 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a date with your favorite star? ... with George Maharis or John Lennon? ... or with Herman of the Hermits? Well you can have a date with your fave rave. You can spend an evening out on the town with the dream of your choice. All you need is the power of wishing for something hard enough so your mind and imagination make it come true. I can tell you that it works because I just spent the most fabulous Saturday night in my life on a dream date with Herman.It all started while Herman was visiting my town on his cross-country tour. It was cold and drizzly - a day that should be spent sitting in front of a fireplace - but Herman seemed to bring the sunshine into the theater. His loyal fans ignored the weather and flocked to see and hear him. It was really great to see our idol in person. We just couldn't stop screaming - I thought I was going to faint when the Hermits started singing "A Little Bit Better". They were all so dreamy, but Herman was the greatest of all. After the show my girlfiends and I decided to wait at the stage door for one more glimpse of our idol. I stood outside the stage door for about a half an hour. I was smiling with happiness and the terrible weather didn't disturb me at all. Suddenly some very official-looking guys stepped out the door and started pushing us all out of the way. They were shouting, "watch out, watch out, get away now. Time to go home." Right behind them - as big as life - were Herman, Keith, "Lek", Barry and Karl. It was a sight worth waiting for. None of us listened to the men who were trying to push us all out of the way. Herman and the boys seemed to resent the attitude of their "protectors." They tried to talk to some of their fans, but the bodyguards just rushed them straight ahead into the waiting limousine. Herman, always the most independent member of the group, reached out to shake hands with his admirers as he made a beeline for the car. He seemed as sorry to go as I was to see him leave. Then all of a sudden, he turned once more for one last handshake. The hand he grasped was mine. I just went all limp inside. I could feel his warm hand holding mine. I was seeing his face through a cloudy haze as he held onto my hand and smilingly said, "Bye now, Luv." I walked home in a trance. That last smile and "Bye, now luv" were ringing in my ears. When I got home I hardly spoke to anyone. I was wet and tired, but I hardly noticed it. I lay down on my bed and stared at the picture of Herman on the wall. I reached over and put on his album. He had actually touched me. I began sinking away to another world. I was thinking of what it would be like if that "luv" of my life would actually take me out on a date. Herman is a big steak fan and he seems like he'd enjoy the old-fashioned look of our local steak house restaurant. So we'd sit down to a super meal in this great restaurant with candlelight and gas lamps and Tiffany lamp shades and, of course, great food. Our steaks would be delivered to our table exactly to order. Herman's table manners would be so perfect and gentlemanly that I would be terrified to pick up the wrong fork or do anything to embarrass my special date. That feeling wouldn't last long because Herman's warm smile and bright eyes would put me at ease and make me feel really important. Herman would enchant me all through the meal - one minute you're laughing hysterically at a story of how Herman and Hermits love to push people fully dressed into swimming pools and the next minute your eyes might be getting teary as Herman tells about how much he missed his baby sister Suzanne and his mother's English cooking. Speaking of English cooking, I can imagine how the waitress would do a double-take when Herman asked for a "cahp-a-tay" (translation: cup of tea) with his pie. English style - tea with milk, of course. Herman's got a wild imagination. He'd look at the waitress's face - a little bored, tired, but eager to please, unaware of the great celebrity she was serving - and he'd create a whole life story around her. Then when it was time to leave, he'd do something kooky like leave an autographed picture with the tip. "Where to from here, luv?" would be Herman's next line. Out where I live there's only one answer. "How about Mirror Lake Amusement Park?" I would suggest. Mirror lake ... a beautiful crystal clear lake with an amusement park built on it's shores and a new super fabulous discotheque with a dance floor that goes out over the water. Herman's a real fan of the other rock'n'roll groups and he loves to dance. "On our way, luv," he'd say and off we'd go. We'd walk hand in hand just as the last strains of "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter"" was playing and we'd exchange secret little smiles.  There's a table in the corner near the big picture window that I'd suggest so we could stare out the window at the lake. Then after we got all tired doing the frug and the monkey and a few of the new out-of-this-world Liverpool dances we'd carry our sodas out onto the terrace where it was beautifully cool and breezy and we'd just stand there looking out at the stars and the moon.Herman's eyes would sparkle when a Beatles disc came on. I can see him getting just as excited as you or me about their fab sound. But Herman is restless and as much as he likes to dance, he always wants a change of scenery ... action ... different people ... too little time and too much to do. Herman'd be bubbling over with curiosity about the rest of the park - and off we'd go. We'd walk slowly; deciding on this ride or that funhouse, a snack here and some funny pictures somewhere else. I can just see Herman and me standing in front of the funny mirrors and cracking up with laughter over the crazy, distorted images of ourselves. Mirror Lake Park has one of the biggest Ferris Wheels around. From the top you can see all the way across town. I could sit at the top of the Wheel and point my house out to Herman. Herman's eyes might grow a little bit cloudy as he thought of a similar little house in England - but they'd brighten up again when we got back on the ground and he saw a sign advertising "The Greatest Horrors, Freaks and Monsters in This or Any Other World." Herman loves horror movies and horror houses and he'd just about jump out of his shoes in a rush to get to the one at Mirror Lake. Before I knew exactly what was happening, we'd be standing in front of the ticket seller and Herman would ask for four tickets. Four tickets? Yes, four tickets - "Can't see it all in one round can we, luv?" I can imagine the tingle of excitement as the car plunged through the doorway into the darkened chamber or horrors. Herman loves the wierd feeling of never knowing what'll happen next, the screams of surprise as a ghostly hand reaches out and touches your face or as a Dracula voice screams out of the darkness, "I vahnt to suck your blooood." Then, just as the evening was at it's peak, the big clock on top of the Mirror Lake boathouse would chime 12. Herman always loses track of time and he would make the time go by so quickly that it would seem like about 10:30. Herman would look at me a little sadly and say, "I guess it's time to be getting you home, princess." But we'd still have time to grab a good American hot dog to eat on the way home from the romantic world of Mirror Lake. Ten minutes before my 12:30 curfew and Herman could fill them with the sweetest and tenderest of good-byes. I can see him thanking me for the wonderful date. Sometimes he's so modest that he doesn't realize how special he is. "I guess I'll have to go in now," I'd say and I'd turn to walk up the path to my house. Suddenly he'd take my arm and pull me close to him. I'd shut my eyes as he kissed me - gently, but warmly. Then our eyes would meet and he'd whisper, "Bye now, luv," just as he did there at the stage door of the theater. It would be the night of a lifetime. I know my date with Herman was just a dream, but it's my dream and it's a dream that I know I'll cherish for the rest of my life. It's a beautiful dream that nobody can ever take away from me. |