OF DRUMS AND GUITARS

PART 1

Historians note: This story takes place during the second season of "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" approximately two weeks before the events in the episode "Don't Fool with a Phantom."

Daphne Blake was having a blast. It was a pleasant Friday afternoon, but since Coolsville High School has having a "teacher's workshop" that day, there was no school, so Daphne was spending the day in her father's study, listening and dancing to rock n' roll records on his expensive Marantz stereo. She liked playing her records here. Daddy's stereo had an excellent sound, and his huge study made for an excellent dance floor. Her and Freddie had been invited to appear as contestants on the "Johnny Sands Dance Game Show" two weeks from tomorrow, and she needed to practice her dance moves for it. She only wished that Freddie was here to practice with her, but Freddie was busy running errands for his family. "Boy," she thought to herself while she danced to the sounds of "Wipeout" by the Surfaris, "it's a good thing Daddy isn't around right now. He'd throw a fit if he heard me play this kind of music on his stereo." Her father, George, never liked rock n' roll. In fact, he hated it with a passion. He preferred classical music, opera, and "big-band" jazz. Daphne didn't share her father's musical tastes. She found his classical music "boring" and jazz "monotonous". Once in a while, Daddy would put on a Buddy Rich record. Daphne didn't think Buddy Rich was too hot a drummer, his drumming sounded more like random poundings. Ringo Starr (Beatles), Keith Moon (Rolling Stones), and Jughead Jones (Archies) were much better drummers. At least, you could dance to their rhythms. In all fairness though, not everything Daphne listened to met with her father's disapproval. One time, he found his daughter listening to traditional Irish folk music, which he called "charming and enlightening." But most anything else...! Her mother, Elizabeth, on the other hand did kind of like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. "Jeepers, look at the time," Daphne said to herself glancing at the crystal clock sitting on her father's walnut desk, "Daddy will be home any minute now. I'd better stop here and put his stereo back the way he had it, or I'll never hear the end of it. I can always practice my dancing down at the Malt Shop. I hope I have enough quarters for the jukebox." It was about then that Jenkins, the Blakes' butler, entered the room. "Miss Blake," he announced, "Miss Dinkley is here to see you. She says it is urgent." Daphne raced downstairs to see what her friend Velma wanted. Meanwhile, the "Surf Dance Rock" record remained on the turntable. Uh-oh!

"We have a mystery," Velma exclaimed before Daphne could even reach the bottom of the stairs. "There are reports that a pair of hobgoblins have been sighted at the edge of town. Hurry!!" The two then rushed out the door and piled into the Mystery Machine along with Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo.

The mystery was over in almost less time than it takes to describe it. The gang arrived at the site, an old cemetery, where the spooks were reported, and sure enough the hobgoblins appeared, and everyone scattered. It ended when the two ghouls began chasing Scooby. Scooby then stopped dead in his tracks, the hobgoblins crashing over him. Freddie immediately pounced on the "scare pair," and the two were quickly subdued. It turned out that the hobgoblins were two young teen jokesters pulling a prank. They weren't bad kids, though the two boys did have a reputation around town "T-P"ing trees, soaping car windows, busting pumpkins in the street, etc. The two were sent home after a stern talking to by the police on the condition that they stayed there. The gang then headed to the Malt Shop where they grabbed a quick bite and danced to a couple of songs before heading home.

"I'll try to catch up to you tomorrow," Freddie said to Daphne as the Mystery Machine pulled up to the front door of Blake Manor. "Remember, we have only a couple of weeks to get ready for the dance contest."

"Groovy," Daphne said. "See you then."

"Good night, Daphne," everyone said in unison-except for Scooby, who called, "Rood right, Raphne."

"Good night," Daphne answered. With that she turned and entered the front door and was immediately met by Jenkins.

"Good evening, Miss Blake," he said. "Your father would like to see you in his study immediately."

"Did he say what he wanted to see me for?"

"No ma'am, just that you are to see him the instant you got home."

"Thank you, Jenkins." With that, Daphne turned and began climbing the long spiral staircase that led to the second floor and her Daddy's study. "Now what's so important that Daddy would want to see at once for?" Daphne thought to herself. THEN SHE REALIZED! "Oh, no, that rock n' roll record I was listening to! I must have left it on his turntable! If he came home and turned on his stereo expecting classical music and got rock instead...!" She shuddered at the thought. "Jeepers, I'm in for it now!" she said to no one in particular. Dreading every step, Daphne finally reached her father's study, finding the door closed. Like a fighter pilot expecting certain death at dawn, she knocked on the heavy walnut door. "Enter," came her father's voice from within. After a pause she finally entered the study. Her father stood, arms crossed, in front of the shelf where his Marantz stereo was. Her mother was also present in the room.

"Uh...Uh...Hi...D-D-Daddy..." Daphne stuttered.

"Hi Cupcake," her father replied, a slight sarcastic tone in his voice. "Did you have a good time while you were out?"

Daphne slowly nodded affirmatively. "Good," he continued. "Now...please explain this..." With that, George pressed a button on the stereo. Daphne watched as the tone arm rose off its pedestal and moved towards the record on the turntable. "Maybe something will break and I'll be off the hook," Daphne thought to herself. No such luck. The needle dropped onto the record with a soft "ker-plunk," and after a slight pause the hyena-like laughing voice and the pounding drums of "Wipeout" began. George let the record play for a full minute and a half before he pressed the button again. The tone arm lifted off the record and retreated back to its pedestal. The silence that followed was deafening. After a beat, George spoke, his voice low and slow: "Daph, I don't mind you playing your rock and roll records on my stereo when I'm not here but..." (his voice rising) "Goddammit, how many times do I have to tell you, make sure you put it back the way you found it WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED WITH IT!!!"

"George!" Elizabeth cried. "You promised me that you wouldn't take the Lord's name in vain anymore!"

"You'd cuss too if you had a daughter that didn't do what was asked of her," George told her. Elizabeth smirked at the remark, but didn't say anything. "Now," George said, turning to Daphne, "you know I don't like rock and roll. I declare kids today! I don't know what you kids find so fascinating about it! Why it's nothing but drums and electric guitars and some looney tune saying 'wipeout' like a hyena! What's that supposed to mean? And there are lyrics like 'I don't wanna go to school today so I can go surfing instead!' Do you know what my own father would have done to me if I got crazy ideas like that? Do you?" He paused, then added, "Now, what do have to say for yourself, young lady?"

"I'm sorry," Daphne apologized. "I was practicing my dancing for that dance contest I'm in. I was going to put the stereo back the way you had it, but Velma came and got me, and there was this mystery I had to rush off to, and...I just plain forgot. It'll never happen again. I promise."

"I should hope so. Dancing, huh? So that's what all those crazy gyrations of yours were!" George exclaimed. "Watching you 'dance,' and I do use the word 'dance' loosely, I sometimes think that your arms and legs are going to fall off! I truly believe that all this rock and roll is putting wild ideas into all you kids' heads. Like that skimpy dress you're wearing..." George pointed to Daphne's purple miniskirted dress. "I sure hope you don't ever have to bend over in public to pick up something off the ground wearing that thing or...I can't bring myself to say it! Besides I've seen bathing suits that covered more!"

"Not in my lifetime you haven't," Daphne thought to herself. "Maybe I should go put on my bikini! That'll shock you right out of your socks!" She couldn't resist a smile at the thought.

"Now, young lady," her father continued, "you have blasted me with your insipid rock music for the last time, and I am going to do something about it!" With that, he leaned over his desk and pushed a button on the corner of it. Within seconds, Jenkins appeared.

"Jenkins," George said, "first thing in the morning, you and I are going out. We'll take the truck," referring to the Chevrolet three-quarter ton pickup used by the gardening staff.

"Yes, sir," Jenkins replied.

"Where are you planning to go?" Elizabeth asked.

"That's for me to know and for you two to find out," George replied. "As for you young lady, this discussion is over. I want you to go to room and stay there for the rest of the night. Besides, I think you have some homework that needs to be done. Good night."

"Wow!" Daphne mused as she headed to her room. "Daddy was really hot, but I've seen worse. I just wonder where him and Jenkins are planning to go in the morning? And why are they taking the truck?"

THE NEXT MORNING

Daphne was lounging on the living room sofa. Maggie, one of their maids, was dusting furniture in the room. It was just before eleven and she hadn't seen Daddy or Jenkins at all this morning. Mom had said that the two had left in the gardening truck about eight-thirty. Where they were going they hadn't said. "I think I'll head over to the Malt Shop," she thought to herself. "Maybe the gang is there." She was just about to tell Mom that she was leaving when she heard the unmistakable sound of the gardening truck outside. Then came Daddy and Jenkins' voices, grunting and heaving. She could make out the voices saying, "Easy now, be careful with that." It was obvious that they were handling something heavy and/or bulky. About that time George burst in the door saying, "Maggie, come hold the door for us, please." Maggie left the table she was dusting and held the front door open as both George and Jenkins entered, each carrying large cartons. George carried a large cardboard box; Jenkins had two smaller ones. "Take them to Daphne's room," George told his butler.

WHAT?! Daphne thought. Why was Daddy bringing these boxes to her room? It wasn't Christmas or her birthday, for gosh sakes. JEEPERS! Curious, Daphne followed the two men upstairs to her room. Once there, she watched as the two began to unpack the mysterious boxes. It was A STEREO! A MARANTZ STEREO!! JUST LIKE DADDY'S!!!

DOUBLE JEEPERS!!! Daphne watched silently in the hallway outside her room as the two men began to assemble the system, hooking up speaker wires and patch cords. Neither man seemed to notice her presence. A few minutes later, the stereo was assembled and the two men began to admire their handiwork. "I can hook up anything electrical," Jenkins told George.

"Now you know why I had you go with me," George replied.

"Now for the acid test," Jenkins said. "Got a record?"

"Sure do. I know Daph doesn't like classical music, but hey, this is just a test. It seems such a shame to pollute a fine machine like this with rock and roll!" The two men laughed loudly like drunken sailors. Daphne made a face at the remark but didn't say anything. George then proceeded to place a record on the turntable, pressed the power button, and then pressed another button. Within seconds, the strains of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony filled the room.

"Works perfectly," George said. He then turned around to find his daughter staring at him, her face a mix of joy and disbelief.

"Tell me, Daddy, am I having a dream here?" Daphne asked.

"No, Cupcake, it's for real," her father said.

"But why? Why are you doing this?"

"I just felt you needed your own stereo. Besides I got to thinking that I had no right to criticize the music you listen to. I'm sorry."

"That's all right, Daddy. Think nothing more about it."

"So what do you think? Is it all right?"

"All right? Jeepers, it's groovy, Daddy! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

"You're welcome, Cupcake. By the way, there is one catch. I want you to promise me that you'll take good care of this stereo, and that you don't blast it too loud."

"Oh, I will. Oh, one more thing, Daddy," Daphne added, "can I put on one of my rock n' roll records now? Beethoven here is putting me to sleep!"

TO BE CONTINUED...