Reuben hadn't been kidding when he said they'd go over the contract 'line by line.' Shirley was nearly cross-eyed from trying to read all the small print and was a little more than overwhelmed with all the legalese the nine-page document contained. They'd been over the questionable parts five or six times, and although they sounded strange and muddled to her, Reuben assured her that they meant nothing but good for their careers in the long run. 'In the long run.' "What about the short term problems?" she would question, and he would tell her that it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. And so, after seven hours of poring over the documents with nothing short of a fine toothed comb, Shirley signed her name and prayed for guidance. The kids cheered; apparently they weren't too worried about the consequences of this undertaking, and Shirley took their enthusiasm to heart. Reuben folded the papers, tucking them safely in his briefcase. "I'll call Novak's office to have them pick this up and you are on your way to rock
and roll history." He patted the leather case.
"One more question, Reuben…" Shirley said, wearily
"Yes?" His grip on the attaché tightened. She couldn't back out now; she'd signed it!
"How will they be travelling? We simply cannot fit a film crew in the bus with us; it's just physically impossible."
He let out a breath. "No, they'll have their own bus, although I'm sure once in a while they'll have a camera man ride with you, you know, just to get some film."
"It still sounds like an intrusion," Shirley mused, frowning.
"Of course it is, Mom," Keith bounced down onto the sofa next to her, his face full of excitement. "But that's the whole idea. They're going to show the world just how it is with us on the road. They're gonna want to know everything they can about us. You know, really get inside our heads."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't want the world to know everything about me." Shirley shook her head.
"But, Mom, you're a celebrity…you've seen some of the articles written about you; about the group. A lot of them aren't even close to the real you. This way, people will be able to see for themselves just what you're all about." Keith went on. "The camera doesn't lie, Mom."
She looked over at Reuben, even more terrified than she was before. "Can…I see that contract again?"
He drew back. "Not on your life. It's signed, and halfway sealed and delivered. Keith is right, Shirley, the camera doesn't lie, but it also only sees what you let it see."
"What's the matter, Mom?" Laurie grinned. "Got some skeletons in your closet?"
"Of course not…I just don't like the idea of total strangers watching my every move."
"Well, maybe you'll get lucky and they'll think that since you're over thirty, you won't be that interesting and concentrate on us kids," Danny shrugged.
Laurie shot him an 'I can't believe you said that,' look. "Mom, all you have to do is avoid them as much as possible. Make yourself unavailable. You'll be just fine. We're all in this together. Let's just hope Danny doesn't make us look like fools."
"Excuse me?" Danny looked shocked. "How could I do that?"
"By showing up," Keith said simply.
Shirley just shook her head. If these people could just see the Partridges now…they'd take their cameras and run the other way!
*****
Greg Novak's bus was huge; 60 feet long and midnight blue. It took up half the street in front of the Partridge house and made their little bus look like a kiddie car. Impressed, Chris and Danny wandered around the exterior while the director, Novak himself, talked to Shirley and Reuben. Laurie, Keith and Tracy were in the bus getting 'made up' so their faces would show better on camera.
"Willie, my camera man, and I will be riding with you for the first couple of hours, and then we'll let you have some breathing room." Novak was saying. He wasn't much different than what Shirley had expected. He was nearly fifty, but wore his graying hair long. He was dressed in jeans, a tie-dyed T-shirt and sandals. But he was friendly and very enthusiastic about the project, which helped calm her fears. "And any other time you feel like we're intruding, you let me know. The last thing I need is an angry mother." He grinned.
Shirley smiled in return. "I appreciate that."
Danny materialised beside them. "Wow, Mr. Novak, how many people do you have on that bus? I bet you could haul an army!"
"Well, not quite, Danny. There's me, Willie, Joni my assistant, and the driver is all. There's my room in the back of the bus, and several compartments, sort of like a train car. Would you like to see for yourself?"
"Yeah!"
Greg smiled. "Okay, hop aboard, everyone. We won't bother Joni while she's doing the makeup on your sisters and brother, because she's probably using my room."
"Yeah, they could be in there a while. Keith needs a lot of makeup. It takes a lot of stuff to cover that ugly face." Danny grinned at Chris. "This should be good. I'll bet he's got way more on than Laurie."
Chris grinned back, nodding as Shirley grabbed Danny by the collar, pulling him towards the bus's door. "You just let Joni do her work."
"Aw, Mom, we just want one little peek."
"Daniel Partridge, you even go near that room, and I'll…" she scolded, stopping when she saw Greg motion at the cameraman. She winced. This was not going to be easy!
She scooted both boys into the bus, following them inside.
It looked a lot bigger inside than out. There was a small kitchenette, with an eating table and a camping-type stove, and back farther from there was a curtained sleeping area with four bunk beds along each side. And even farther back was what must have been Greg's room, but the door was shut, to Chris and Danny's dismay.
"Wow," Danny looked around him. "Hey, Mom, let's do our bus like this!"
"I'm afraid we'd have to buy a whole new bus, Danny." Shirley told him, quite impressed with what she was seeing.
"Well, with all the money we'll be pulling in from this little venture…" Danny shrugged.
"This bus cost me $300,000." Greg smiled.
Danny swallowed. "Okay, so we keep our bus, but we could put in a drink machine."
"How about if we put the money in the bank for your future?" Shirley put her hand on her son's head.
"Party pooper." He glowered.
The door beyond them opened and Laurie and Tracy stepped out, their skin just a bit more tanned than when they'd gone in.
"Wow, I hope all this washes off…it can't be good for my pores," Laurie wriggled her fingers at her face.
"It's very breathable, you'd be surprised." Greg told her.
"Where's Keith? They run out of stuff to hide his hideous face?" Danny glanced beyond her.
"He and Joni are talking. I think he's taken a liking to her," Laurie sighed. "But then again, why am I surprised? He's a male and she's…"
"Breathing," Danny finished for her. He shook his head. "He have on as much goop as you do?"
"As a matter of fact, he didn't need all that much, the rat. I envy you men. Even your skin is better than ours."
They heard voices behind them and everyone turned to see Keith leading Joni toward them. She was almost as tall as he was, on the thin side, with free styled auburn hair that cascaded just past her shoulders. Her green eyes never left Keith's face as they walked.
"Hey, I thought the whole idea was to make him look BETTER," Danny complained.
"Wait until you get in there. I told her you'd been through the ugly forest twice!" Keith quipped, smiling down at his little brother. To Joni, he said, "Good luck, and …God speed."
Joni cocked her head, studying Danny until he squirmed a little. "Hmm. You're right about that that freckle pattern. It does look like a cactus." She reached out, going to touch Danny's face, but he pulled away.
"Very funny!"
Laurie smiled. "Oh, Keith, you told our little family secret. Too bad you don't have to do his rear end. That pattern is SO much more interesting."
Danny reddened as everyone around him laughed at his expense. "For your information, I don't have freckles back there!" He instinctively reached for his back pocket.
"How do you know? Got eyes in the back of your…head?" Keith pulled a face at him.
"Kids, come on, we're not just us in here. You two go with Joni and get made up. I want to talk to Mr. Novak for a moment," Shirley scolded them, mildly.
Keith, and Laurie stepped out of the bus while Joni escorted a cringing Danny and just-as-reluctant Chris back to the makeup room.
"So, do you have something to tell me, brother?" Laurie nudged Keith with her elbow.
His expression was puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
Laurie's grin widened. "You and Joni seem to have hit if off right away. Can I be safe in assuming that she's on your ever-growing list of conquests?"
He rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. She's cute, sure, but she's a lot older than I am. She's got a job and everything."
He could tell Laurie was ready to burst, and he shook his head, trying to walk away, but she grabbed his arm.
"You like her, I can tell."
"Well, sure, I like her…"
"No, you REALLY like her."
He stopped, putting a frustrated hand on his hip. "And how can you tell?"
Laurie's eyes were dancing. "You gave her that smile of yours. Where your tongue touches your teeth."
He gaped at her for a minute, then looked flustered. "Oh, please…"
"I'm serious, Keith. I can always tell when you're happy by that smile. I think it's kind of cute!"
Tired of her teasing, he tried to move off, but her next comment stopped him in his tracks.
"She likes you a lot, too."
He peered back at her, trying to be non-chalant. "You think so?"
Laurie nodded, her long hair bouncing. "Oh, definitely. She couldn't take her eyes off you."
He smiled coyly as Shirley, Tracy and Greg stepped outside of the bus.
"Okay, we just need to wait for Reuben and then we can be off. I'm afraid that our bus isn't nearly as luxurious as yours," Shirley said to Greg.
"Oh, hey, that's fine. I'm sure I've seen worse," Greg smiled.
"Hey, Mom, you think it would be okay for me to ride in Greg's bus for a while?" Keith looked hopeful.
"Well, honey, I think Mr. Novak would like us all together to film…"
"Your Mom's right, Keith. I need the whole family. Maybe after our first stop you can. Oh, and by the way, the meals along the way are on me. I'm paying for everything," Greg announced.
"Don't worry, Keith. Joni won't leave town without you." Laurie murmured in his ear.
He shook his head, walking over to their bus ruefully.
*****
For the most part of their journey, Keith had seemed distracted and distant, sitting alone in the back of the bus, watching Greg interview his family, one by one.
Laurie had a pretty good idea why he was acting so standoff-ish. Every so often she had made some oblique remark about either the bus which was travelling behind them or its passengers, and she and Danny, whom, of course she filled in at the first opportunity, watched with glee as their brother squirmed uncomfortably, glaring them down. Their teasing hadn't made the tedious ride any more pleasurable, plus there was that interview staring him in the face. He had elected to be filmed last for several reasons; the main one being that he suddenly found himself feeling very self-conscious about talking one on one with someone of Greg Novak's stature. The man had, after all, once interviewed Keith's idol: Jimi Hendrix, not to mention Elton John, the Stones and the Beatles. It was a list that Keith Partridge never dreamed he would make, and one he feared he would never be able to live up to.
His stomach churned as he watched Greg talking to Shirley. She seemed comfortable enough, but chose her words carefully as she told the story of how the group came to be, starting with her husband's death. It was another thing that put Keith on edge; personal stories. His mind was blank! Maybe Greg would just ask him about his songwriting or something to that effect. Laurie was next; and Keith saw that she was conserved and polite, talking about her life in the Partridge household, school and her views on women's Lib. At least, Keith thought, Greg wasn't pressing her for the names of her dates or something! Danny was the most outgoing; regaling Novak with his astute knowledge of the business world and the stock market, even offering the director some stock tips, which Keith saw Greg jot down on a pad after the camera went off. Chris and Tracy were corralled together, answering simple questions, like their favorite games and toys, all of which culminated in Novak joining them in a quick game of tag in the bus' aisle. Then Keith saw Willie starting towards him with the camera and he turned away, feeling the onset of panic.
Greg noticed his panic and decided to put on the old charm. "Okay, Willie, we're pulling out the big guns, now. This will be great," he grinned, waving the camera man around to the other side. "One nice thing is, he's very photogenic, so every side is a good angle."
Keith glanced over at his family. Danny was leaning over the back of his seat, watching with pure unadulterated interest, but hurriedly changed his mind, whipping back around to sit facing forward at Keith's icy stare. Laurie was doing an awful job of not trying to look; Chris and Tracy were busy entertaining themselves with a big pile of coloring books. His eyes moving to Shirley, he relaxed a little when she gave him a big smile and a wink.
"Uh, do you want me to get my guitar?" Keith asked uneasily.
"Sure, if you want to," Greg nodded. "You're the boss here."
Forcing a smile, Keith got up, reaching into the very last seat and grabbing his acoustic guitar. He made his way back past Willie and sat back down, all the while half-hoping Reuben would drive the bus into a ditch or something.
"Okay, that's a good touch. As long as you're comfortable with that, so am I. Here's a list of questions I have for you, so you can prepare an answer. I hate to put my interviewees on a spot. Unless it's about something really juicy," Greg smiled, showing a gold molar as he handed Keith several index cards.
Keith laughed at that, deciding to focus on that lone gold tooth for the course of the interview. It would keep him from drifting. He did it during concerts, too, just picked out something in the audience, like for instance, someone wearing a brightly colored shirt, or he would find a cute girl in the front row. He looked down, his eyes scanning the cards in his hand. Favorite subject at school, steady girlfriends, his musical idols, inspirations for songs, long term plans both for the group and personally…you could do this, he told himself. He looked up. The gold tooth glinted, beckoning him. He took a deep breath. "Okay," he said softly. "Let's do it."
and roll history." He patted the leather case.
"One more question, Reuben…" Shirley said, wearily
"Yes?" His grip on the attaché tightened. She couldn't back out now; she'd signed it!
"How will they be travelling? We simply cannot fit a film crew in the bus with us; it's just physically impossible."
He let out a breath. "No, they'll have their own bus, although I'm sure once in a while they'll have a camera man ride with you, you know, just to get some film."
"It still sounds like an intrusion," Shirley mused, frowning.
"Of course it is, Mom," Keith bounced down onto the sofa next to her, his face full of excitement. "But that's the whole idea. They're going to show the world just how it is with us on the road. They're gonna want to know everything they can about us. You know, really get inside our heads."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't want the world to know everything about me." Shirley shook her head.
"But, Mom, you're a celebrity…you've seen some of the articles written about you; about the group. A lot of them aren't even close to the real you. This way, people will be able to see for themselves just what you're all about." Keith went on. "The camera doesn't lie, Mom."
She looked over at Reuben, even more terrified than she was before. "Can…I see that contract again?"
He drew back. "Not on your life. It's signed, and halfway sealed and delivered. Keith is right, Shirley, the camera doesn't lie, but it also only sees what you let it see."
"What's the matter, Mom?" Laurie grinned. "Got some skeletons in your closet?"
"Of course not…I just don't like the idea of total strangers watching my every move."
"Well, maybe you'll get lucky and they'll think that since you're over thirty, you won't be that interesting and concentrate on us kids," Danny shrugged.
Laurie shot him an 'I can't believe you said that,' look. "Mom, all you have to do is avoid them as much as possible. Make yourself unavailable. You'll be just fine. We're all in this together. Let's just hope Danny doesn't make us look like fools."
"Excuse me?" Danny looked shocked. "How could I do that?"
"By showing up," Keith said simply.
Shirley just shook her head. If these people could just see the Partridges now…they'd take their cameras and run the other way!
*****
Greg Novak's bus was huge; 60 feet long and midnight blue. It took up half the street in front of the Partridge house and made their little bus look like a kiddie car. Impressed, Chris and Danny wandered around the exterior while the director, Novak himself, talked to Shirley and Reuben. Laurie, Keith and Tracy were in the bus getting 'made up' so their faces would show better on camera.
"Willie, my camera man, and I will be riding with you for the first couple of hours, and then we'll let you have some breathing room." Novak was saying. He wasn't much different than what Shirley had expected. He was nearly fifty, but wore his graying hair long. He was dressed in jeans, a tie-dyed T-shirt and sandals. But he was friendly and very enthusiastic about the project, which helped calm her fears. "And any other time you feel like we're intruding, you let me know. The last thing I need is an angry mother." He grinned.
Shirley smiled in return. "I appreciate that."
Danny materialised beside them. "Wow, Mr. Novak, how many people do you have on that bus? I bet you could haul an army!"
"Well, not quite, Danny. There's me, Willie, Joni my assistant, and the driver is all. There's my room in the back of the bus, and several compartments, sort of like a train car. Would you like to see for yourself?"
"Yeah!"
Greg smiled. "Okay, hop aboard, everyone. We won't bother Joni while she's doing the makeup on your sisters and brother, because she's probably using my room."
"Yeah, they could be in there a while. Keith needs a lot of makeup. It takes a lot of stuff to cover that ugly face." Danny grinned at Chris. "This should be good. I'll bet he's got way more on than Laurie."
Chris grinned back, nodding as Shirley grabbed Danny by the collar, pulling him towards the bus's door. "You just let Joni do her work."
"Aw, Mom, we just want one little peek."
"Daniel Partridge, you even go near that room, and I'll…" she scolded, stopping when she saw Greg motion at the cameraman. She winced. This was not going to be easy!
She scooted both boys into the bus, following them inside.
It looked a lot bigger inside than out. There was a small kitchenette, with an eating table and a camping-type stove, and back farther from there was a curtained sleeping area with four bunk beds along each side. And even farther back was what must have been Greg's room, but the door was shut, to Chris and Danny's dismay.
"Wow," Danny looked around him. "Hey, Mom, let's do our bus like this!"
"I'm afraid we'd have to buy a whole new bus, Danny." Shirley told him, quite impressed with what she was seeing.
"Well, with all the money we'll be pulling in from this little venture…" Danny shrugged.
"This bus cost me $300,000." Greg smiled.
Danny swallowed. "Okay, so we keep our bus, but we could put in a drink machine."
"How about if we put the money in the bank for your future?" Shirley put her hand on her son's head.
"Party pooper." He glowered.
The door beyond them opened and Laurie and Tracy stepped out, their skin just a bit more tanned than when they'd gone in.
"Wow, I hope all this washes off…it can't be good for my pores," Laurie wriggled her fingers at her face.
"It's very breathable, you'd be surprised." Greg told her.
"Where's Keith? They run out of stuff to hide his hideous face?" Danny glanced beyond her.
"He and Joni are talking. I think he's taken a liking to her," Laurie sighed. "But then again, why am I surprised? He's a male and she's…"
"Breathing," Danny finished for her. He shook his head. "He have on as much goop as you do?"
"As a matter of fact, he didn't need all that much, the rat. I envy you men. Even your skin is better than ours."
They heard voices behind them and everyone turned to see Keith leading Joni toward them. She was almost as tall as he was, on the thin side, with free styled auburn hair that cascaded just past her shoulders. Her green eyes never left Keith's face as they walked.
"Hey, I thought the whole idea was to make him look BETTER," Danny complained.
"Wait until you get in there. I told her you'd been through the ugly forest twice!" Keith quipped, smiling down at his little brother. To Joni, he said, "Good luck, and …God speed."
Joni cocked her head, studying Danny until he squirmed a little. "Hmm. You're right about that that freckle pattern. It does look like a cactus." She reached out, going to touch Danny's face, but he pulled away.
"Very funny!"
Laurie smiled. "Oh, Keith, you told our little family secret. Too bad you don't have to do his rear end. That pattern is SO much more interesting."
Danny reddened as everyone around him laughed at his expense. "For your information, I don't have freckles back there!" He instinctively reached for his back pocket.
"How do you know? Got eyes in the back of your…head?" Keith pulled a face at him.
"Kids, come on, we're not just us in here. You two go with Joni and get made up. I want to talk to Mr. Novak for a moment," Shirley scolded them, mildly.
Keith, and Laurie stepped out of the bus while Joni escorted a cringing Danny and just-as-reluctant Chris back to the makeup room.
"So, do you have something to tell me, brother?" Laurie nudged Keith with her elbow.
His expression was puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
Laurie's grin widened. "You and Joni seem to have hit if off right away. Can I be safe in assuming that she's on your ever-growing list of conquests?"
He rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. She's cute, sure, but she's a lot older than I am. She's got a job and everything."
He could tell Laurie was ready to burst, and he shook his head, trying to walk away, but she grabbed his arm.
"You like her, I can tell."
"Well, sure, I like her…"
"No, you REALLY like her."
He stopped, putting a frustrated hand on his hip. "And how can you tell?"
Laurie's eyes were dancing. "You gave her that smile of yours. Where your tongue touches your teeth."
He gaped at her for a minute, then looked flustered. "Oh, please…"
"I'm serious, Keith. I can always tell when you're happy by that smile. I think it's kind of cute!"
Tired of her teasing, he tried to move off, but her next comment stopped him in his tracks.
"She likes you a lot, too."
He peered back at her, trying to be non-chalant. "You think so?"
Laurie nodded, her long hair bouncing. "Oh, definitely. She couldn't take her eyes off you."
He smiled coyly as Shirley, Tracy and Greg stepped outside of the bus.
"Okay, we just need to wait for Reuben and then we can be off. I'm afraid that our bus isn't nearly as luxurious as yours," Shirley said to Greg.
"Oh, hey, that's fine. I'm sure I've seen worse," Greg smiled.
"Hey, Mom, you think it would be okay for me to ride in Greg's bus for a while?" Keith looked hopeful.
"Well, honey, I think Mr. Novak would like us all together to film…"
"Your Mom's right, Keith. I need the whole family. Maybe after our first stop you can. Oh, and by the way, the meals along the way are on me. I'm paying for everything," Greg announced.
"Don't worry, Keith. Joni won't leave town without you." Laurie murmured in his ear.
He shook his head, walking over to their bus ruefully.
*****
For the most part of their journey, Keith had seemed distracted and distant, sitting alone in the back of the bus, watching Greg interview his family, one by one.
Laurie had a pretty good idea why he was acting so standoff-ish. Every so often she had made some oblique remark about either the bus which was travelling behind them or its passengers, and she and Danny, whom, of course she filled in at the first opportunity, watched with glee as their brother squirmed uncomfortably, glaring them down. Their teasing hadn't made the tedious ride any more pleasurable, plus there was that interview staring him in the face. He had elected to be filmed last for several reasons; the main one being that he suddenly found himself feeling very self-conscious about talking one on one with someone of Greg Novak's stature. The man had, after all, once interviewed Keith's idol: Jimi Hendrix, not to mention Elton John, the Stones and the Beatles. It was a list that Keith Partridge never dreamed he would make, and one he feared he would never be able to live up to.
His stomach churned as he watched Greg talking to Shirley. She seemed comfortable enough, but chose her words carefully as she told the story of how the group came to be, starting with her husband's death. It was another thing that put Keith on edge; personal stories. His mind was blank! Maybe Greg would just ask him about his songwriting or something to that effect. Laurie was next; and Keith saw that she was conserved and polite, talking about her life in the Partridge household, school and her views on women's Lib. At least, Keith thought, Greg wasn't pressing her for the names of her dates or something! Danny was the most outgoing; regaling Novak with his astute knowledge of the business world and the stock market, even offering the director some stock tips, which Keith saw Greg jot down on a pad after the camera went off. Chris and Tracy were corralled together, answering simple questions, like their favorite games and toys, all of which culminated in Novak joining them in a quick game of tag in the bus' aisle. Then Keith saw Willie starting towards him with the camera and he turned away, feeling the onset of panic.
Greg noticed his panic and decided to put on the old charm. "Okay, Willie, we're pulling out the big guns, now. This will be great," he grinned, waving the camera man around to the other side. "One nice thing is, he's very photogenic, so every side is a good angle."
Keith glanced over at his family. Danny was leaning over the back of his seat, watching with pure unadulterated interest, but hurriedly changed his mind, whipping back around to sit facing forward at Keith's icy stare. Laurie was doing an awful job of not trying to look; Chris and Tracy were busy entertaining themselves with a big pile of coloring books. His eyes moving to Shirley, he relaxed a little when she gave him a big smile and a wink.
"Uh, do you want me to get my guitar?" Keith asked uneasily.
"Sure, if you want to," Greg nodded. "You're the boss here."
Forcing a smile, Keith got up, reaching into the very last seat and grabbing his acoustic guitar. He made his way back past Willie and sat back down, all the while half-hoping Reuben would drive the bus into a ditch or something.
"Okay, that's a good touch. As long as you're comfortable with that, so am I. Here's a list of questions I have for you, so you can prepare an answer. I hate to put my interviewees on a spot. Unless it's about something really juicy," Greg smiled, showing a gold molar as he handed Keith several index cards.
Keith laughed at that, deciding to focus on that lone gold tooth for the course of the interview. It would keep him from drifting. He did it during concerts, too, just picked out something in the audience, like for instance, someone wearing a brightly colored shirt, or he would find a cute girl in the front row. He looked down, his eyes scanning the cards in his hand. Favorite subject at school, steady girlfriends, his musical idols, inspirations for songs, long term plans both for the group and personally…you could do this, he told himself. He looked up. The gold tooth glinted, beckoning him. He took a deep breath. "Okay," he said softly. "Let's do it."