The Monkees finally hit the big time. They score a recording contract and a national tour, and become a sensation. Even as they sell millions of records and play to packed concert halls, however, they struggle for artistic and creative freedom, co...
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They finished eating and declined dessert, and now it was time to face the music and resume their serious discussion. Gabby made a suggestion.
"How about, before we get back into the heavy stuff, we each say something we're grateful for?"
Micky looked relieved for the reprieve and said "Okay, you go first."
Gabby thought for a moment and said "I'll say a few gratitudes. I'm grateful that the war is over. I'm grateful that Eat At Ed's is still here. I'm grateful for jukeboxes. I'm grateful that I finally got up the courage to go out on a date with you, just the two of us. And I'm grateful that we're both ready to be talking about this heavy stuff, because I really want to move past it. Okay, now you go. That was five, but you don't have to do that many."
Micky nodded and began. "I'm grateful for chocolate milkshakes. I'm grateful for Executive Directorish outfits." He gave her a friendly leer and she giggled. "I'm grateful that I actually managed to make some records that made it into the jukebox at Eat At Ed's. I'm grateful that we're here together, just the two of us, and that you just described it as a date." Gabby blushed and covered her mouth, which was smiling. "And I'm also grateful that we're ready to plow through all this yucky stuff because I want to get through it and move on with the rest of our lives."
He put his hands out towards hers and she took his. They didn't squeeze or move them, but just let them sit there for a moment. Then he withdrew them, took a deep breath, and said "Okay, where did I leave off?"
"You were in denial, pretending I wasn't going to find out through the tabloids that you were cheating on me with a college girl on your movie shoot. At that point, I think it had been about a month since you had called me, so even if you hadn't been cheating, you knew you were in the doghouse, so was your thinking, well, she's already pissed at me, what's one more sin to add to the list, or did you really want to have sex with that girl?"
Micky cringed. "I won't deny that I wanted to have sex, but it wasn't about that particular girl. I was lonely and I was emotionally barren. I was looking to fill an empty hole."
"Micky! That's really crude!"
"No, not that kind of hole. Jeez, Gabby, you've really got a dirty mind. I mean an empty hole in my soul!"
Gabby laughed. "Oh, I guess I do have my mind in the gutter."
"What I mean is, I was just flailing around, looking for things to make the pain go away, and anything illicit would fit the bill – drinking, drugging, sleeping around. I was also abusing my body by not eating, not sleeping, I was finding any way I could to punish myself, to hurt myself, just so I could feel nothing or feel something."
"I get that, Micky, but here's what really burns me up and hurts me the most. When you left, we were trying to make a baby. That means I was off the pill and we weren't using rubbers. That means that the first time you had sex with one of your numbing women out there, you had to have a rubber on you. That means you had to go buy one beforehand. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you did use rubbers. You did, didn't you?"
