A huge thank you to seaecho for her enthusiasm and encouragement!
Disclaimer: Just a bit obvious that this is my first FanFic. Please let me know what you think so I can improve my writing skills. I don't own the Monkees. I don't own the rights to the Monkees. I don't even own the rights to the wrongs of the Monkees LOL I own some of their CDs, DVDs, MP3s and a few treasured original albums, but that's it.
It started out so innocently. Maggie Ledbetter had given herself The Monkees Season 1 and Season 2 DVD box sets for Christmas. Strange that she was just now getting around to buying the DVDs. Perhaps she had held off in fear that The Monkees might suffer the same fate as other beloved shows from her childhood like H.R. Puffnstuf or The Banana Splits.
The Banana Splits was sadly rather dated, but H.R. Puffnstuf was just downright awful! Maggie and her ex-husband had cringed the whole time they watched it. The atrociousness of the show was one of the few things they had agreed upon-ever. Only Witchiepoo was still the least bit entertaining part of H.R. Puffnstuf thanks to the talented character actress Billie Hayes.
So with that experience under her belt, Maggie had been somewhat hesitant about watching The Monkees after all these years. The Monkees music had held up and held up quite well at that. She had downloaded most of their songs to her iPod. She enjoyed singing along. Their songs always cheered her like a dose of musical valium when she was feeling blue.
She enjoyed re-discovering some of the later tunes she didn't like much as a kid such as "Can You Dig It" and "Listen to the Band". She was discovering ones she didn't really know at all which were pretty much everything on "Instant Replay" and "Changes".
Maggie had called her friend Stella Hickman to come over and watch a few episodes with her. Maggie knew that Stella had also grown up with The Monkees and was eager to see the show after all these years.
Stella was a vet tech at the animal hospital where Maggie used to take her beloved cat, Mr. Rogers, before he finally passed away at age 18. Maggie always enjoyed talking with Stella at the clinic. They'd made small talk and gradually gotten to know each other over the years. They had become best friends in recent years.
Maggie and Stella were about the same age. Both were in their mid 40s and shared many common interests. They liked the same types of movies and books which tended to be chick flick and historical drama type stuff. Their sense of humor was also similar. They always had fun no matter what they were doing or where they were.
Their friendship had blossomed and endured many of life's lessons. They'd both been through rather messy divorces. Both had been single mothers raising kids. Recently they had to face empty nest syndrome and had made a pact to get out and try things they never dared to do before.
Using their new found freedom with kids off at college they embarked on new adventures such as belly dancing, sky diving and surfing lessons. They were successful at the first two, but surfing…. well not so much. They had nearly drowned. But at least they had tried! They were both rediscovering what it meant to be single adult women who were no longer just someone's wife or mother.
It was finally Saturday. Stella was coming over at noon for their Monkees Marathon. They had planned to watch as many episodes as they could stand, not knowing if they would enjoy them or not. They didn't want to set their expectations too high for fear of disappointment. If the show did not live up to their fond childhood memories, Stella and Maggie would take their usual approach at combating disappointment: laughing and joking about it with wine glasses raised.
It was 11:58am. Maggie heard Stella pull in the drive way and opened the door as Stella walked up. "Punctual as usual", Maggie said as she hugged her best friend. Stella was a classic beauty. Light blonde hair about shoulder length, a heart shaped face with blue green eyes, fair skin, about 5'5". Stella had an hourglass figure, but tended to gain weight which made her a little bottom heavy if she wasn't careful.
Maggie on the other hand was tall and larger framed. She was 5'9" with broad shoulders. Guys would consider her stacked, but in Maggie's opinion what guys admired most, she though of a hindrance. Large breasts were darn heavy to carry around and made buying button down blouses or even comfortable bras a dream rather than a reality. She had long legs and slender hips.
Maggie wished her waist was a small as Stella's. She envied Stella's timeless classic beauty. Guys just flocked to Stella. They couldn't help it. Like moths to a flame. Stella didn't have to offer much encouragement. It just happened.
Maggie could be described as strikingly attractive. She had light auburn hair which she wore in angular bob which came just below her chin. She had cat like green eyes with long full lashes and porcelain skin that burned and freckled easily in the sun. She spent a small fortune on sunscreen.
Guys didn't flock to Maggie like they did Stella. She somehow did not emit the feminine mystique appeal that appealed to the opposite sex like Stella did. However, she got along really well with guys. They respected her for her down to earth sensibility and for not being a sissy. Therefore she had lots of guy friends, but not many boyfriends.
Despite painful divorces, childbirth and other stresses in their lives, both Stella and Maggie took good care of themselves. Maggie practiced yoga to stay fit and Stella rode horses to stay active. They looked to be in their mid 30s instead of being 45 and 44 respectively.
Stella returned Maggie's hug and said "Ohhh, something smells yummy. What's for lunch?"
"I made carrot ginger soup and chef's salad with no avocados just for you" Maggie proudly replied glad that she had remembered not to put avocados in this time. Avocados made Stella break out in a rash. "Do you want wine with lunch or should we wait and start on the wine when we watch the Monkees?"
"Wine with lunch is fine with me. Maybe we should loosen up just in case our Monkees Marathon turns out to be a total bust!" Stella said lightheartedly.
Over lunch they discussed how the Monkees had been such an integral part of their childhood and their introduction to boys. Davy Jones was Stella's first love.
Maggie admitted she had had a huge crush on Davy Jones too. The Monkees had shaped their ideal of how boys should look and act and both had been disappointed that no guy had ever quite measured up since.
Maggie and Stella were in total agreement that Davy was simply beautiful. He was charming. He was funny. He was perfect. The other Monkees were cute too of course. As a kid Maggie had thought both Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz were really funny. She learned sarcasm from watching Mike Nesmith.
Stella, being very like minded with Maggie, agreed that the four of them each contributed their own special ingredient to the show which made it special. At least that's how she was remembering it.
After lunch Maggie and Stella sat down to watch Disc 1 Season 1. Maggie placed a bottle of pinot grigio in the ice bucket on the coffee table to minimize getting up for refills. "Ready?" Maggie asked.
Stella took a deep breath and said "Oh I hope this lives up to our expectations!" holding her hands up showing fingers crossed. Maggie crossed the fingers on her left hand and pressed play on the DVD player with her right.
After watching "Royal Flush", Stella squealed, "Davy looked so damn cute in the swashbuckling romp!" Maggie smiled and nodded in total agreement. The both rattled on a bit about how dreamy he was in the billowy white shirt and tight breeches. Both let out a few sighs. .
"That episode was pretty good. Shall we bravely watch another?" Maggie asked.
Stella said she was up for another one so they watched "Monkee See, Monkee Die". When it was over Stella said " WOW!" When I was young I never noticed just how tight their gray pants were! I am watching this with a whole new perspective than when I was 10!"
"Yeah, me too!" Maggie giggled immaturely. "The way Davy's gets twinkling stars in his eyes when he meets girls absolutely cracks me up!"
They ended up watching all of Disc 1 and Disc 2 and replayed the romps feature on both discs. "The romps are just plain hilarious. I love it when in "This Just Doesn't Seem To Be My Day" the sign Peter puts out when he is digging the holes goes from "Danger Hole Started" to "Watch Out Half a Hole" then finally "Caution Whole Hole!" Stella laughed.
Maggie added "Or when they all fall over backwards in the sand after trying to blow the bugle in "All the Kings Horses" in "Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth". Those little details just make the show!"
Despite thoroughly enjoying their Monkees Marathon, after eight hours nonstop both Stella and Maggie were ready to call it a night. Obviously having enjoyed watching the show, Stella said "Let's plan on another marathon next Saturday? I'll bring lunch over to your place at noon, okay?"
"I am up for that! I promise I won't cheat and watch ahead this week either!"