 |
| Peter Tork and Jacqueline Boyd - Monkees Convention 2014 Photo courtesy of ILoveMickyDolenz.com |
We just learned the news today of Peter's magical mystery trip
into the next life and of course whenever that happens, we are left back on this
planet stuck with all of our misery and pain.
As Monkees fans, after we lost our beloved Davy Jones, it shifted a
little. Suddenly, our own mortality was
evident and all we could do was hold on dearly to Micky, Peter and Mike to get
us through our loss.
We are now moving into a new world without Peter and it’s weird
and scary. We all thought we’d heard Auntie Grizelda way too many times and now, I’m suddenly extremely grateful I got
to hear him perform it at every show. It
became a fun little inside joke for the fans and whenever we meet each other
at future concerts, I hope we find a way to pay tribute to the man who tortured
our ears with Auntie Grizelda over and over until we just burst out laughing. We KNOW these boys. We can laugh with them and feel a part of
their brotherhood and Peter most certainly always knew how to keep his fans
laughing and filled with joy when he performed on stage.
The first time I met Peter, I admit it wasn’t quite the dream
fangirl experience I had hoped for. I’d
driven six hours down to some random town in Pennsylvania in 2000 to see Peter
Tork perform with the Shoe Suede Blues.
I had planned my outfit for months.
I had brought my most prized Monkees possessions in the hopes that he
would do an autograph signing. I
actually met Peter long before I met Micky.
That night, Peter walked on stage and staunchly declared, “I’d
just like everyone here to know that if you have come here tonight because you
associate me with that ‘band who shall not be named’, you should probably just
leave now. I don’t want to hear about it
or them. THIS is what I do now and if
you don’t like it, leave.”
I crumbled and felt every painful second of my heart stopping
and then plummeting to the ground, taking out my stomach on the way down. I was crushed. Of course, I was a teenager and The Monkees
had been everything to me for as long as I can remember. It broke my heart and even though I
sheepishly waited in the merch line to get a picture with him, I knew it was futile
and he hated me. My world was over.
Yes, please take into consideration that 18/19 year old
girls are emotionally fragile and intense and it should have stopped me from ever resorting myself into being "THAT" desperate fan. Of course, lucky for Peter that Micky Dolenz was still my fake boyfriend and future fake husband so no matter how I felt about Peter, I could NEVER avoid Micky or any of the rest of The Monkees and so I continued going to show after show.
Micky Dolenz - is there anything the man CAN'T do?? Sorry, of course this tribute is most
certainly not about Micky Dolenz (other than the fact that I think about him 24/7 and he
naturally makes his way into every conversation I have because it’s like a disease…
albeit an awesome disease because it involves me thinking about Micky Dolenz
24/7).
Micky brought me back.
The next time I saw Peter Tork, it was in Buffalo, NY at a baseball game
and after the show, the boys (Micky, Peter and Davy) got in one of those tiny
carts and did a lap around the field so we could all scream our heads off for
them. As I saw them approach my spot behind
home plate, my heart instantly knew what to do and I threw up a bold, exuberant
peace sign high into the air.
Peter Tork’s eyes darted directly to my two trembling
fingers and his face brightened. He
pointed directly at me with the same exuberance I had flashed my peace sign and
with that signature adorable smile of his, looked right into my eyes and gave
me a huge thumbs up and said, “RIGHT ON!”
I got up to leave, we drove home, and it was overall a good
night.
Just kidding. 😉
The second the boys had driven away from my view, I collapsed. Full on emotional breakdown of my legs and
entire body. I was laughing and crying
and I said “he saw me! He acknowledged
me!! He KNOWS ME! We made a real connection!” And then my boyfriend at the time (who by the
way stole the only picture I have of that memory with Peter at the Shoe Suede
Blues show and never gave it back, so screw you Jay) had to basically carry me out
of the stadium, into our car and then
drive me home.
I cried and rejoiced and celebrated the brief moment that
solidified what I had always known: The
Monkees are human beings. They have good
days and bad days, like we all do. No amount
of bad days will ever make me stop appreciating the music and the way their
music changed me and my entire life. The
way it still changes my life. The way it
has NEVER STOPPED inspiring me.
Many years passed, I saw many Monkees concerts with Peter
included. I got to speak to him a few
times at both of the Monkees Conventions and other events. He was an absolute delight, took time to joke
and laugh with everyone in line and make sure every fan got their special
moment.
Peter Tork spoke of peace, love and all things hippie. It is what I love and cherish him for. My heart breaks for his wife Pam, his children,
his family, his friends, Micky, Mike and anyone else who had the honour of
being a part of Peter’s world.
Thank you, Peter. May
you rest in peace and say hello to Davy for us, will you?
Love,
Jacqueline Boyd
Toronto, Canada
www.ILoveMickyDolenz.com
Toronto, Canada
www.ILoveMickyDolenz.com
We were born to love one another,
This is something we all need,
We were born to love one another,
We must be what we're going to be,
And what we have to be is free.
- Peter Tork
