Reunion (The Monkees Family Vol. 3)

Chapter 49

Micky's first assistant directing job went well, and he was invited to stay with the BBC indefinitely.  After discussing it once more, he and Gabby decided to move to the UK permanently, though they also decided to hold on to their home in Laurel Canyon so that they'd have a home base to return to when they wanted to visit the family, be it Monkees or blood relations, or if one of them had a work opportunity.  Micky was still getting offers from the entertainment industry and he wanted to keep all his options open, and Gabby wanted to keep her hand in with American politics and activism. 

It was the end of August 1976.  Peter had only had to spend thirty days in prison after being deemed a nonviolent offender.  His sentence was converted from a conviction into a legal commitment and thus not a felony.  As such, he was not obliged to notify his employer about what he did with his summer vacation, so to speak, and he had returned to school as Mr. Tork, only this time as a full-time teacher of social studies in addition to being the coach of the baseball team.  His curriculum for the year was to be called "Mao, Marx and Mama," which was an examination of politics, philosophy and rock 'n roll and how they intersect and influence society. 

Thus, Peter was able to attend the farewell party for Gabby and Micky that Mike and Wendy hosted.  There was a debate about whether to invite Davy and his wife, with everyone but Lynda and Gabby opposed to the idea, but as usual, an appeal to family solidarity won out and the invitation was sent.  To no one's great surprise, the RSVP was a polite declination, with Davy citing their hectic dual performance schedules.  It probably was a legitimate excuse, but it also had a tinge of face-saving phoniness to it, mixed with a touch of cowardliness as well.  Given that Davy's response to the invitation was the first time anyone had heard from him since the thwarted intervention in Las Vegas, it also had a tone of finality to it, and the group wondered whether Davy had withdrawn his membership from the family altogether.

The answer to this speculation came at 3:00 a.m. one Monday night about three weeks after Gabby and Micky had departed for the UK, in the form of a frantic call from Davy to Mike.  Fortunately, Mike was up with the baby, who had been fussing, and he was walking him around the downstairs trying to get him to settle back to sleep.  He was able to answer the call and deal with it without waking up Wendy, or so he thought.

"Hello, what, this better be good, callin' me this time of night!  Who's there?" Mike barked into the phone.

"Mmmike..." a voice slurred.  It sounded like Davy, but not a drunken Davy.  More like an incapacitated Davy.  A Davy who was injured or sick.

"Davy?  That you?" Mike was now on high alert.

"Mmmike, yeh, it's yer old pal Davy.  I know you don't wanna be hearing from me but, Mmmike, I nnneeed, I nnneeeeeed your help."

Mike turned around and saw Wendy standing behind him.  She realized something wasn't right when she heard the phone and followed the sound of Mike's gruff greeting.  Reading his body language, she realized he was in leader mode now and she reached out to take the baby from him.  He handed Robbie over to her and ran his hand through his hair now, stress and concern leaking out of him from every pore.

"Davy, what's goin' on?  Where are ya?  You don't sound too good."

"Mmmike, I ain't feelin' too good.  I (cough cough), I took a pretty bad beating.  I think I'm in over me 'ead.  I'mmm..."

Mike demanded "Davy, who beat you up?  Is it those shady people yer workin' for?"

Davy coughed and spit up what sounded like either vomit or blood.  "Yyyyeh, got it in one.  Yyyou always were a clever lad."

"So what are you callin' me for, Davy?  What do you need me to do?  I thought you said you had it all under control.  You said you didn't need any of us in this here family."