"Good Clean Fun"
Part V
When we finally sat down to dinner, I was already totally enthralled with Michael. He had a quiet anger about him. It seemed he wanted to scream out, but didn't quite know how. During our conversation, he expressed his views about the Vietnam Conflict, the President, and "the system." My father had to bit his tongue being a staunch Republican. He did this for me. He knew how badly I wanted to get the internship and the only way I was gonna accomplish that was to be a babysitter for Michael and Phyllis.
All the while Michael was ranting and raving, Phyllis just sat there and smiled and nodded. I thought, 'Doesn't she have her own opinions? I know I sure do.' I guess Mike was reading my mind when he asked me what I thought about what he had just said.
I said, "I think that you're a very different kind of person."
"Meaning?" He asked.
"Well, I've never met anyone who thought like you," I said.
"Now THAT'S education!" He exclaimed.
I didn't quite follow him. It would be a year or so until I did understand what he meant by that.
My mother quickly changed the subject as she could see my father's eyes becoming red at Michael's views on the world in general. She asked about the other members of the group.
"Well, one's this little short English guy who's very cocky," Michael said.
"Oh, he's from Manchester," I said.
"What's that got to do with anything?" He asked.
Startled I said, "Bob and Bert told me that there was an Englishman in the group and that he was from Manchester."
"Oh, ok. I just didn't follow you there. Anyway, the bass player is this guy who worked the Village circuit for awhile. He's pretty talented. He and I are the only musicians, " said Michael.
"What?! The only musicians?! I thought that this show was about a band," my mother said.
"Well, it is. But,......it doesn't mean that we, the guys, have to be a band," he said.
I thought, "What a comeback! I'm impressed. I think I could fall for a guy like this.'
Then I heard Phyllis say, "Pie, anyone?" I was then slapped back into the world of reality. He's married and has a kid. What was I thinking?!?!?
We all agreed that pie sounded like a wonderful idea and with that, Phyllis headed off for the kitchen humming some little ditty. "I thought there was four of you," said my dad.
"Oh there is," said Michael, "the last member is an actor. He's gotta learn to play the drums. Oh man, I don't envy him!"
I had just realized that I didn't know anyone's name but Michael's. So I asked, "What's the English guy's name?'
He laughed and said, "I didn't even tell you what their names were! I forgot! David Jones is the English guy. Peter Tork is the bass player. And Micky Braddock is the actor."
David, Peter, Micky, and Michael-- The Monkees. Has a nice ring to it... doesn't it?