*Girl's Voice: Hello?*
Mike: Um?does Danielle happen to be there?
Girl's Voice: Speaking.
Mike: Ohsorry. It's me; Mike.
Danielle: Hi! What's up?
Mike: Would this bewell, would this be an okay time to come meet the family? I mean I know that you guys are all upset about dad and all but
Danielle: It's a perfect time, Mike. I'll give you the directions.
Mike: You sure..?
Danielle: I'm sure. (Danielle gave him the directions to their father's home. Mike was a little nervous but made sure he got the directions to the home correct)
Mike: Thanks Danielle.
Danielle: Welcome. See you shortly.
Mike: Right. Bye. (Mike hung up his cell phone and continued on)
(Danielle hung the telephone up on her end and turned to her brothers, sister and mother who were sitting near-by watching television)
Danielle: Mom? That was Mike. He's coming for a visit.
Elizabeth: He's coming here? (Danielle nodded) Oh dear. (To her 16- year-old daughter) Lynn, could you go find us something in the kitchen to snack on? (Lynn nodded and went to the kitchen; to her 18- year-old son) Um, Brent..? Why don't you clean up this mess a little bit?
Brent: Why do I have to do it? Why can't Miles do it?
Miles (Eating an apple): Because I'm 21 and I don't live here. I'm just here to help with the funeral planning.
Brent (Getting up from the chair and cleaning up): What's so important about this `Mike' anyway?
Elizabeth: You'll find out when he gets here. Hurry up!
Brent: Make Dani do something, will ya?
Danielle: I *am* doing something, Brent. I'm watching for Mike.
Elizabeth: Stop bickering and clean up the house! Miles, please help us?
Miles (In a not so happy voice): Oh all right. (Miles put his apple down and began to help his brother pick things up)
(Mike pulled up outside the house and sat there for a minute. He was uncertain about getting out and going into that house but while sitting there, he remembered the words of one of his friends)
"Micky's Voice: If a person gives up before they try, then they'll never know if they could have made a difference in someone else's life."
Mike (To himself): Of all the times in this world, that silly little phrase of his has to stick out now. I'll get you later for this Dolenz. (Mike took a deep breath, let out a sigh, got out of the car and walked up to the door)
(Inside the house)
Danielle: Mom, he's here!
Elizabeth (Looking at the place): Well, it's better than it was. (Mike rang the doorbell and Danielle answered it)
Danielle (Smiling at his face): Hi! C'mon in! (Mike stepped inside and Lynn couldn't believe her eyes)
Lynne (Excited): YOU'RE HIM!! YOU'RE REALLY HIM!! (To her mom) IT'S HIM!! OH MYMOM, IT'S REALLY HIM!!
Elizabeth: Lynn, calm down! (To Mike) I'm sorry about that. She's a little excited to see you.
Mike: So I noticed. And it's nothing to worry about. I get that reaction quite a lot.
Elizabeth: Sorry it's not much; compared to your place that is.
Mike: My place only stays that way because of my housekeeper. If my kids had their way, they wouldn't clean up after themselves at all. I make them keep their rooms clean butwell(They both just laughed for a second) I'm sorry. I start rambling when I'm nervous.
Elizabeth: Me too.
Brent: Mom, who is he?
Lynn (Calming down and answering in still an excited voice): It's one of The Monkees!
Brent (Staring at Mike): Are you joking me?
Lynn: No. It's Mike Nesmith. (Lynn stopped and thought about why he was there) Wait a minute...your last name is Nesmith andand so is ours!
Mike (To Danielle): You didn't tell them did you?
Danielle: No. My mother wanted to keep it a secret from Lynn. She's been a big Monkees fan for quite a while. She used to hang pictures of Davy up all over the wall.
Mike: What else is new?
Danielle: Mike, you've met my mother. Well here's the rest of the family. This is Miles; he's 21. (Mike shook Miles' hand) This is Brent; he's 18. (Mike shook his hand) And *this* is Lynn; she's 16. (Mike took her hand and gave it a small kiss)
Lynn: I knew that your last name was Nesmith but whenever I would ask my dad, he'd say you were no relation.
Mike: Yeah, well, I'd say the same thing when I was questioned about him. (To Elizabeth) You told me he didn't let you guys watch a lot of television.
Elizabeth: He didn't. But he *would* turn on The Monkees whenever they were in syndication. He was silent while watching it and then he'd justgo away for a few hours. I think he was wishing he hadn't left you behind.
Mike: Well I'm glad he did. Look, this is very uncomfortable for me to be here right now. I'm only here at the request of my friends.
Elizabeth: Please have a seat! (Mike sat down on one of the chairs) Would you like something to drink?
Mike: Sure.
Elizabeth: Lynn, would you get Mike something to drink please? (Lynn was in `awe' over Mike and wouldn't move) Lynn..?
Lynn: Ohright. A drink. Be back in a minute. (She went to the kitchen while the others proceeded to sit down)
Elizabeth: What brings you by?
Mike: I need to talk about dad. Whether I want to or not, I have to do this. My musical career is depending on my concentration. And I can't concentrate with dad on my mind.
Lynn (Bringing the drinks in): Dad..? You mean you're my brother?
Mike: Yeah I guess so. (Lynn handed him a drink) Thank you. Liz, how much did you know about my dad before you married him?
Elizabeth: Just that he was a police officer and that he and I seemed to have a lot in common. We hit it off rather well which is why we ended up married.
Mike: Did you know that he had been previously married?
Elizabeth: He mentioned something briefly about it but he never really talked about her. He said it was a bad marriage and he wished that it hadn't happened.
Mike: Did you know about me?
Elizabeth: Not right away.
Mike: When did he tell you?
Elizabeth: It wasn't until you showed up on television that he opened his mouth to me. I sat down to the TV when your show came on the air. I saw "Mike Nesmith" in the closing credits and questioned him about it. It took him two days after that to answer me. But he made me promise not to tell our kids about you.
Mike: Was he good with you?
Elizabeth: What do you mean?
Mike: Was he nice; even if you'd fight?
Elizabeth: I don't wanna talk about it. Will you excuse me for a minute? (Elizabeth didn't answer him. She got up and walked to another room)
Danielle: Mike, what was that about?
Mike: I needed to hear it from her.
Danielle: Hear what from her?
Mike: Nothing. (Mike stood up) This was a mistake Danielle. I shouldn't have come here. I'm gonna go.
Danielle: No, don't go. I'll get my mother back out here. It sounds like to me that things need to come out of the closet, so-to-speak, in both directions. Please stay. (Mike sat back down and Danielle went to her mother's bedroom and came back out with her a second later)
Elizabeth: Dani
Danielle (Placing her mother on the couch beside Mike): You two start talking.
Mike: I'm sorry if I upset you but these are things I really need to know; for my own thoughts y'know?
Elizabeth: I guess I can't hide this forever. (Elizabeth looked up at her kids) Things were not always so grand between your dad and me. If he got mad, he'd go to the bar, get drunk and then come home and start a fight with me.
Lynn: You mean he would?he'd beat you?
Elizabeth: Yes, Lynn. As hard as it is for me to admit it, your father beat me when he'd get drunk. But he realized after putting me in the hospital from one of the bad fights, that he needed help. He needed help with his alcohol problem and he needed help with his anger. My mother talked him into going to the meetings that deal with that stuff and that's when he changed. I promised him I would forget all that if he promised to stay sober and he did. He never touched a drop of liquor after his last meeting. I was so proud of him that we had a romantic night and that's when Miles was conceived.
Miles: I didn't need to know that mom. (There were laughs in the room)
Mike: Did he ever hurt your kids before that?
Elizabeth: No. He only hurt me. He never touched Dani at all; mostly because Dani was in bed when the fights would break out. The other kids weren't born yet.
Miles: How come dad never wanted to mention that he had another kid aside from us?
Elizabeth: I don't know.
Mike: Because there were hard feelings all the way around. He didn't want associated with me and my mama after he left us.
Lynn: Why did he leave your mom?
Mike: Things were rough and he wanted out; so got out.
Danielle: There's more, isn't there Mike?
Mike: You're gonna make me talk aren't you? (Danielle just had a small grin on her face) Okay, miss counselor (they laughed) Dad was a bad man when I was born. He beat me and my mother up for ten years. A lot of times, there was no reasoning behind it; he just did it. But there were some nights that his drunken fits were the cause of it.
Brent: Did he ever put your mom in the hospital?
Mike: No. My mother is a Christian Scientist and we believe in the divine healing of Jesus. So no matter how bad she was or how much pain we were in, we stayed home and nurtured each other back to health. (Mike began to feel a little tension easing up as he talked about this) Man, I can't believe I'm sitting here talking about this. I wouldn't talk about this to anyone growing up; not even Peter, Micky and Davy. Even my wife, Katie, doesn't know the things I went through. I think my 1st wife Pam is the only one who knows since she witnessed some of them and since she took me away from it a lot.
Lynn (Face showing a little disappointment): I can't believe dad was ever that way. He hardly ever raised his voice at us when we were growing up.
Elizabeth: That's because he learned how to deal with his anger. And if he felt that his anger was starting to dwell, he'd take off on a walk somewhere. (To Mike) I know we have a lot more to learn about you and you have a lot more to learn about us, but?would you like to have his flag?
Mike: Flag..?
Elizabeth: At a governmental job, like the police department, they give a United States flag to the family of the one that has passed on. I think he'd like it if you'd take it.
Mike: Liz, I couldn't do that. You knew him better than me and I just wouldn't feel right about it.
Brent (Looking at his brother and sisters for an `okay' nod): Yeah, Mike. Take the flag when they give it to us. I think he'd want it that way.
Mike: Can I let you know?
Danielle: Of course. There's no hurry. His funeral is in a couple of days anyway so you have time to think about it.
Mike: Oh great; more stuff to think about. I'm never going to be able to concentrate on my music.
Lynn: You're still doing music?
Mike: Yeah. We're doing a Monkee reunion tour.
Lynn: Are you serious?! (Mike laughed a little at how much Lynn lit up while talking about The Monkees)
Mike: Yeah, Lynn. Our first concert is here in Los Angeles. But unless I find a way to concentrate, they'll have to do the show without me.
Danielle: What can we do to help you?
Mike: Nothing. I have to sort this out on my own and hope for the best before the concert. (Mike looked at the clock) I have to get going. Liz, would it be okay with you if I took my little sister, here, with me to meet some special friends of mine?
Elizabeth: Not at all.
Lynn: I'm not little, Mike! I'm 16.
Mike: But I'm 44 which makes you my little sister! (They laughed some more) This is the best I've felt in a long while. And I owe that to you Danielle.
Danielle: Me..?
Mike: If it weren't for you, I don't think I would have ever given a thought about dad and he would have died without a peaceful heart. And I never would have come across such a wonderful family. Thanks.
Danielle: You are welcome I guess. Can I go too? I was a big Monkees fan myself growing up and I'd love to meet them.
Mike: I s'pose Davy was your favorite too?
Danielle: No. Believe it or not, I always had a fascination with you. There was something about that cute wool hat you used to wear that made me smile. And I just loved the way you made a serious comment funny-like.
Mike: At last! Someone who doesn't have a crush on the little English boy. (There were more laughs) C'mon! (To Elizabeth) Thank you for letting me come here on short notice and for talking about dad.
Elizabeth: No problem. We still have a lot more talking to do after your dad's funeral but I have a feeling I just added a new son to the list. (Mike smiled and gave Liz a hug)
Mike (To his new brothers): It was nice meeting you two. Maybe I could bring you to my ranch sometime and you can meet my son.
Brent: Sounds good to me.
Miles: And me too. Bye Mike.
Mike: Bye. (The girls left with Mike)
(After Mike left, the feelings Brent had came out toward his mother)
Brent (To his mother a little upset): How could you not tell us about him?!
Elizabeth: Your dad didn't want me to. Anytime I'd want to bring it up, he'd tell me to mind my own business. And since I had been through a rough time with him, I didn't want to start his anger up again. I made a promise to him I wouldn't say anything and I didn't.
Brent: Well did you tell Mr. Millionaire that we don't have any money?! That maybe he could share some of that wealth with us?!
Elizabeth: Brent, I don't think this is fair of you to get angry about it. Mike is just as innocent in this whole thing as the rest of you are. And I am not going to tell Mike that your dad did nothing but gamble our money away and that he never paid the taxes on this place. It's not Mike's problem and I don't want him thinking we are after his money.
Brent: Why not; huh?! After dad is buried, we are losing our home!! You heard the Chief tell you that because dad owed a lot of unpaid debts, they won't be giving us any of that money!!
Miles: Brent, chill-out okay?
Brent: No you chill-out Miles!! You have nothing to worry about because you are on your own!! You have a roof over your head!! After the end of this month, we are out of a home!! And mom can't afford to get another job!! She's already working two of them as it is!!
Miles: So why don't you go get a job and help her out, huh?! You are old enough to do that Brent!!
Brent: It would take a lot more than me working to pay what is owed on this home!!
Elizabeth: Boys, settle down! (To Brent) Honey, we'll manage somehow. You've just got to give me a chance. I'm going to go to the bank to see if I can get a loan on the house to pay off the tax bill on it. As far as the gambling debts and the bills he owed, I'm not worried about those. (Brent didn't want to hear anymore so he grabbed his coat and left the house; sitting in a near-by chair sobbing) Your brother's right, Miles. We don't have anywhere to go.
Miles (Hugging his mother): It'll work out somehow, mom. You'll see. (Miles stayed with his mother to keep her company while the others were out and about)