Chapter 8- The Talk
Author's Note: This is another interactive chapter, so have YouTube ready! From this point on I will be including the publisher in the 2nd hashtag. Please disregard any 'Made for TV' facts in the YouTube videos, these Monkees are based on the TV characters, but the point and message presented is the same. Besides, we all know the truth, so it will make watching the videos 10x more personal. Enjoy!
Also, this chapter is dedicated to Lisa Boon, who was the one who originally showed me the Monkees 'Through the Looking Glass,' performance. Sorry for the crummy video, it's the only version I could find.
When Peter entered his house, it was quiet. Too quiet. He looked over into the living room and saw three men sleeping on each of the three couches. Peter smiled upon the sleeping men, beginning to feel like a father to them. He was certainly their elder and they all needed looking after in this strange world. Especially Davy. The entire ride home, Peter kept rehearsing the conversation in his head, but he couldn't figure out how the Englishman would react. It worried him. He also worried about how the other three would react if they found out. He was hoping it wouldn't come to that. Peter also worried about this 'trial' the young men were forced into. The book said, and Peter clearly remembered this, that the Monkees had to return a book to its owner. However, for the life of him, Peter could not remember who the owner of the book was. He had a difficult time remembering anything from the story, even though he had read it a hundred times. It frustrated him.
He counted the men sleeping on the couches. Michael, check. Micky, check. Me, check. Davy? Peter looked around, concerned. Where was Davy? Suddenly, a thousand possibilities demanded his attention. Someone kidnapped him. He ran away to go find his older self. The others trapped him in a room somewhere. He was hurt. He was chasing after a girl he saw pass on the street. Peter felt panicked. He quickly ventured into the kitchen, his intention to call Micky on his house phone, but he quickly saw that was unnecessary. The missing Monkee slept quite soundly in his kitchen, his head lying on the island counter.
Peter gave a sigh of relief. Davy was safe. Peter set his bags on the counter and watched the boy sleep. His conscience was screaming out to him that he should wake him. He needed to wake him up and tell him about the past. Nervously, Peter nudged the boy. "Davy?" Davy didn't reply. "Davy?" Peter shook him a little bit. "Davy, wake up. We need to talk."
Davy groaned, digging his head further into his arms. "No Peter, let me sleep in. We can practice later."
"Not that Peter, Davy," Peter said sternly. "Wake up, I need to talk to you right now."
"Can't it wait till the morning, Pete?" Davy moaned, still not looking up from his arms. "I'm sleeping."
"No," Peter insisted. "We need to do it now, while the other three are asleep."
Davy finally moved his head, poking one eye over his arms. Finally registering the fact that it was the older Peter speaking, Davy raised his head and sat up on the stool he was on. "What?"
"Davy, we need to talk. This is going to be difficult for both of us, maybe more for me than for you," Peter said, sitting down next to Davy on the swivel stool beside him. "There is some critical information we've been keeping from you."
"We as in…?" Davy asked.
"Us old Monkees, Micky, Mike, and I," Peter answered, an idea popping into his head. He began to set up his laptop that had been sitting in one of his bags. "You see, you're not really retired and living in England."
"Then where am I?" Davy asked, giving Peter all of his attention.
"Davy, you're…" Peter tapered off, the words not leaving his mouth. Peter turned and faced Davy, but refused to meet his eyes. "Four years ago… Back in 2012… You… You passed away."
"Sorry," Davy replied. "What?"
"You died of a heart attack," Peter looked the man in the eyes, tears forming in his. "You're gone, Davy. You've been dead for four years, that's why we had you record that song in the studio, and that's why we made you guys prove you were the Monkees. You're too good to be true." Peter turned back to his computer, pulling up a video on his computer. "Just… just watch this." Peter pushed the computer towards Davy and pressed play.
#Davy Jones Dead: 'Monkees' Star Unexpectedly Dies of a Heart Attack in Florida #ABC News
They both listened to the video, but Peter didn't dare to watch. The Monkees were nobodies, and then when they became famous, Davy was the most famous out of the four of them. The old man smiled when he heard the old Davy's voice come from the computer. Peter remembered when Davy was on the Brady Bunch, and he laughed when the reporter called him a 'heartthrob.' He certainly was that, married or not. Thousands of memories flooded the old man's mind, until the young and alive Davy Jones spoke.
"So I've been dead… for four years, you said?" Davy asked.
Peter looked up from his daydream. "Yeah, four years now. You passed away February 29th, 2012. You know, this album we're making, we're making it for you," Peter took hold of the computer and pulled up another video. He slid it back for Davy to watch.
#The Monkees at 50 #CBS Sunday Morning
This time, Peter watched Davy watch this video. He laughed when Davy's jaw dropped at the fact that they had outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and that they made four #1 albums. He watched as Davy nearly cried as the host reviewed how their band had been recommended by Honeywell to Pachyderm Records, and their rights as musicians began to be destroyed. Peter smiled to himself as he listened to their history and their music be restored after going on tour, and he finally began to tear up when they mentioned Davy's death. After the video ended, Davy turned to Peter, tears in his eyes.
"So that's what's going on, yeah?" Davy asked, choking on his words.
Peter took a deep breath. "Yeah, it is."
Suddenly, 'Daydream Believer,' began to play on the computer, thanks to the auto play. Davy turned his attention back to the computer, tears streaming down both the faces of Peter and Davy.
#The Monkees - "Daydream Believer" (Official Music Video) #The Monkees
The video ended and both men remained silent for a moment. Then, Davy spoke. "May I ask a question?"
"Sure," Peter said, pausing the video before the next video could play.
"So, you three still do stuff for me, even though I've been dead for four years? Why?" Davy looked up, choking on his words. "Wouldn't it be better… Better to mourn and move on?"
"Oh Davy," Peter laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We remember you because we wouldn't have been successful without you. When we became famous, all those years ago, you became the face of the Monkees. Everyone loved you. We would be seen as monsters if we forgot to remember you. You stood up for the group when we were close to losing our record deal. You helped us become successful. Without you, Micky, Mike, and I would have killed each other. We're really making this album for you. Without you, there wouldn't be a 50th anniversary."
Davy took in this information, his heart beating against his ribs with all the force it had. After a moment, Davy asked. "Next question, how did they get that song, when we just recorded it today?"
Peter knew he was referring to 'Love to Love.' "We really did find an old version of it, but when we release the album, we're going to put your version on it. The press needed that song for posterity."
Davy nodded. "Peter…"
"Yes?"
"Thank you, for everything."
Peter gave the boy a large, grateful smile. "You're welcome Davy. Don't worry, no one will ever forget you. Even when the rest of us die off. You and your music are timeless."
The two sat in silence for a minute. Then, Davy pulled the computer towards him. "May I?" Peter nodded, then explained to him how the site worked. Davy tried it out. Peter suggested a certain video and Davy searched and found it according to Peter's instructions.
#The Monkees - Through the looking glass (live 1989) #1967ngre
"Why did you make me watch that?!" Davy exclaimed after the video ended.
"Just making sure it actually happens," Peter laughed, succeeding in scaring the young man. "If you'd like, you can explore some more. I'm going to go to bed, it's nearly one in the morning." Peter stood, and watched as Davy began to browse his options. Inside, Peter felt he was doing the right thing. Davy was uncovering his future, learning about what needed to be done. Tonight, Davy was going to learn about the greatest story ever told.
#Davy Jones (The Monkees) Greatest Story Ever Told #april porter
