My Davy Jones Experience

Davy Jones (the  Monkee, not the race car driver) died of a heart attack today. Or you could say that he took the last train to Clarksville.

Get it? Last train to Clarksville? 'Cause that's the name of a Monkees song?

*giggle, giggle, snort

Geez, I crack myself up.

tap tap tap … is this thing on?

Ahem.

Millions of fans worldwide are mourning his death, but we're focusing on me here. Why? Because I have a personal connection to the man. No, really. I've met him. We connected on a spiritual level, which is to say that I'm one of the few women in American short enough to date him. Not that I'd date him now because a.) I'm married and 2.) He's dead. Guy was a snazzy dresser, though.

Back to my story. I met Davy in the winter of 1994. I was a junior in college, working on my BS from BSU. Grunge music was huge. The Go-Gos had broken up. I was in a funk and I needed something awesome to pull me out of it.

Enter Davy Jones. First, the ads went in the school newspaper. Then fliers got stapled onto all the telephone poles in high foot traffic areas (i.e. right in front of the Taco Bell and a dive bar called The Chug). And then commercials were shown on campus TV.

The Real Live Brady Bunch was coming to Emens Auditorium!

Wait … the Real Live what?

The Real Live Brady Bunch people! The Real Live Brady Bunch was a stage show in which non original cast members acted out various episodes of the TV classic The Brady Bunch. Let me emphasize that point again: the episodes weren't parodied, they were recreated on stage. Same scripts, same wardrobe, and (blissfully) the same hairdos. Some things, like the Brady Bunch, are unintentionally hilarious and need no adjustments.

And yes, I saved my program. My geekiness isn't a recent development, people. Neither are my slightly neurotic need to organize. I found the program in a file in the filing cabinet labeled 'Jen's College Stuff'. The folder contains this program, a print out of my grades, and a copy of the local pizzeria's carryout menu, in case you were wondering.

The traveling show came to Ball State and, just when you think this story can't possibly get any more exciting, guess which episode of the show they were doing? Eeek! I'm so glad you asked! The episode being acted out was the one in which Marica asks Davy Jones to the prom. And Davy himself was in the show!

Oh don't sit there and act like you don't know exactly to which episode I am referring. You know you know, you know? Okay. For those of you under the age of thirty-five, I write you a pass for not knowing the episode. You are forgiven if you click this link to watch a snippet on youtube.

I stood in line in the freezing temperatures to get tickets. I dragged four friends to see the show with me and we were not disappointed. Who could be disappointed? We were breathing the same air as Davy Jones!

Side note: Ana Gasteyer played Alice. She rocked it.

After the show was over, an announcement was made that Davy would be in the lobby of the theater signing autographs. Did I insist on standing in line to get Davy's autograph? Hells yes!

Behold.

I think I will get it framed and hang it up in my craft room.

RIP Davy Jones. We'll always have Muncie, IN. Pin It Now!