Suddenly Single

   I fell in love when I was twelve years old with a Monkey. Davy Jones was my heartthrob all through grade school.
   Along with the butterfly wallpaper that lined the walls of my bedroom, posters of Davy Jones were scotch taped up around and above my bed. Posters I ripped out of "Tiger Beat" and "16-Mag." The one to the left was a giant picture of his gorgeous face worn at the lips. He didn't know it, but I kissed him good night every night until I turned fourteen.
   I never missed an episode of the Monkey's on Saturdays. Davy Jones was my favorite, I wrote him a letter, knowing he would respond. I'll never forget when that postcard came, addressed to me, signed by the group, thanking and asking for my continued support of the fan club. Maybe he knew I existed, I hoped, way back then.
   So, you could imagine my excitement when I saw his name on the Celebrity Golf Tournament roster. Davy Jones here in Hilton Head? Oh be still my beating heart. I may finally get the chance I had been dreaming of since I was a twelve-year old groupie. But, how would I get to meet him?  What could I do? I never played in the Celebrity Golf Tournament before. I needed a way in; I needed to get on a team. Who do I know who plays in the Labor Day tourney? I got it.Mr. Crown and Ginger.perfect. Oh, but what if he didn't want me to play?
   I started devising a way I could maneuver myself on Mr. C&G's team. What could I do?  I thought of the usual; cook him his favorite meal. An ice-cold crown and ginger when he walked through the door? "Whatever you say darling" and "yes dearing" him all weekend. The wheels were turning. I had to play. I had to meet Davy Jones after all these years. Surely he was still the cutest Monkey around, even with a few wrinkles and excess weight. I was on a mission.
   I asked Mr. C&G which Celebrities he wanted to play with. He rattled off a bunch of boring (in my eyes) sport figures.
   "You know Davy Jones is playing." I said.
   "You mean that old Monkey?  I didn't know he played golf." he said.
That didn't sound promising. "Well, isn't it cool, he's coming to the island? I mean he's really popular. I kinda liked him when I was a kid", thinking that might help my cause.
   "Yea, I know, he's the short one. He's English isn't he?"
   "Well, I didn't think HE was THAT short." I defended my first love. "Hey, why don't you pick him as one of your Celebs?"
   "Na, I don't think so. Don't think the other guys would appreciate playing with an old teenage heartthrob."
 Well, that didn't go very well, but I was not about to give up. I had to angle it differently.
   "Do they (the Celebrities) go to all the events? The dinners and stuff?" I asked.
   "Well, usually, most of the guys turn up." Mr. C&G sounded blasÈ
   "So, if I went to the events, then I might meet him?" Until now, I wasn't sure about my level of participation."
   "Yeah, probably. Does that change your mind? You want to join us?" Mr. C&G asked.
   "Yeah, I guess, that might be nice." I tried to sound nonchalant about the whole thing, but inside I was beside myself with glee. I would finally get to meet Davy Jones.
   By Friday, things were looking up for my tÍte-‡-tÍte. There was a spot open on Mr. Crown and Ginger's team. I jumped at the chance to play. It turned out to be a fun day. We were the low-gross team and won. All day, though, in between, drives and putts, my head spun around looking and listening for a Monkey with an English accent. No luck on the links, but there was still dinner this evening. I'd be on the hunt.
   Friday night came and I lapped the Crown Plaza's ballroom, stopping short of conducting a fingertip search. I craned my neck, checked the hallway, entered the ballroom in one door and exited out the other, snaking around tables. Nothing. No Davy Jones. I could have saved myself a lot of time, had I just waited for Gail Wingo's announcement that he would not be here until Saturday. Phew, thank God I didn't miss him. That was okay, I had waited this long, what was one more day?
   Saturday night. The night I would meet Davy Jones. My (soon to be annoying friend) Lisa came running up to me.
   "Guess what? Guess who I just met? I rode down in the elevator with Davy Jones." She was ecstatic.
   "Did you? You saw him? He's really here!" I stifled a scream.
   "Yup, and he is cute, so cute. I told him I had a crush on him when I was growing up. I had a lunch box with his picture on it. I told him he was my first love." Her voice was giddy with delight as I hid my jealousy.
   "Oh really? Hmm, that was lucky. Where is he now?" I asked. Humph, I never had a lunch box, I just had posters. All during dinner I looked for him, but no luck.
   Then Lisa came back to the table. "I just can't stop running into him. I had my picture taken with him out in the lobby." Oh, God, I thought, she needs to shut up. I was green with envy.
   "You what? YOU saw him again? Is he still there?" 
   "I don't know. There were tons of people out there. I can't believe I met him again." UGH, neither can I, I thought.
   "Excuse me, I'll be right back." I dabbed the chocolate mousse from my mouth, threw my napkin on the chair, grabbed my camera, and bolted for the hallway. I was going to finally find Davy Jones.
   When I got to the lobby, he was gone. Nothing but a bunch of sport celebrities left. No royalty. No Davy Jones. 
   When I got back to the table, the now very annoying Lisa said. "Oh Sally you just missed him, he was here and I had another picture taken with him, oh I just love him." 
I snapped my head around looking and there he was right in front of me.up on stage. He started singing Day Dream Believer, my favorite song.. Ahhh, and he looked so, so.short. But I didn't care.
   The entertainment was over. I continued my quest and looked for my love. I milled around the stage, scoured the ballroom. Nothing. He was no place to be found. I reluctantly headed for the door, still searching. Mr. C&G retrieved the car and being the gentleman he was, helped my sad sack of bones into it. My hopes faded away. And as we were about to drive off.     There he was, Davy Jones was standing, right where I had been just moments ago. Mr. C&G started to drive and I frantically waved at Davy, hoping to catch his attention. I finally did. I saw him. He screwed up his face and looked almost in pain while he mouthed with a pinched face.who in the world was that?
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