like in her parents' marraige, and he'd come back to her on his own so she didn't fight and rock the boat.
I think that was her biggest mistake. Leaving Minnesota and not fighting Manuela or whomever she needed to fight to keep him. I think her fighting would've made a huge difference.
The day she saw that damned handshake, she should've stepped to them both and told them that she didn't feel comfortable with what she saw and immediately fired Manuela IN FRONT OF P.
"It's nice to meet you, but I'm afraid your services won't be required anymore. Thank you for you help, but I'll be returning to Minnesota and taking over those duties now. Arrangements will be made for your final check. Please follow me to the accounting department. P, I'll see you at home. *kiss*"
I don't recall any woman P was linked to ever fighting, especially not publicly, to keep him.
Can anyone think of one?
I think if you listen to the lyrics to Man O' War that's what he's asking for, her to fight FOR him and "make him feel wanted again".
He was telling her that he was looking for proof from her that she could/did still love him despite the pain he felt he had caused her with failing to give her healthy babies and his growing attraction to Manuela. He felt himself being drawn to her and he wants Mayte to rescue him from that weakness.
I cry when I hear how plaintive he's being.
ETA:
As I relisten to the entire Rav Un2 album, it dawned on me that the entire thing seems to be a plea for Mayte to fight for him.
Am I imagining this?
[Edited 4/18/17 15:31pm] | |
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And hence, you would not have ended up married to Prince. Yes, it was a problem that P didn't have lasting relationhsips with people who stood up to him. And it was Prince's problem. Not like I love my guitar.... | |
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Your consistent compassion really is a joy to behold. Not like I love my guitar.... | |
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I think they had a very immature love. I often wondered if the reason he was attracted to 20 year old women his entire life had something to do with his emotional immaturity . Anyway, there type of love is fine when you are living with your parents and have nothing else in your life to think about besides your lover. That deep volatile dramatic love dosn't work in the real world for adults, it is not comfortable and does not give you a soft place to fall, to refuel. there are super duper highs and terrible lows and after a while your brain starts to spin and sooner or later It's going to explode. In my opinion that manic type of love never ends well. I can imagine probably nothing better, when it's good, but the fall out and damage from the crash and burn can be life altering. | |
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LBrent said:
Yup, that's what she said, but as I read it I remember feeling that while she fought WITH P against joining JWs, she ended up not foghting FOR P against Manuela.
I think he was waiting for her to fight for him and when she didn't he figured he was justified in leaving her cuz she must not love him anymore.
On her end, I think she didn't fight cuz she thought it was a phase, like in her parents' marraige, and he'd come back to her on his own so she didn't fight and rock the boat.
I think that was her biggest mistake. Leaving Minnesota and not fighting Manuela or whomever she needed to fight to keep him. I think her fighting would've made a huge difference.
The day she saw that damned handshake, she should've stepped to them both and told them that she didn't feel comfortable with what she saw and immediately fired Manuela IN FRONT OF P.
"It's nice to meet you, but I'm afraid your services won't be required anymore. Thank you for you help, but I'll be returning to Minnesota and taking over those duties now. Arrangements will be made for your final check. Please follow me to the accounting department. P, I'll see you at home. *kiss*"
I don't recall any woman P was linked to ever fighting, especially not publicly, to keep him.
Can anyone think of one?
I think if you listen to the lyrics to Man O' War that's what he's asking for, her to fight FOR him and "make him feel wanted again".
He was telling her that he was looking for proof from her that she could/did still love him despite the pain he felt he had caused her with failing to give her healthy babies and his growing attraction to Manuela. He felt himself being drawn to her and he wants Mayte to rescue him from that weakness.
I cry when I hear how plaintive he's being.
ETA:
As I relisten to the entire Rav Un2 album, it dawned on me that the entire thing seems to be a plea for Mayte to fight for him.
Am I imagining this?
[Edited 4/18/17 15:31pm] I agree with what you're saying, however, in Mayte's defense, it sounds like she was too emotionally drained still from the loss of their child to fight anymore. | |
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LOVESYMBOLNUMBER2 said: I think they had a very immature love. I often wondered if the reason he was attracted to 20 year old women his entire life had something to do with his emotional immaturity . Anyway, there type of love is fine when you are living with your parents and have nothing else in your life to think about besides your lover. That deep volatile dramatic love dosn't work in the real world for adults, it is not comfortable and does not give you a soft place to fall, to refuel. there are super duper highs and terrible lows and after a while your brain starts to spin and sooner or later It's going to explode. In my opinion that manic type of love never ends well. I can imagine probably nothing better, when it's good, but the fall out and damage from the crash and burn can be life altering.
I didn't find anything immature about her. She seemed tone an old soul and very mature and worldly for someone so young. There's nothing mature about a young woman taking off to live on her own in another country away from her family. The fact that she was able to encourage this man to come out of his shell alone says that their relationship was more than what you describe. The fact that she tried to make peace between him and his father speaks to that as well. [Edited 4/18/17 16:18pm] [Edited 4/18/17 16:19pm] | |
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Yes, NickiStarr, that was the sense I got as well. Not only that, but in watching the Oprah interview and the Simbad one, what she described in her book and what actually happened on those Youtubes were different. Particulary the Simbad one - where she said the audience did this, they did the complete opposite.
As for the sheltered part, I disagree there and even she states in the book that when she was first left alone in the hotel room with P in Germany, her mother knew she could "handle herself" based on what she had seen of her daughter in different situations when dancing. Realistically, belly dancing is viewed as an erotic art and a 16 year old better know how to handle herself around grown men when she is dancing like that. She wrote about moving her body in such a way that they weren't able to touch her for any length of time, if at all. Girl was hip to what was really going on. God is my Sugar Daddy. | |
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Yes, and I agree with Mayte's assessment that she's "screwed" for life because of it. That was a lot to process in 2 or 3 years - seemingly having it all and then losing it all, while the "all" is not that common in the first place. I can see how she would struggle with relationships afterward. God is my Sugar Daddy. | |
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I agree very much.
This goes back to what I was trying to express about the fantasy/mythology he created around their love story.
Doesn't hold up in the bright lights of real life too long.
A plumber and his cashier wife could've never lasted living in that fantasy and not solely because of the money. [Edited 4/18/17 16:27pm] | |
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NotACleverName said: This might be in the book but I don't recall and this is most likely a question to be addressed during the overall general discussion but, alas, as I have stated previously, I am an impatient soul. Can someone answer WHO, Mate or Prince, actually filed for divorce, please. It is vague to me. She explains how she wrote a letter to Prince in March of 2000 stating she knew he didn't love her, etc., but only asks him how they can resolve their current situation in a mature manner with minimal damage to each other. She states she couldn't bring herself to write "divorce". The next chapter begins with her narrative of her "Jersey" lawyer but does not specifically state who the petitioner is. She simply tells how she, in May, went to her lawyers to sign the final papers. And yes, 60 days does seem quick. I had to wait six months in CO after filing. However, they had not been "officially" living together since 1998 as her main residence was Spain and his MN. That must have factored into the expeditious time frame. She asked for the divorce and he filed on her behalf. Just like Elvis and Priscilla. | |
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Is everyone ready for the prologue? | |
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Honestly, I'd like to say that I think she'll find someone one day, and I do hope that happens, but realistically...good or bad...P was a pretty damned hard act to follow.
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LBrent said:
Honestly, I'd like to say that I think she'll find someone one day, and I do hope that happens, but realistically...good or bad...P was a pretty damned hard act to follow.
Agreed, she has a better chance now | |
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She asked for the divorce technically, but P had done everything in his power to make that her only viable recourse.
Now, this is where I do think he was being clever for the sake of being JW...by her divorcing him he could be free to marry Mani as a JW without having "sinned". If he had divorced Mayte, he would not have been able to marry Mani as a JW and not have lotsa other negative implications in order to follow JW doctrine.
P definitely pulled some slickness there. But for those who are religious, doesn't it say somewhere that nothing done in the dark doesn't eventually come to light? If P's deity was as he understood him to be from his beliefs, I'm sure this has already been addressed wherever he is now.
And as for Mani, she may or may not be religious, but dharma/kharma isn't about religion, it's about the Universe making sure folks get exactly what they deserve, good or bad, either in this life (EB, anyone?) or in whatever follows this life.
Just a thought
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ooops, did already #1230 | |
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Honestly? I would have packed his bags and put them in a cab for him to go live with Manuela, because he SURE AS FUCK wouldn't be coming back to me. Like, nope, brah, you want to stay married, you keep your eyes, your hands, and your other body parts away from other women. If a man wants to leave, you show his ass the door, not try to fight the other woman.
Also, she couldn't have fired Manuela -- Paisley Park wasn't her business, and Manuela wasn't her employee. I imagine myself inside your bedroom; oh, I imagine myself in your sky.
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LBrent said:
She asked for the divorce technically, but P had done everything in his power to make that her only viable recourse.
Now, this is where I do think he was being clever for the sake of being JW...by her divorcing him he could be free to marry Mani as a JW without having "sinned". If he had divorced Mayte, he would not have been able to marry Mani as a JW and not have lotsa other negative implications in order to follow JW doctrine.
P definitely pulled some slickness there. But for those who are religious, doesn't it say somewhere that nothing done in the dark doesn't eventually come to light? If P's deity was as he understood him to be from his beliefs, I'm sure this has already been addressed wherever he is now.
And as for Mani, she may or may not be religious, but dharma/kharma isn't about religion, it's about the Universe making sure folks get exactly what they deserve, good or bad, either in this life (EB, anyone?) or in whatever follows this life.
Just a thought
I think people that want out,and make life terrible for their partner, so they don't have to be the bad guy, happens all the time. I also think when you fall out of a love so hyper intense, it can happen very quickly, in one day, done the next. As for Mani, she is just unlikeable, some people have auras that others are drawn to like prince, she has an aura that most find unpleasant. She text book style sucked prince in for sure, but I believe mayte was right when she said if it had not been Mani it would have been someone else. [Edited 4/18/17 17:12pm] | |
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One thing she didn't mention in her book is them seeing each other following the divorce. There were a few reports in magazines of them being seen hanging out in NYC a few months following the divorce. There are a few org notes from one member claiming to have talked with Mayte and Prince at an event.
Also, there was no mention of her working on an album around the time she divorced and moved to NYC. Full Force talked about working with Mayte in the studio during one of those "Where Are They Now" type shows from 1999. They claimed Prince came in to listen and give his approval on a few of the songs Full Force produced for Mayte. | |
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I think just losing a relationship from Prince would be devastating, I mean once you are out of his life, (normally) You are gone..... . Actually growing up with him since the age of 16, losing her virginity, touring, life of luxury, marrying him, having a baby and losing the baby...crap...that's a lot to go thru. | |
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DD55 said: Forward. Beautiful sunny morning just like any other morning and she gets a text from Main, call right away. Mani informs her that P has died. She goes home, the press are waiting outside with high power lens. She goes in and closes the blinds and makes no comment. She knows enough not to make comments that would be turned into sound bites. . As per Manuela of Paisley ‘everything is locked down’. She called Wendy, Lisa and Shelia and they welcome welcome her to come to Minn. . She highlights the whirlwind life it was: performances, after shows, one-off gigs, TV, photo, etc. . It had been years since she last saw him but she always honored his privacy. She too is hungry to hear stories of his life to fill in the gaps. She hopes all who knew him shares their own stories. This is her story and she is going to tell it her way. . *Now I must admit to everyone. i never thought about her one way or the other. I wasn’t going to read the book, and i certainly wasn’t going to buy it. But all the hate and cruel things people were saying about her brought out the 'protect the underdog' instinct in me. Once I defended her, i boxed myself into corner and realized i had to buy the book and I had to read it with an open mind. One of the first things (besides the tragedy of her son) I got from the book was the overall kindness she showed for people, many of whom in my opinion did not deserve her kindness. . I have no need to ‘fact check’ her. That is a waste of time. I take the book for what it is, a brief glimpse into P’s world through her eyes. Some have said, there is her story, his story and somewhere in the middle the truth. She never tries to make this solely his story, he is a person in her life (ok who happens to be a rock star). I’m glad I read the book. Thank you, Penny for such a wonderful forum to share a few tears and a few laughs in a judgement free zone. ~~DD55 All of this | |
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She says in the book that when she was introduced to Manuela she asked why she was hired and was told she worked for Love4OneAnother and Mayte said something like, "Oh? Well, that's my charity and I wasn't aware you worked for me." or something along those lines.
But even if she didn't have the power to fire her, THEN would've been the moment to grab her hubby's hand and have a powow that left no doubt that Manela was gone right now, no discussion, no arguments.
If you want me and your marraige, I'm drawing a line in the sand right now.
[Edited 4/18/17 17:42pm] | |
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Yes
Thank you, Penny.
It was comforting sharing this with y'all...even when we disagreed.
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True.
Someone else posted in another thread that P had trouble breaking up so he'd maneouver things where you ended up leaving instead.
Maybe it would've been someone else.
Or maybe he would've respected her for standing up for their marraige at least.
I hated seeing her lay down and make it so easy to get trampled and left behind.
I suspect part of her fearing in not demanding respect and making his actively choose instead of allowing him to passively choose was because she was afraid that he wasn't going to choose her anyway so she tried to save her pride and dignity.
And she did save her pride and dignity, but ultimately it was at the cost of everything she held dear. [Edited 4/18/17 17:52pm] | |
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LBrent said:
True.
Someone else posted in another thread that P had trouble breaking up so he'd maneouver things where you ended up leaving instead.
Maybe it would've been someone else.
Or maybe he would've respected her for standing up for their marraige at least.
I hated seeing her lay down and make it so easy to get trampled and left behind.
I suspect part of her fearing in not demanding respect and making his actively choose instead of allowing him to passively choose was because she was afraid that he wasn't going to choose her anyway so she tried to save her pride and dignity.
And she did save her pride and dignity, but ultimately it was at the cost of everything she held dear. [Edited 4/18/17 17:52pm] I don't think there was anything she could have done. It is said that vanity walked away for the same crap he was doing to mayte, and he just let her go. It seems to me that your choices with prince were stay and play by his rules or leave. Even though it does sound kind of horrible, I think there are a ton of women that would still want to play, for a while, then you get sucked into his spell and lose your cognitive thinking abilities, but still, he was/is still so damn everything. | |
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Yeah, I would've put a stop to it right then and there. | |
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