A/N: Greetings, everyone! Here is hoping all had a fine ID4 weekend. I decided to write about the castaways celebrating the holiday on the island, having fun with the food Gilligan and Mary Ann found floating in on a crate during A Very Loving Day. There is a lot of musical and holiday fun to be had here. Of course, I own none of these characters. Yet, I have fun writing about them here on this wonderful medium. For Miss Tara Burgundy and her ongoing support of my writing, I have featured some more Temptations references. Lots of interesting surprises for you to have here. May you all enjoy all that is here to be had and read. Enjoy!
It had been over a week since the rest of the castaways, save Gilligan, learned that their beloved Mary Ann was, indeed, a Nergo. Though the other five were still wrapping their head around this fact, they were coming around to this new reality that their island was, indeed, integrated—as it had been the entire time.
Now the seven of them were having a serious barbeque on the island for Independence Day. Though there were many who believed that all in the U.S.A. were not truly totally free, nonetheless, it was still a celebration worth having for many reasons. One, the victory of Loving v. Virginia, which would have serious ramifications for Gilligan and Mary Ann should the two of them end up married and back on the mainland. Then was the disclosure to the rest of the island about Mary Ann, giving them a new dimension to their relationship.
Mary Ann had never been more happier nor loving since she began her relationship with Gilligan. Now, they were out in the open with their love, and celebrating it with the rest of their fellow castaways on the island. The barbeque pit was set up near the erected stage where they held performances and if anyone felt the urge or the need to not just get up on stage and dance, but perform, as well, it was there for their use.
Recently, Professor Roy had erected a special bass module to one of the radios they had on the island. This way, not only would they have a stereo signal already coming out of the FM-stereo band, bt also receive the bass offerings, even more so stronger, from the likes of Motown and Stax songs as delivered from the expert bass playing of James Jamerson and Donald "Duck" Dunn, on such records, respectively. Needless to say, KHSL-FM would be listened to by everyone this holiday, particlarly in lieu of the events of the past month, alone. One new exciting song being played on the radio was the recent release from a new group called, The 5th Dimension, the name of the song, Up, Up and Away. That one was very well-received by everyone on the island ,albeit with a distinct observation from the island's eldest couple.
"Nice song, but it is interesting that a bunch of young white singers would be featured on a station such as this one", Mrs. Howell said, unaware that this group, which consisted of three men and two women, were Negroes, not unlike their beloved Mary Ann, all the same. In fact, the two females in the group, Marilyn McCoo and Florence LaRue, were not that far from Mary Ann in their appearance.
"Well, my dear Lovey, I guess everybody wants to sing on the same music stations these days," Mr. Howell said.
And KHSL-FM had somethng for everyone to take a listen to.
On this day, many cuts were played from the latest Temptations LP, The Temptations With a Lot O' Soul. Leading off the LP was a late-1966 release of, (I Know) I'm Losing You. The song signed-on wtih a notable guitar riff from Motown guitarist Cornelius Grant, then was taken over by the gospel-flavored voice of David Ruffin, who had led many of their hits since 1965's My Girl. Ruffin also led the group on such songs as Loneliness Made Me Realize (It's You That I Need), Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone, and All I Need. On Losing You, Gilligan got up on the stage and, unbeknownst, did a spin, dropped to his knees, flipped his makeshift microphone up in the air, and caught it, to the delight of the other six—particulary the two young women who loved him, Mary Ann and Ginger. On Need, both Mary Ann and Ginger danced with him.
At first, Gilligan was happy to dance with Ginger on the faster-tempo songs, leaving all the slow-to-moderate numbers to her boyfriend, Roy. That way, Ginger was able to use this outlet to openly profess her romantic feelings for Gilligan, saving all else for her beloved Roy.
Meanwhile, Skipper was barbequing hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks for all who wanted them—present company included. Mary Ann had prepared coconut cream pies earlier, as Ginger assited her in doing so. Roy and Gilligan got together on making the barbeque pit a reality, using metal grills found admist the crate which washed up a few weeks earlier upon which to grill the meat. The rest of the soda not used up during Juneteenth, such as orange pop, root beer, grape drinks, and colas, were laid out for consumption on this day. The strawberry and fruit punch options had been used up on June 19th.
As the seven castaways gathered around the table to eat, they were each thankful for the opportunity to be able to gather around the table and eat. Each of them had forgotten what it was truly like to have barbecued hot dogs, hamburgers and steaks since they had been shipwrecked. Now, they would have the opportunity to do so.
"My compliments to the chef, Captain. These burgers are delicious," Mr. Howell said.
"Thank you, Mr. Howell," Skipper said, who was more than happy to take over the grill for this day, giving Mary Ann more of a rest for this one. Mary Ann and Gilligan were seated together, eating burgers, chips, and soda while listening to the music as it played. Another song from The Temptations' latest LP was a song called, No More Water In The Well, sung by a different singer other than Ruffin.
"I like this song," Gilligan said, between burger bites, "But the singer sounds different."
After swallowing her bite, Mary Ann answered, "That's because the singer is different, baby. This is Paul Williams doing the singing."
"Wow, he is good. I wish he would sing more songs in the group," William said.
"I know, William," Ginger said.
More music flowed through the radio, which, after the eating was done, dancing continued to permeate the proceedings. One particular song was called, I Was Made to Love Her, a new release from 17-year-old Stevie Wonder, who had clearly shown a significant jump between Uptight (Everything's Alrght), the song which saved his career from extinction the previous year, until this point. William remarked about how much Stevie had changed since Fingertips, which had given him his first #1 hit record at 12 a few years earlier. Not long afterward, Stevie then underwent puberty, his voice had changed, and he grew taller. Ginger and Mary Ann both concurred with this assesment.
"I bet he looks as good as he is sounding now," Ginger said, smiling.
"No doubt," Mary Ann concurred with a smile of her own.
Another song which followed, I Don't Want To Lose You Now, a springtime hit by Jackie Wilson, came over, the airwaves, leading Gilligan and Mary Ann into a dance. They kept things going with Syl Johnson singing, Come On, Sock It To Me. The other five were very happy to see the young couple enjoying themselves dancing as they did to the music on KHSL-FM. Mary Ann, in her short shorts, was really moving like she never had before. Even her body, coupled with the pole Professor Roy and William helped to erect in the hut she shared with Ginger, clearly benefited both women, as their bodies had become more taut, tighter, and fitter than ever. And even with the Negro disclosure of Mary Ann's ethnicity, her hips had become more rounded, her butt more fuller, and stomach more taut, abs more well-defined, her breasts more pert. Feeling freer and confident than ever, she was really loving her life as her total self and being with her WIlliam.
The couple then went into a slow dance, coming together to dance to Linda Jones' follow-up to Hypnotized, What Have I Done (To Make You Mad). Ginger, particularly, took such a liking to this song that even she and Roy got into a slow dance as well.
Then came a group called, Dyke and The Blazers, by way of Buffalo, who had earlier in the year came out with a sultry tune called, Funky Broadway. Both William and Mary Ann got into this one very much…so much so…that when Ginger joined them in the dance, William glanced over to Roy, who approved her being there with a smile and a toast of his root beer soda, drinking up while his girlfriend danced on with William and Mary Ann.
Though the Howells wondered about the group's name, as Dyke was the nickname of one Arlester Christian, and The Blazers were his backing musicians, the wealthy couple did not sit still for what came next.
Little Milton, a blues giant, came over the radio next wtih his hit single, Feel So Bad. The Howells then got out of their loungue chairs and started dancing. Though the oldest couple on the island, they were dancing as they had not danced in years, and getting down in doing so, in the process. Even William, Mary Ann, and Ginger stopped and ceded the dancing space to them. Roy and the Skipper were even amazed!
"Wow, Mr. and Mrs. Howell, that was an amazing dance you were doing!" Mary Ann said.
"Yes, we had no idea you two could dance like that!" William exclaimed!
"Thank you, my dear boy," Mr. Howell answered Gilligan.
"Thank you, darling. We were doing The Charleston," Mrs. Howell answered Mary Ann.
"I never thought the two of you had it in you," Skipper said.
"Yes, Captain. Well, we Howells know how to get down when we really want to," Mr. Howell said.
"Yes, Thurston dear, that is right!" Mrs. Howell concurred.
"You two ought to dance more often," Roy exclaied.
"Yes, you two have such great energy," Ginger said.
"Whenever the moment compells us" Mr. Howell said
"Yes, dear. So be ready for us. You just never know when we Howells will grace the dance floor next," Mrs. Howell said.
They would not need to wait very long.