Dec 9 -12, 2006 - Pippin II

This weekend, Pippin was in Hershey, PA. Those of us who had seen it in MI were going, and also meeting up with several who lived there on the east coast. It had been ages since I really took a trip far, MI being sorta in my neighborhood. Sorta. So when the idea of a Hershey trip began to be talked about among some of us, I figured, yeah go for it. It turned out to be such a good time I had in Oct, that I was willing to spend another weekend meeting even more fellow online fans, and seeing Micky perform again of course! It was great fun on the way there! Monkee cd's were played on the car's player, and we were singing along to them. My friend from central Indiana picked me up again, then we made a stop in MI, and then we also stopped in OH to pick up someone. I knew much of the older music in harmony (remember?), so that's just automatically how it come out of me, lol. "We ought to form a group!," one of them said. A wave of laughter overcame us. Another one looked at me quizzically - I suddenly realized what I was doing, so I told them I used to just sing whatever Micky was singing. "Ohhhh," they said in understanding, from one fan to another.

During the holiday season, apparently Hershey gets itself all decked out for Christmas, being the chocolate capital of the country. (World???). A LOT of tourists descend on the city at that time. The only hotel in town where we were able to find rooms was at the Hershey Lodge. And this was about a month beforehand. We split the cost amongst ourselves, so that it didn't cost too much. Turns out there were 11 of us total, but about half of them were able to find rooms elsewhere.

Otto the Duck is the pet of Pippin's girlfriend's son in the play. The duck gets sick and dies, actually. One fan made her own version of Otto at home, and brought him along with them on this trip. He sure ended up getting a lot of attention! We all had good seats right up front, behind the orchestra pit at the Theater. The grandmother in the play had an audience participation song. She made a reference to him right from the stage! "If that duck can sing along, you can do it!," she laughed. One of us were making Otto dance and sing from our seats. We thought it was hilarious that she would point him out from the stage.

After the show, all 11 of us were standing outside on the sidewalk in front of the main entrance to the Theater, talking about the show. Here comes Micky, walking up the sidewalk from the stage door exit on the side of the building! He walks right IN to the mix! Pictures, and talking, and signing things.....and he's asking "Who brought the duck?"
I said, "They did," pointing to my friends from MI.
"Oh!," he said. "Figures it would be you!" We all laughed.
My fellow Hoosier and I stayed in the background of the group. I later learned we both had the same idea - let these people have their turn. But after a few minutes, I see that Micky recognizes us from before. He is asking us, "How long will you be staying? Will you be here tomorrow?"
"Yes," we answer. "We'll be here till Monday."
"Great! Then let me meet you guys for dinner tomorrow. It's the least I can do for coming all THIS way." It was decided that 5:30 would be a good time. They also decided that a family restaurant called Friendly's in the area would be the place. Then Micky left us. But because the whole group heard this, everybody but one stayed through Sunday! She was the only one who just couldn't change her plans. One even went home and came back for it. Another one and I were hoping this 'dinner' would go over ok with Micky, because we both had the distinct impression that he would not be expecting ALL of us.

We spent Sunday afternoon seeing the famed chocolate factory with hundreds of other tourists, and browsing around the gift shop they had. I found a brown t-shirt with a Hershey candy bar wrapper on the front of it. We ate lightly at the deli/restaurant back at the Lodge to help kill time, too. I had a pepsi and a salad - scarfed it down actually, and then let out the loudest belch I have ever heard! Oh no! How embarrassing! The entire place stopped what they were doing and looked my way. "Oh! Pardon me!", I said sheepishly. Everyone in my group laughed, as I slid down in my chair, trying to make myself invisible.
Anyway, it was finally time to go to Friendly's. After the waitress began to take our orders, Micky arrived. I clearly saw a look of surprize when he saw 10 of us were there. I was watching for a reaction, if any - I saw him say to one of them that he knew, "How did you let this get out of hand?", as an aside. (He didn't want anyone else to hear it, but because I was being astute, I heard.) But no matter. He quickly took command over us, by asking each one where we came from and how we came to be fans. He was soooo charming and friendly. It was an awesome experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life.
So, my turn around the table, and I ask, "Will the play be coming to Chicago at all, because I'll definitely be there if it does!"
"No...," he answered.
"Well that's alright," I say. "Cuz I saw you in Chicago already, in a concert in 1969!," I blurt out. Everyone laughed, him too. I was tryin' REAL hard to remain calm. Silly me, lol.
"Wow!," Micky said. "You were a fan back then and saw a concert??"
"Yep!," I beamed.
"That's great!," he replies, and gives me one of his great big smiles. "Did we put on a good show?", he asks.
"I'll never forget it!", I answer.
"So you were a fan," he said as he sat back in his chair.
"Yes! Every Monday night at 6:30 Central I watched the show!." Everyone laughed again. Then he gave me a look - hard to describe. I picked up a vibe that he knew that I knew the story. Completely on the same page, like old friends or something. In that instant, I knew that he knew that I knew....and that's all I ever wanted from him. Recognition. That 13-yr-old fan in me was in Monkee heaven by now.
Well, Micky was the first to leave, after about an hour. He told everyone the dinner was on him and he'll see us at the play. We sat at the table a little longer. Some were going on home now, so everyone was saying their good-byes. Several of them were also grabbing his cup, napkin, etc, before the waitress could clear the table. I found that quite strange. It was like watching birds swooping down. Quite a strange sight to see.

Those of us staying went on to the Theater. It was the final performance before a 3-week Christmas break. Then the play would go to CA and then back east again, to finish up in mid-January.
Afterwards, cast members were looking to talk to us at that stage door exit outside the building. Otto the duck was still quite a popular little bird. Micky came out with an older man, said his hellos and thank yous, and told us Merry Christmas. Then poof! He was gone. People were waiting for him it was said. I stood around with the others and the cast. Then it dawned on me. It was all over. I snuck away to the cars in the parking lot. Well what can I say? After all the excitement of this weekend, I had to collect myself and step back into the real world.

But wait.....not quite time for the real world YET, I soon learned. The 5 of us from the Midwest, now by ourselves again, seemed to be on a mini-road trip. One was telling the driver to turn here, turn there, go down this stretch of road, go down that one - and more singing, laughing, talking, in the meantime. Suddenly it dawned on me - we must be heading for Davy's house! I knew he lived in PA. Where else would we be going at 11 pm at night, driving in the middle of nowhere? Sure enough, I begin to see a town with a huge Christmas tree lit up in the center of it. We turned off the main road in town onto a residential street. I couldn't see the name of it. A little ways down, the driver was told to stop. There was a large 3-story yellow farmhouse with a lot of windows, set behind a tell redwood fence. Spruce Lawn was written on a big white plaque on the fence. "Here it is," said the navigator. "This is where Davy lives, but he is not here right now, he is in FL over the holidays." The place was dark behind the fence, as 2 of us got out of the car to take a couple of pictures. Suddenly, van headlights came on inside the fence, over by what looked like a garage next to the house! "Go! Go!", the navigator was panicking, "We've got to get out of here! I don't wanna be seen!" So here's myself and the other, trying to catch up to the car as it began to move - "Wait for us!", we holler, as they open the doors to let us in. Whew! Zoom! Off we went.

The next day and a half were basically spent riding in the car, headed homeward. We stopped at a huge teddy bear factory called Boyd's Bears in PA that someone wanted to check out. It was located in a HUGE barn-type thing, and the PA countryside was absolutely beautiful surrounding it. It was like a scene from a jigsaw puzzle! We also made it over to Gettysburg before the long trip home.
I know I will NEVER forget this little roadtrip taken.