Subject: [Monkees-list] Higher! Higher! Part III In conclusion--Day 3: Again woke very late, with a pretty nasty headache. There was a fan gathering for lunch planned, though only 4 of us showed up: me, Laura, Annie from Australia & Rose (Eckert?) I sat on the floor in front of the theatre while we waited. I was meditating, trying to calm myself down, when a guard came over and said No sitting on the floor! He was nice about it, but sheesh...it's not like I'm going to spend any more money if I stand up ;-) (In fact, I lost all of $2.00 the entire weekend) Aat any rate, once we realized no-one else was coming, we went to lunch and basically talked Monkees Annie had some samples of her Monkeemaniacs Downunder fanzine, one of which she gave me. We talked for a fairly good while. then I went back to the hotel and attempted to take a nap, while Laura managed to exchange our seats *again* Same seats! 5A. Front and Center! 8:00 arrives and we're in our seats. Natural comes on, adds one more song. (interestingly, since Sunday, the song that's been running through my head is one of theirs, rather than a Monkees tune. Go figure.) Then thbe guys MonkeeWalk out on stage. Peter sees us and smiles. It was great, as he played to us a bit....Auntie Grizelda dance, up close and personal! ;-) Poor boy was coughing a bit, but it didn't seem to affect his performance one little bit. (that's 3 'bits' in 2 sentences.) At any rate, again a wonderful performance. I made an attempt to watch some of what Micky & Davy were doing this time--not terribly successful Davy was singing (title, please? part of the "oliver" medly) diectly to Laura. In fact though, by now all the shows were starting to run together. I was on the same high, the boys' energy was high, the screaming was high. The theatre was a little less crowded for this show. At any rate, the show ends, and they again do the handshake thing. I touched Peter again, figuring I'd never see him again. I got fingertip contact with Micky, and I almost missed Davy: he was getting ready to leave the stage when I caught his atention by rattling the small, cheap plastic tambourine, emblazoned with "Happy Mardi Gras" and a jester's face on it that I'd caught at a parade. He came over, took the tambourine from me, smiled and started palying it, complete with his little Davydance He tried to give it back to me, but I waved it to him--it's yours. Ok, that's it. I've touched all three Monkees. I can go home now. Nope. As we're waitng for the theatre to clear out, we are again handed backstage passes! We go backstage. there are maybe 2 dozen people there. Laura and I sit on the couch, with just a little space between us Peter comes in, does pics and autographs, moving clockwise around the room. One of Natural sat down next to me, and I told him how much I enjoyed his performance. Davy came in and I let him know what it was I gave him--he said: thank you. I'll put it in my museum. Peter walks over and plops down between me and Laura. laura says: you're gonna get sick of seeing us! He says: nah. I like seeing y'all there. (I'm pretty sure he did, in fact, say 'y'all') He turns to me with that smile that makes me melt, and says: We shared a kiss last night. I said: um, yes. We did. He said: you're gonna get sick. I told him I already did--and told him of my anxiety attack the night before. We then talked about depression and the fact that I was on prozac. I don't know--I was rambling at that point. He then was asked to pose for another picture. as the people doing the asking were all fairly short, he sort of crouches down so that they're all the same height. What a view I got then! He sat back down and I think the 4 of us (me, Peter(!) Laura and TODJ) talked a bit more, when he was called to get ready for the 2nd show. As he got up, I told him of the conversation I'd overheard a few minutes before: Peter! can you take a piccture with myt friend? She loves you! To which he replied: I always get that in the third person. So, I said, this is in the first person: I love you! That's when I got my hug a lift me off my feet hug. Back in for the 2nd show. Peter was coughing more, and you could tell all three were dragging a bit toward the end, but none of it affected their performance or the energy level. It's amazing! I was exhausted just *watching* them! Peter had a bit of a coughing fit after they did papa Gene's blues. Micky said: Peter's ill. He just needs someone to give him love and attention. Peter pointed straight at Laura (& me? I couldn't tell; I didn't really care): I want her! he said. At the end, I got one last Peter hand touch as they made to leave the stage. a 30+ year dream come true. I met *Peter*, and I didn't throw up on him Peace! Jan --My penguin was not Peter Tork