Miss Independent
Kelly Clarkson
Miss independent
Miss self sufficient
Miss keep your distance mmmmm
Miss unafraid
Miss out my way
Miss don't let a man interfere, no
Miss on her own
Miss almost grown
Miss never let a man help her off her throne
So, by keeping her heart protected
She’d never ever feel rejected
Little miss apprehensive
Said ooo, she fell in love
What is this feeling taking over
Thinking no one could open the door
Surprise it’s time to feel what’s real
What happened to Miss independent
No longer need to be defensive
Goodbye old you when love is true!
Miss got it hard
Miss play it smart
Miss if you want to use that line you better not start, no
But she miscalculated
She didn’t want to end up jaded
And this Miss decided not to miss out on true love
So, by changing her misconceptions
She went in a new direction
And found inside she felt a connection
She fell in love
What is this feeling taking over
Thinking no one could open the door
Surprise it’s time to feel what’s real
What happened to Miss independent
No longer need to be defensive
Goodbye old you when love, when love is true
When Miss independent walked away
No time for love that came her way
She looked in the mirror and thought today
What happened to Miss no longer afraid
It took some time for her to see
How beautiful love could truly be
No more talk of why can’t that be me
I’m so glad I finally see...
What is this feeling taking over
Thinking no one could open the door
Surprise it’s time to feel what’s real
What happened to Miss independent
No longer need to be defensive
Goodbye old you when love
When love is true...
Miss independent
The Monkees were on their first ever tour and their last stop of the summer was in Chicago at Wrigley Field. They stayed at the Allerton Hotel on the Magnificent Mile. Micky wanted to go up to his room for awhile before the first show, so he went up to the fifth floor to his room, 501. He opened the door with his key and the maid was still in there.
She looked up at him and gave him a look that could kill. “Excuse me, but I am in the middle of cleaning your room! You’ll have to come back later!”
“Whoa, don’t have a hissy fit! It’s 3:00 in the afternoon and you are still cleaning my room? You should have had it done a couple hours ago.” He didn’t like her tone at all and considered reporting her to management.
“I don’t clean rooms until noon for your information, now if you’ll excuse me...”
“I am seriously considering reporting you to management. What is your name?”
“That’s none of your business, and I really don’t care if you report me.”
Micky took a good look at the woman. She appeared to be in her 20’s and was rather attractive. She had long blonde hair, piercing green eyes, long legs and arms, and a curvaceous body. He wondered why such a pretty girl would act so mean and spiteful. Maybe he could try to calm her down enough to get a name out of her.
“Look, I’m sorry. I won’t report you, and I will come back later. At least tell me your first name.”
“It’s okay, but you really don’t need to know my name.” She looked over at Micky and noticed how handsome he was, but she fought off any sorts of feelings that started to creep up on her.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not important for you to know who I am. I’m just a maid here.”
“Don’t say that. It is important. Please, and then I’ll leave.”
“Fine. My name is Debra.” She huffed.
“Hello Debra, my name is Micky. Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand but Debra didn’t shake it. “You could at least shake my hand. You are rude.”
“Now you are being a jerk! Just go and I will have your room done in a few minutes!”
“You don’t have to be that way!” Micky turned on his heels and stormed down the hall to the elevator.
On the first floor, he ran into Davy and Mike, who were going to their rooms to rest.
“Whoa shotgun, where’s the fire?” Mike put a hand on Micky to stop him.
“Beware of the maid on our floor, she’s really rude and mean!” Micky gritted his teeth in anger and clenched his fist.
“I’ve never seen you this angry before, mate. She must really be bad if it affected you. Why didn’t you just stay in your room?”
“She’s still cleaning it and she told me to leave for a few minutes, but it was how she said it.”
“I’d report her to management.” Mike stated.
“I was going to but I decided against it.”
“Why?” Davy asked.
“Because I was able to get her name that way. You wouldn’t believe how she was towards me. Besides, she’s pretty.”
“Ah I see; somebody’s got a crush!” Mike smiled.
“It’s not that Mike. Why would I have a thing for someone that spiteful?”
“You never know, Mick. Why don’t we all go up to our floor and see if she’s still there. Maybe we can help diffuse her.”
“No, that’s okay Mike. I’m just going to walk outside for a bit and cool down. You two go ahead up.”
“Okay.”
Mike and Davy went up in the elevator and Micky took a walk down North Michigan Ave.
‘I need to know more about her and why she is like that. There has to be a reason for her cruelty.’ Micky thought to himself as he walked in the hot August air, looking at all the buildings on the street as he walked briskly.
About half hour later, he came back and she wasn’t there. He lie on his bed and thought about her and how he could break through her hard exterior. He hoped that she wasn’t that way on the inside.
He fell asleep and woke up at six. He decided to go down to the restaurant in the hotel and grab a bite to eat before the show. He didn’t have to be there until seven, that’s when they dress for the show and mentally prepare themselves.
As he waited to be seated, he saw Debra sitting in a booth by herself. She was eating dinner and drinking what appeared to be a soda. He got seated and after he ordered a Coke and a bowl of chili with a side of fries, he walked over to her.
“Hi, may I sit here for a minute?”
Debra looked up and saw Micky. ‘Oh no, not again.’ “Why do you bother me? I’m trying to eat my dinner in peace.”
“I just thought I’d say hi and talk to you for a couple minutes. Never mind, I will go back to my table.”
He started to turn around and she called to him.
“Micky, I’m sorry, please sit.” She motioned for him to sit at the other side of the booth.
That was the nicest she was all day. He sat down and started to talk.
“Look, we got off on the wrong foot. Perhaps we could start over?”
“Okay.”
“I’m Micky.” He extended his hand to the girl.
She shook his hand this time. “I’m Debra, nice to meet you.”
“See, that’s better isn’t it?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m not trying to be mean, Debra. I just want us to be neighborly. Can you do that?”
“I guess so. So what brings you in town?”
“My band mates and I are playing at Wrigley Field tonight and for the next two days. It’s our last stop on the tour.”
“Ah okay. What’s the name of your band?”
“The Monkees. This is our first tour ever, and we’ve had sold out venues all throughout the tour this summer. So, how long have you been working here?”
“I’ve been here for five years now.”
“That’s great. So, do you enjoy your job?”
“It pays the bills. Plus I get free room and board.” Debra smiled for the first time in a long time and she didn’t like it one bit.
“Ah I see a smile! I knew you had it in you!”
“I do smile once in a while Micky. Don’t you think you should go back to your table?”
“Do you mind if I move over here?”
“I’m here for a few more minutes, besides I shouldn’t interrupt your dinner. You have a show tonight.”
“I insist. Please?”
“Fine.” She huffed the second time today. He was persistent, that’s for sure.
Micky went over to his table and summoned the waitress, who was bringing his dinner. “I’d like to move over there if possible.” He nodded his head towards Debra’s table.
The waitress brought his dinner over to the table and Micky moved his drink over. He sat at the booth and started to eat. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, I don’t. Go ahead.”
He ate his dinner and drank his soda, and they got talking. Debra forgot about being tough for the few minutes that she talked to him. When she remembered, she got scared.
“Look Micky, I have to go. It was nice talking to you.”
“Do you have something important to do?”
“Yes. Thank you for the company.”
“Anytime. Hey, would you like to come to the concert? My treat.”
“No thank you. I must go now.” Debra turned around and left. ‘I’m glad I’m out of there.’ She thought to herself as she made it back to her room on the first floor.
She opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief as she sat on her couch. ‘I have got to make sure I avoid him.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was 7:00 and Micky just made it in time.
“You are lucky, shotgun. If you were one minute late, I would have called the cavalry for you.”
“Sorry, I was eating dinner.” He didn’t want to tell them that he had dinner with Debra.
They got into their outfits – their red eight button shirts and black slacks. Peter had his belt on the side and different colored socks as usual. At 8 they ran out on stage and played a packed stadium of 10,000 screaming fans.
They got back to the hotel by 11:30 and they hung out for a while in Peter’s room.
“That was a great show guys!” Peter cheered.
“It was, but I could hardly hear over all the screaming.” Davy cleared his ears.
“Yup as usual.” Mike said, putting his guitar down against the wall.
“So what do you guys want to do?” Micky asked.
“We can listen to music and play cards.” Peter suggested.
“Okay, that’s groovy. I’ll get the cards.” Mike said, grabbing the deck on Peter’s stand.
They talked while playing two games of 500. Davy won the first game and Micky won the second game.
“Well, guys, it’s 2 AM and I’m going to turn in. See you guys at lunch!” Micky yawned as he got up from the chair.
“Yeah me too. Night guys!” Davy stretched.
They all went to their own rooms, and slept until noon. In Micky’s room, he was just waking up as he heard the key turn on his door.
Micky, who was alarmed, grabbed his drumsticks and ran to the door. He figured he could hit the intruder in the head with his sticks if he had to. The door opened and he found Debra standing there, an alarmed look on her face. Then Micky remembered that he was only wearing his boxers!
He covered himself up with his hands, and was red in the face. “I’m sorry Debra!”
“Why are you still here?” She was trying to not look at him, but couldn’t help but notice his lanky chest.
“Why are you here at noon? I thought you start at noon?”
“Today I start up on the fifth floor. I alternate daily. I’ll come back!” She turned around quickly and proceeded to the next room.
‘Oh man, that was most awkward.’ He got dressed and headed out the door to find Debra.
He found her in the next room cleaning. He knocked on the door and walked in. “Debra, I’m sorry about that. I would have gotten dressed but I thought you were an intruder.”
“You didn’t have the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign up so I automatically come in.”
“Next time I will definitely put the sign up. Man, that was awkward wasn’t it?” He laughed.
She laughed too; it was the first time in two years that she actually laughed. “Yes, it was. Well, I need to get back to work now.”
“Hey Debra, would you like to have dinner with me?”
“I don’t know, Micky.”
“Please? My treat.”
“I can pay for my own dinner, thank you.”
“Can’t you allow a man to take you on a date?”
“Is that what this is?”
“Yes. I really like you for some reason.”
“Let me think about it.”
“Okay, I’ll come back in a few.”
“Fine.”
As she was cleaning, she stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t fight the feelings she was experiencing any longer and it was frightening her. ‘I really like him too. I need to let go. Forget about Brad, maybe Micky is different.’ She made up her mind and waited for Micky to come back.
About twenty minutes later, Micky came back and found her finishing the room. “So what have you decided?”
“Yes, I will meet you for dinner tonight.”
“Outtasite! How about five?”
“That sounds great. I’ll see you then.” She smiled over at Micky, who smiled back.
“I’ll see you then as well.” Micky walked out of the room and downstairs to where the others were waiting for him to have lunch.
He was grinning like a Cheshire cat as he walked into the restaurant and met the others.
“What’s the big smile for shotgun?”
“I just asked Debra to dinner tonight and she accepted!”
“You really dig this chick, don’t you?” Davy asked, grinning.
“Yes I do. There’s something about her that’s really captivating. You guys need to meet her.”
“Sure Micky, we can later. How about you ask her to the show?” Peter asked.
“I’ll try again but I am not sure what she will say. I tried last night and she turned me down.”
“Maybe it will be different tonight.” Mike said.
“Yeah maybe.”
They all ordered lunch and talked about the show for that evening while they were eating.
“I figure we can start the show tonight with No Time. What do you think?” Mike asked his friends.
“Yeah that’s cool.” Micky answered and they all agreed.
After lunch, they all chilled before the show. Micky left at 4:30 to get ready for his date.
He went back to his room and put on the only dressy outfit he had with him: his light blue dress shirt, khaki pants, black socks and black dress shoes. He put on a blue tie and combed his naturally curly hair. He also splashed on some cologne and walked out the door and down the elevator to the first floor.
He met up with Debra, who was waiting in the lobby for him. He marveled how beautiful she looked in a red spaghetti strap dress with white heels. Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a bun and she was wearing teardrop earrings.
He walked up to her and smiled widely. “Hello Debra, you look beautiful.”
Debra blushed. “Thank you. You look really nice.” She smelled his cologne and took in the masculine scent. It was intoxicating to her.
“Thanks. Shall we?” He led her over to the restaurant, and they took their seat at a table for two.
“What would you like to drink?” the waiter asked both of them.
“I’d like a Pepsi, light on the ice please.” Debra answered.
“I’d like the same.” Micky answered.
The waiter went to get their drinks and the two decided what to order. Micky ordered a T-bone steak and a baked potato with butter and sour cream. Debra ordered a chicken salad with vinaigrette dressing.
“So Debra, what are your plans for tonight?”
“Nothing really. Why?”
“I’d like you to come to our show tonight. I insist.”
“Okay.” She was going to give in to the feelings she was experiencing. She also figured it was about time she had a wonderful evening with a man.
“Wonderful. You’ll come with us over and you will get to watch the show from the front. I will make sure that you get a seat, even if we have to add a chair!”
Debra smiled, and then a tear fell down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away, hoping that Micky didn’t see.
He noticed. “Debra, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. You can tell me anything.” Micky smiled sympathetically at his date.
“It’s just that you are paying attention to me and I’m not used to it. It really feels good. I never had a man take so much care with me before.”
“I’m glad you like it. What, a girl as pretty as you hasn’t been fussed over?”
“No. I really don’t want to talk about it.”
“That’s fine. Whenever you can, I’m here for you.”
“Okay.”
They got their meals and they ate in silence. The silence was actually not awkward and they occasionally gazed into each other’s eyes. Both were falling for each other, and Debra was letting it happen.
After their meal, they went to meet the others at the Monkeemobile. As Micky approached the car, he introduced Debra to the others.
“Mike, Peter, Davy, this is Debra. Debra, this is Mike, Peter, and Davy.”
“Nice to meet you.” They all exchanged handshakes.
“Mike, Debra is our guest tonight. I want to make sure she gets a seat in the front.”
“What if they are all taken?”
“If we can add a seat, that would be great.”
“I’ll see what I can do shotgun.”
“That’s okay, I’ll find out.”
They all got into the Monkeemobile, and Micky and Debra sat in the back. Davy sat in the middle and Peter and Mike sat up front. They drove to the stadium and Micky asked security if there was a seat in front available. There was at the end of the row that was normally reserved for family, but since they had none there, she sat there. Micky stayed backstage so that the fans wouldn’t find out that she was his date.
The show started at 8:00 and the set started with No Time. During the show, Micky made a dedication but it couldn’t be personal, so he said, “This next song is dedicated to someone truly special out there tonight.”
The music to “Sometime In The Morning” started, and Debra swayed to the music. All the girls around her figured it was they, so they were all swooning to Micky’s sweet voice.
Debra enjoyed herself immensely. After the show, she was able to wait until everyone left and then she was escorted backstage to where the others were.
“How was the show Debra?” Micky asked.
“It was marvy! I see the girls really love you guys.” Debra gushed.
“Yeah, ever since our first album came out, we’ve been bombarded with teenage girls.” Davy said, smiling.
“Yeah, he’s dated quite a few of them already!” Micky playfully punched his arm.
“You bet I have!”
“So Micky, have you?” Debra asked jealously.
“A couple, but it didn’t mean anything. Am I sensing a bit of jealousy?”
“NO!” She put her hand over her mouth, realizing that she went back to the way she was just the day before. “I’m sorry, that shouldn’t have come out.”
“It’s okay Debra. You want to come back to hang out with us at the hotel? We play 500 usually.”
“Sure, I love 500!”
They put their instruments backstage and went to the Monkeemobile and drove back. They went up to Davy’s room and played a couple games of 500. Debra won a game, as did Micky, and Peter.
“It’s 3 AM, we need to crash.” Mike said, looking at his watch.
“Yeah, it’s time to split.” Peter said.
Micky, Debra, Peter and Mike left and Peter and Mike went to their rooms.
“May I walk you to your room?” Micky asked Debra.
“Sure, that would be sweet.”
He walked her down the stairs to the first floor, and down the hallway to her room, 125.
“Here we are. I had a really nice evening Micky.” Debra gazed into his eyes.
“I did too. What are you doing tomorrow after work?”
“I have a day off actually.”
“Great! Would you like to take a walk with me in the afternoon?”
“Sure. I’d like to take you to the zoo, if you want?”
“Great!”
“It’s the Lincoln Park Zoo. What time do you want to meet?”
“How about noon?”
“Great. It’s too long to walk actually; it’s a little over 2 miles. We can take the cab.”
“That’s good, I’d like that. Will you let me pay for the fare?”
“Yes I can do that.” She liked this newfound freedom.
“Well goodnight.” Micky wanted to kiss her badly.
“Goodnight.”
Before Debra went into her room, Micky grabbed her shoulder. “Debra, may I kiss you goodnight?”
“Okay.” She wanted to know what a kiss from Micky would be like.
He leaned in and kissed her sweetly on the lips. When he pulled back, he was reeling from the fireworks that he saw.
She felt fireworks also from that breathtaking kiss. She wanted another one but she figured she better not.
“Well goodnight Micky.” She sighed.
“Goodnight Debra. See you tomorrow at noon.”
“Yes.”
She went into her room and closed the door. She leaned back against it, sighing heavily. ‘I’m in love.’
Chapter 2
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