"What a beautiful morning, Summer...You know, I don't take advantage of being in the garden enough and just next door I see the apple tree in full fruit." Said Liberty Lee as she took in the sights of the local neighbourhood.
"21...22...23...gasp...24...push harder, Sum, 25...." was Summer Holliday's reply. She was too engrossed in her exercising to take in the surroundings.
"I can see you're preoccupied. I think I'm done for now" said Liberty, who lacked the stamina and energy of her friend when it came to exercise. Liberty exercised because her job required it, Summer seemed to do it for fun.
"Aw, come on Libs...let's see if we can get to 50 sit ups!" said Summer, leaping to her feet and trying to encourage her housemate.
"Hello, what do I find here? Two groovy chicks in tight keep fit clothes? Can I watch?"
"Travis! You're incorrigible" said Liberty, turning around and seeing her housemate walking towards them.
"If that means he thinks with his....you know what...then you're right!" said Summer. "Travis, you could do with doing some exercise." she added.
"God gave me a finite number of heartbeats and I do not intend to waste them on exercise" he said, indignantly. "But by all means you continue, ladies, and I'll just sit here with my coffee"
"No sitting around for you yet, Travis, in case you've forgotten we have a party to get ready for. I'm done with the calisthenics, we need to get a move on with preparing everything." said Liberty, walking back towards the back door.
"Already sorted...I've got all the records lined up and ready to go. The speakers are set just right for total sound!" replied Travis.
"That's one task down, about 200 to go" said Liberty in a tone like that of a school teacher telling off a lazy student. "Have you swept up all that dirt on the floor of the living room?"
"Relax, our cleaner will sort that out" said Travis, taking another sip of coffee.
"It's Saturday, she doesn't work on a Saturday" said Liberty. Travis spat out his mouthful of beverage.
"What! Oh no! Erm...I'll get the vacuum cleaner!" he said, leaping to his feet.
Inside the house Liberty handed Travis a list of about a dozen chores that needed doing. She also insisted on telling him each and every one even though they were written down.
"First, vacuum up that dust in the lounge, then do the dishes, tidy your room especially all those technical manuals you leave lying around on your desk and the floor, after that just put all the books that are lying around the house back in the bookshelf, preferably in the spaces they occupied before..."
"And what do you want me to do with my other hand?" he replied, sarcastically.
"I shall be cleaning the bathroom in the meantime. Well, you've got your list...let's get cracking." said Liberty, walking off to the bathroom. Summer entered the house and walked up to Travis.
"Let's get cracking..." he said to Summer. "I bet she has a whip as well. Has our glorious leader given you a list like this?" he said, brandishing the piece of paper Liberty had given him to his girlfriend.
"Yes, I'm making food and drinks. And then I have to have a shower and get changed into more suitable clothes" Summer replied.
"I don't think you need bother about changing...I think you look amazing like that" he said, admiringly.
"We're having a party, not a keep fit class but bless you that you think I look amazing" she said, stroking his chin lovingly.
They found out that they had barely enough time to clean, cook, wash and get changed before the guests arrived.
"Who do you think will be the first to arrive? Place your bets now!" said Travis.
"Two bucks says Julia" said Summer.
"Nah, she's usually one of the last. My money's on Jeremy" replied Travis, confidently.
In the end they were both wrong...the first guest to arrive was Liberty's boyfriend, Gary.
Liberty not only won the bet, she rubbed her victory in by giving Gary a loving...and seductive...kiss.
Travis shrugged his shoulders and walked over to his beloved record player. He was in charge of spinning the discs..."total sound" as he called it. He decided that the first song played would be his new favourite record...displacing his previous favourite, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. The Beatles had been quiet for most of the year but now they had a new single and it was a belter! Travis chose it in honour of the special guest: Suzy. Maybe she wasn't exactly a Paperback Writer but she was a writer and that was all the excuse he needed.
"So, how are you doing? You look great, I love that dress of yours. Are you still...well, you know, upset over your Doctor friend?" she said, sympathetically to Julia.
"I'm well, thank you. I acted all silly, that's all. No, work is great and life is good; I should be grateful" said Julia with a hint of triumph and defiance.
The other guests started arriving in quick order. First, Suzy's friend Burr and then Jeremy and Barbara. The latter also asked Julia how she was doing and showed her concern.
Summer approached Suzy, who was having a great time dancing.
"Hey, great party Summer...you always throw a good one. Hmmm, I love this song; it's my new favourite. Hey, if you have house warming parties then is this a house cooling one?"
"That's funny, yeah I guess so...just one thing, Suzy...do you know who that girl is sitting over there on the sofa? The one with the black hair and wearing a red dress?"
"Which girl?" asked Suzy.
"THAT GIRL!" replied, Summer pointing to the woman in question.
"I've not seen her before" replied Suzy. "Maybe she's a friend or colleague of Neil?"
"Maybe...I hope she's not a gatecrasher...I mean, what if she steals something?" said Summer, nervously.
"I'll ask Neil...hang on..." said Suzy, going over to her husband. "Neil, darling, who's the girl in the red dress? I don't recognise her"
"I don't know...I thought she was a friend of yours" replied Neil.
"No she isn't...and she isn't a friend of Summer, Travis and Liberty either. No one seems to know who she is. Can you go and ask her?" said Suzy.
"Why me?"
"Because....she might be a crazy gatecrasher who might want to steal something"
"And you want me to challenge the crazy? Why not call Action over to help? He knows how to handle this kind of thing."
"I haven't seen him for a while...actually, where are most of the guys?" she said, looking around and noticing that most of the male guests were currently absent.
"You talk trash, dude, it's gonna be the Dodgers all the way" replied a taciturn Action.
"I'm with Action on this one...Sandy Koufax is having an amazing season" said Travis. At that point Jeremy entered Travis' study where most of the guys were congregated to talk baseball.
"Yo, Jeremy, who you supporting? The Dodgers or the Orioles?" asked Action.
"Gee whizz...I don't know. I'm neutral. I like supporting the Sim City Plumbobs." replied Jeremy.
"The Plumbobs!" cried out Travis, Action and Peyton simultaneously before they all shook their heads in despair.
Meanwhile back in the living room Neil and Suzy continued to figure out who the mystery guest was.
"OK, I'll need some back up...where's Burr?"
"In the bathroom" replied Suzy.
"Gary?"
"I haven't seen Gary either. I don't know where he and Liberty got to"
"Mwwwah....mmmmmmm....oh this is good....oh Liberty!"
"Oh Gary...mwwwwahhh"
_____________________________________________________________________________
"So it's just me to confront the crazy woman...that's just great. Wish me luck." said Neil.
He cautiously made his way over to the couch where she was sitting but suddenly she stood up and walked over to the bar. Neil found himself standing directly in her path and his first instinct was to step to one side to let her pass but he had a job to do and instead he stood his ground.
"Hello there...I don't believe we've met" he said to the mysterious gatecrasher.
"Hello there, I'm Anne...are you Mr Arnstein?" she replied, nervously.
"Mr Arnstein? No, who's Mr Arnstein?" said a puzzled Neil.
"Oh, he's a TV producer. Well then, do you know Mr Seligman? Is this his house? I thought he might live in a bigger place" she said with a nervous giggle at the end.
Neil looked at her, utterly bewildered by what she was saying but then he ventured a question. "Are you at the right party?" he asked.
"Isn't this the Hey, Wow! new talent event?" said Anne.
"No..." said Neil but then the penny dropped and he snapped his fingers when he realised. "...this is a private party for my wife and I and she works at Hey, Wow!...maybe you've heard of her? Suzy Humphries...well, she still writes under the name of Suzy Kent..."
"Oh my gosh, is Suzy Kent here?" said Anne, excitedly. "Geez, I'm such a klutz! I got the address mixed up and I've crashed your party! I'm sorry, I'll get my bag and go." Anne turned a shade of red similar to the colour of her dress. Neil felt sorry for her.
"It's probably a mix up at Suzy's work...they sent you the wrong details. So what's this new talent event?"
"Well, I'm an actress...actually I'm trying to become an actress. I did an advert where I was a singing tomato and the director of that recommended me to this producer called Mr Arnstein who said he liked that advert and would invite me to this thing Hey, Wow were sponsoring and....well....I was given this address by mistake." Anne's words came tumbling out of her mouth and she shook her head from side to side as she tried to recall the chain of events that led her to Foundry Cove instead.
Neil smiled and nodded. "Well, I can't introduce you to any fancy movie producers but I can introduce you to my wife, Suzy, and our friends."
Travis put the moves on Summer, much to the amusement of everyone who was watching.
And there was lots of dancing...
"Gary...please don't try to serenade me here! In front of everyone!"
"The trick is to add the lemon rind at the last moment, before pouring into the glass"
"Yeah, Jeremy's totally cool now....and he wants to help you, he really does"
"Things are getting hotter, and I don't mean like a BBQ! I need him cool, totally cool!"
"Peyton, this is Julia. Julia, meet my friend Peyton. I'm sure you two have plenty in common....uhm..."
"Aww, I was hoping Julia could get chatting to Peyton or Burr...it's too bad she can't find a nice guy!"
"Summer, I think Julia's happy being single...just play it cool and don't try to fix her."
"Did you see that commercial for toothpaste? I was in that...one of the satisfied customers"
"No I didn't"
"Oh, well, I was in an episode of the F.B.I. I played a woman who stumbles upon a dead body in a hotel."
"Was it a large part?"
"Well, I was only in one shot...I walk into a hotel bedroom and I let out a scream....then they cut to Efrem Zimbalist Jr arriving on the scene and I'm not in it after that. But did you see that episode?"
"No."
"Well, another swell party guys!" said Suzy to Summer, Travis and Liberty. "Thanks for everything...I think it's time to head off. So much to sort out with this house move!"
"Oh you guys are the best...and you know we're going to do it all over again when you move in to the new place" replied Summer.
"It's a deal!" replied Neil. The other guests all left soon afterwards but one person remained...Anne. She looked sheepishly at the trio of friends.
"Once again, sorry I crashed your party" she said.
"Oh don't worry about that...things are pretty hectic around here most of the time" said Travis.
"But thank you for making me feel welcome. You're a swell bunch of people: You and your friends"
"Well, hopefully you're now part of the gang. Keep in touch, Anne. Let us know when you're on TV again" said Summer.
"For sure!"
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