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August 1966
Cassandra or Cassie as she preferred to be called pulled into the drive way of her new place on Beechwood Drive. She had just left Mr. Babbitt's place after signing the rental contract, getting the keys to the pad, and directions to the place. The only reason she was able to get a place so soon was because her Nana had known Mr. Babbitt when she was alive. Not that her Nana ever really liked Babbitt, but she got along with him. Her dad had told her to look Babbitt up when she got to Malibu, California. The only reason he let her rent a house from him was because he thought highly of Elin Hill and was sad to hear that she had died nearly two years before.
From her dad she knew Babbitt's apartments were practically falling apart and as Mom would say in a thick West Virginia accent it wouldn't be worth the rent money. But she wasn't going to be home a lot because she would be working and going to college full time to see it fall apart before her eyes. The only good thing about this place is that it was right next to the beach. She walked out of the car looked at all she had packed into her car plus the U-Haul she had attached to her hitch on the bumper.
She thought, this is going to take forever to unpack I should ask one of my neighbors to help me load it into the house.
She walked to the passenger side of the car, grabbed Jasmine her dog lead and walked Jasmine around. When Jasmine was done, she walked to her house and put Jasmine in the house. Normally Babbitt didn't let his renters have animals, but for several reasons he made an exception. She walked over to 1332 Beechwood Drive, the house next to hers, and just stood at the door wonder whether she should knock on the door and ask for help.
"Here we go. Now or never," she said with her nerves working over time and fighting what courage she had built up.
She knocked on the door. Someone with a green wool hat had lifted the peephole to see who had knocked on the door. A few minutes later the door opened and he said, "Come on in and sorry it took so long we thought you were someone else."
"That's all right," Cassie said, "I wasn't in a hurry."
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Cassandra Hill, but most people call me Cassie," she said.
"Hey Cassie nice to meet you I'm Mike Nesmith and theses are my roommates. Hey guys get over here," Mike said.
Two out the three guys walking towards her and Mike were cute. One of them was short and the other was tall and had straight, brown hair. Thank goodness my neighbors are guys she thought at least they weren't a bunch of girly-girls who complain if they break a nail.
"Hey guys this is our new neighbor Cassandra Hill," Mike said.
"Hi, I'm Micky Dolenz," the guy with straight, brown hair said.
"Hi, I'm Peter Tork," the tall blonde said shyly.
When Davy and her looked each other in the eyes both of them had stars in them, but Cassie quickly averted her eyes to something else and blushed. Everyone else saw it and thought oh, no Davy's in love again.
"'Ello, I'm David Jones, but everyone calls me Davy," the short one said.
"Well most people call me Cassie, but you don't have to," Cassie said, "I just moved in next door and I was wondering if you guys could help me."
"Sure, darlin'. We will help you right guys," Mike said with a deep Texas accent.
"Right. We will help you," the other three said.
"So where are you from?" Micky asked.
"I'm from West Virginia. It's practically the butt of every joke next to Texas," Cassie said.
"I was wondering why your accent would come and go when you were talking. I'm from Texas," Mike said.
"I know I have a slight southern accent. I have lived there more on then off since I was four. I have been working on getting rid of it since I was about 13 or so. So you know what I am talking about. The past month I have been in Colorado and then a couple days ago I stayed with my Aunt Vicki who lives a just north of here," Cassie said.
"Yeah I know what you're talking about. Who do you know in Colorado?" Mike asked.
"My dad and my soon to be step mom," she said.
"Oh, how did you know about the place next door was for rent?" Micky asked.
"My dad told me to look up Mr. Babbitt and see if he had a place for rent. My Nana, my dad's mom, knew him along time. That's the only reason I got the place next door was my grandmother," Cassie said.
"That's great. That's who we thought you were before we let you in except you weren't yelling at us for the rent," Micky said.
"I can understand that. My Nana wasn't too fond of him and found that out growing up, but it got me a place to stay."
"So why did you move here?" Micky asked.
"One: I'm going to college. Some of my aunt's helped me get applications to colleges here though I'm going to a community college. Two: to get away from my mom. We get along better sometimes not in the same house. I love her. I just think she's a little crazy. I think most daughters think that way about their mothers. Sorry I talk a lot," Cassie said.
"Well that's interesting. So you didn't stay with your dad very long because your going to college here. Groovy," Micky said.
"Well we better help her unpack, guys," Mike said.
"Thanks for helping me, guys," Cassie said.
"Your welcome, luv," Davy said.
She unlocked the backdoors of her car and the U-Haul. Then she heard Jasmine bark and said, "Hold on guys before you bring some of those boxes in. I need to put my dog Jasmine in the bathroom, because I don't want her to run off and she's not very fond some people she doesn't know."
She went inside and put Jasmine in the bathroom. She made sure the bathroom door was shut by slamming the door. The she walked out and left the door. She went to the car and grabbed a couple boxes. She brought some of the boxes into the house and trailing behind her were the guys. She told them to set her belongings in what was going to be the living room before she decided what was going where. Before she realized it all of her stuff was in the living room. She started opening boxes to go through them. Micky started in the box mark books and noticed she had all three of The Lord of The Rings novels.
"Groovy, you read the Lord of the Rings," Micky said.
"Yep, that's one of my favorite series. I can't wait until a movie is made. I even have the 'Frodo Lives' pin somewhere," Cassie said.
"That's groovy by the way where do you want the books any way?" Micky asked.
"Um, follow me," Cassie said as she looked for a room in the house to put the books in.
When she finally found the room that would work she said, "Micky this room."
"Okay," Micky said.
Micky went downstairs to grab the box and take it upstairs. Then he came down he figured that she would want to go through it and decide what order the books go in. In on of the boxes Davy found a couple pictures and showed them to the guys. Then Cassie walked up to them and said, "What ya looking at?"
"Is this a picture of you?" Davy asked.
"Yeah I was about 8 or 9 when that picture was taken. I was at church for VBS when that was taken," Cassie said.
How could I forget that picture I was still wearing thick glasses plus I was wearing a yellow shirt and shorts with the shirt tucked in. I was also leaning against the church and hands up behind my head.
Then she heard them laughing and she noticed which picture they were looking at. It was a picture from when she went camping with her friends and she had just woken up. One of her friends had taken that picture.
"When was this?" Micky asked.
"I think I was 15 or so. I was camping with friends," Cassie said, "Okay no more looking at pictures."
"Not even this one?" Davy asked and showing her horseback riding at camp.
"I was at an all-girls camp and one of the classes had been horseback riding. Though that wasn't the first time I was on a horse. The first time I had gotten on a horse was when I was living in Danese when I was 10 and rode the younger sister of my boyfriend's horse. We all took turns and we three girls had a group picture taken afterwards. I remember it so well I fell off the horses. Brushed it and got back on. We also rode bare back that time because Brandy didn't have a saddle for the horse. I don't remember if it hurt when I fell all I was concentrating on was getting back on the horse," Cassie said.
"So you were experienced by this time in the picture from camp?" Davy asked.
"Not really but that week and a half helped me become more experienced," Cassie said, "I wish I could go more."
"Well let's get back to work, Davy. We can look at the pictures later," Mike said noticing that Cassie was getting a little uncomfortable.
She was glad that Mike got them to go back to work. She knew when some of those pictures were taken and she was still a little self-conscious about the how much she use to weigh even though she had went down to her goal weight. Eventually they had unpacked all the boxes or at least left them in the room where its contents belonged. When they were done they all sat on the floor since Cassie didn't have a couch yet.
Eventually they heard Micky's stomach rumble and all of the guys looked at him and said, "Micky why didn't you eat before we left?"
"I did before Cassie came over for help and didn't want to eat while we were helping her that would be rude," Micky said.
"What's even more rude is how you eat, Micky," Davy said in a matter of fact way.
"Well I'm glad somebody mentioned the fact of eating, because I'm hungry. I only have stuff to make sandwiches. Actually all I have is Peanut Butter," Cassie said, "If anyone else is hungry follow me to the kitchen."
The followed her to the kitchen. She grabbed a bag and took out the food that was in it, but all she had was peanut butter, bread, and a couple bags of pretzels. She grabbed a knife from the silverware drawer.
"Where's the jelly?" Micky said.
"Well one I don't like jelly with my peanut butter and two the jelly wouldn't have lasted the trip or in this house without any power to fridge," Cassie said.
"This will work. Besides if she doesn't like she doesn't like it. Everyone has different foods they do or don't like," Mike said.
"Hey Peter could you get five plates from the cabinet? Please." Cassie asked, "Since someone put the plates where the only way I can reach them is with a chair."
"Yes, I'll get them," Peter said.
"Thanks Peter," Cassie said.
"You're Welcome, Cassie," Peter said.
"Sorry Cassie," Micky said, "I didn't realize you were as short as Davy."
Everyone laughed except Davy.
"Yes, I know I am short compared to you guys, but I am actually average for a girl. Actually I think I'm a little bit taller than him. I'm almost 5'4". Besides I'm use to being called short especially by my best friend, Mary. How many sandwiches would you guys like?" she said as she finished making two for herself and put them on a plate. Then she set it aside.
"Two," all four of them said.
She fixed six sandwiches. She put two sandwiches on each plate. She also opened the bag of pretzels grabbed a handful and put them on her plate. The guys did the same thing and followed Cassie into the living room. She went to the bathroom door and asked, "Do you guys mind if I let her out, but mind you she's a little questionable around strangers?"
They all said, "Go on let her. She has to get use to sooner or later."
She let Jasmine out. Jasmine started barking and growling and Cassie popped her on the nose and said to the dog, "Stop it. Its okay they are in here. There is nothing wrong with them."
Mike asked, "How did you get Babbitt to let you have a dog?"
"Easy," she said, "several reasons. One: having to have a tenant and rent."
All agreed with her that Babbitt loved money. Every once in a while they would hear Jasmine growl mainly when Micky moved fast and Cassie would get onto Jasmine.
After she sat down on the floor she asked, "What do you guys do?"
"We are in a band called The Monkees and we look for work to pay the rent," Mike said as he sat down on the floor as well.
"That's groovy. I would love to see you guys play. I just love music. Music is one of my favorite things next to writing and reading," Cassie said.
What she didn't say however is that she believes it heals the soul and it helped in a dark period of her life.
"Well you could come over and watch us practice or when we have a gig," Micky said.
All the guys agreed.
"I'd like to see you guys perform," Cassie said.
"What are you going to college for, luv?" Davy asked as he sat down next to her.
"I'm going to school to become a teacher," Cassie said.
"What are you going to teach?" Peter asked.
"Music, actually," Cassie answered, "Actually I surprised one of you didn't bring it up when you took my guitar and piano to the library."
"We know you play a couple instruments. But what type of music will you be teaching: band or choir?" Mike asked.
"Choir. I'm more of a vocalist. Actually I'm a soprano. I always wanted to learn to play the piano and eventually the guitar, which I have learned how to play both. I write songs too, more lyrics than the melody," Cassie said.
"Really, that's groovy. Seems like music is your entire life like it is ours," Mike said.
"Yes and has been since I was a kid and it would get stronger with each passing year. That's why I decided to have a career in music instead of something else," Cassie said.
Eventually the finished eating their sandwiches. They noticed that Jasmine was not growling or barking at them anymore and that Peter was playing with her. She had taken up to Peter.
"Peter would love to have a dog, but Babbitt won't let us have one," Mike said.
"Hey Peter, since Jasmine likes you would you like to take her for walks when I'm not home and going to be gone for most of the day?"
"Yeah that would be great," Peter said.
"I thought it would. I show were Jasmines leash is going to be before I start school," she said.
While she checked her finger nails she said jokingly, "Oh look I broke a nail."
Hopefully one of them got it.
Davy said, "Let me see. Do you need to use an emery board?"
All the guys laughing at him.
She said, "I was just joking. If it bothered me and would have to do any maintenance on them I would clip my nails."
The other Monkees busted out laughing even more when they realized that she wasn't really prissy or girly. Then Mike looked at his watch and said, "Guys it's getting late. We better go back home. It was nice meeting you Cassie. We had some fun. Hope to see you over sometime. Bye," Mike said.
"Bye, Cassie," Micky said.
"Bye, Cassie," Peter said.
"Bye, Cassandra," Davy said.
"Bye, guys," Cassie said.
When Davy said goodbye that was the only time he said my name she thought. I wonder if he likes me. Both Davy and Micky are cute. Micky's funny and Davy's cuter, sweet, and a gentleman. Not that the rest aren't. I wonder why he called me Cassandra; most people call me Cassie once they know that I will answer to Cassie.
She walked upstairs to her room and changed into her nightclothes. She grabbed a blanket and a couple pillows then sat them on the bed. She went to the box that had Jasmine's bed and put it on the floor for Jasmine to sleep on. Thinking I have a lot of work tomorrow. Starting in here. Until tomorrow she thought before she fell asleep.
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