THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY #2: THE HOUNTED HALL Chapter #11 “Rock Time in Larkland”

Plot Synopsis: Jerry Jingo and the Partridges perform at the Larkland Rock Music Festival. The Partridges are a sensation. Larkland Chamber of Commerce somehow managers to get the Partridges motel rooms for the night. Before and after the concert Laurie ponders whether she would rather end up with Jerry Jingo or Duke. The next morning, as Laurie window shops in Larkland, she hears on the radio that Jingo was struck with appendicitis and had flown to the Hollywood to be treated. Duke then surprises Laurie, riding up on his motorcycle. But as Laurie chats with Duke, Duke is attacked by Indian. Laurie screams.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Character Development: It apparently takes very little encouragement from a man for Laurie to start planning out a life with him; matrimony, kids and all. Before concerts, little Tracy silently mouths the words to the songs (which is interesting, because on the show, she never seemed to be singing along.) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Relevant Social Issues: Medical Care (Jerry Jingo must really be frightened about the medical care in Larkland if he is willing to fly all away across the country to be treated for appendicitis in California.) Concert Financial Management (Somehow, Larkland’s financial model allow them to put on a free concert. Woodstock even charged $18 in advance and $24 at the door for a three day concert. But, of course, that festival had different acts everyday, but apparently the Partridges were going to play every day at Larkland.) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hip Slang: “Now sound” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Contemporary Pop Culture Reference” At the festival, “The Loving Six” plays “Worry Me Baby” and a Sammy Davis Jr. song is heard on the radio. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Favorite Passages: (Sorry, too much good stuff) “The Partridge family was gathered on the tip of the fifty acres of Larkland dedicated to the Festival. A sea of faces was visible as fare as the eye could see. And the Partridges, ready in their matching costumes of open vests, ruffled shirts were nervously pawing the dusty ground like excited show horses. They’d played before huge crowds before, tough crowds, but nothing could be tougher than this. Their real audience – that had created them. Here were the young people who had made the Partridge Family and its kind of music their thing. “ “The air was throbbing with the impact of thousands of young souls responding to the four-beat beat.” “Jerry Jingo had already been on. Singing and talking the songs that had made him famous and helped him to a fabulous movie career. The crowds worshiped him. In his tall Stetson and fine dungarees and buckskin shirt, he had brought the house down. If there had been a roof, it would have caved in from the thunderous ocean of acclaim washing in from the audience. Jingo had hit the jackpot on the applause meter.” “They (the Partridges) sang “Lonesome Lonely Me” and it never ever sounded better. Not in a million times of performance or plays on juke boxes. It had a now sound, a great sound, an almost uniquely new sound. The crowd sensed it, loved it, and they let the Partridge Family know they knew it. Larkland’s fifty acres literally exploded with applause. The very skies seemed to open up and rain down thousands of whistles, screams, shorts and tears of happiness and joy. There was no doubt it – Larkland loved the Partridge Family!” “Appendicitis – gee, that must hurt!”