Deaf & Dumb

Peter Contemplates Joining Another Band

Peter smiled as he tried to figure out a polite way to tell his three friends that he couldn't play alongside them. Their smiling faces and excited attitudes made him almost want to accept. What could go wrong? After all Mike wanted him out of the band. It wasn't like he was obligated to the Monkees, was he?
"So, will you play?" Stephen asked smiling at Peter.
Peter shrugged feeling pressured to do it. "I mean I can..." He said slowly.
Stephen smiled widely and slapped Peter's shoulder. "Great, you were always too good for the Monkees," He said.
"You got me to join them," Peter said as his brow furrowed.
Stephen smiled. "That was cuz I couldn't leave them out to dry. They're good kids," He said.
Peter sighed. "I kinda feel bad leaving them, ya know?" He said slowly.
"Why?" David asked frowning. "They wanted you to leave right?"
"No, Mike wanted me to leave. Davy and Micky didn't," Peter said slowly. "I feel like I'm betraying Davy and Micky."
"You're not betraying them. You just need room to grow," Graham said.
Peter bit his lip. Graham was right, wasn't he? He did need room to develop his own sound. The Monkees were imitating popular music which wasn't so bad usually, but it didn't seem like anything was coming out of it. He couldn't reach his full potential if he was being held back like that.
Peter stared at the three men that were trying to convince him to leave the Monkees. Each one from a different group of major success. Each one left for a different reason. David got kicked out. Stephen's band broke up. Graham left to grow musically. It wasn't like they were asking him to sing with them. Their vocal harmonies needed no one else, and he wasn't any good anyway. He'd just play bass, right? After that'd they'd just a drummer, right?
Peter, for a moment, felt overwhelmed. "Before I decide anything, can I think about it?" He asked.
Stephen nodded. "Of course," He said putting the young man at ease.
"Not to sway your judgement too much, but who would you become more famous with? The three of us, or the three of them?" Graham said.
Peter thought of the bands that his three friends were in. He knew their hits. He remembered listening to them on the radio. Peter smiled and nodded. "Well, I'll keep that in mind," He said.
Graham smiled.
Peter spent more time with the three musicians. They passed a pipe around and talked. Peter found himself describing Rosemary to them using the most colorful and poetic words he could. David was just grinning the more Peter described her. Graham would try and get more information from him.
Then Peter mentioned that Rosemary was deaf. Graham stopped asking for more information. He just stared for a minute.
"How do you talk with her?" Stephen asked.
"Sign language," Peter said.
David was still smiling. "You learned it for her?" He asked.
Peter nodded. David smiled wider. "That's beautiful," Graham said quietly.
The four of them were silent for a moment as Peter thought of more to say. He couldn't think of anymore so David began to ramble. They all gathered around and listened and talked and made no sense. Eventually they all ate a bit and then they fell asleep.
Peter woke up laying across Stephen's lap. He must have decided that'd it would be a comfortable place to sleep. Stephen was still sleeping. Graham was sitting on the couch with David laying on him. Graham smiled at Peter.
"I don't want to move," He said laughing. David shifted slightly so that he was more comfortably resting on Graham's shoulder.
Peter sat up and looked at Stephen's peaceful sleeping face. "Do you remember last night?" He asked.
"You told the cutest stories about your girlfriend," Graham said.
Peter felt a blush rise in his face. "I didn't..." He said slowly.
"You did," Graham said. "It was adorable."
Peter cover his face for a moment to try and mask his embarrassment. David opened his eyes slowly. He moved a bit and got more comfortable on Graham's arm. He saw Peter and winked at him to make sure he didn't say anything to Graham. Graham noticed that Peter was looking at David so he pushed him. There was a loud thud as David hit the floor. Stephen woke up suddenly. He looked around and saw David laying on the floor.
"Did you roll off the couch again?" Stephen asked.
David let out a sigh. "No, a certain someone pushed me," He said.
"You should have gotten off of me as soon as you woke up," Graham said smiling down at his friend on the floor.
"You're a nice shoulder to rest on," David said.
"Apparently Stephen is a good lap to sleep on," Graham said smiling at Peter.
"Oh, no, Peter was laying really weird on the couch so I laid him on my lap so he'd sleep better," Stephen said. "He fell asleep first. He took the most puffs of the pipe after David."
David grinned. "No wonder I still feel great," He said finally sitting up.
Peter looked at the clock on the wall and read the time. It was 8:47 by the clock. He frowned. "I've got to go," He said standing up.
"That clock is ten minutes fast," Stephen said as if that'd make a difference with Peter leaving.
Peter shrugged. "I've still got to go," He said.
David waved goodbye still sitting on the floor. Peter stood up and went to the door. He turned around. "I'm gonna think about it," He said. "Joining you band I mean."
"Keep what I said in mind," Graham added in, "and tell your girlfriend you love her."
Peter smiled. "Bye guys," He said closing the door behind him. He smiled and shook his head before he headed back to his aunt's house. It was very quiet as he stepped into the house. As he drew closer to his aunt's room he could hear someone snoring. He went into his room and changed into fresh clothing and put his dirty clothes in the hamper. He took a quick shower then made him and his aunt some breakfast. He was famished.
Shelly wandered into the kitchen. She was in a robe, and she looked exhausted.
"Where were you last night?" Shelly asked sitting down at the counter.
"A friend's," Peter said. He thought for a moment then asked, "If I were to join a band besides the Monkees would it be betraying them?"
Shelly thought for a few moments. "I'd go talk to them before doing anything," She said. "Davy and Micky seemed like nice boys."
Peter nodded his head and put an egg on a plate and passed it to his aunt. She smiled and thanked him.

(So if you don't know the band that Peter is being pressured to join is Crosby, Stills & Nash. I doubt anything like this happened in real life, but a nice little fact, Stephen Stills recommended Peter for the Monkees. Graham Nash also was introduced to Stephen Stills at one of Peter's parties. Well, I hope you're enjoying this story. Stay groovy.)