Fave - October 1971

Bobby: "It's Great to be Back!"

More than anything else in the world, Bobby wanted to go back to work at Columbia Ranch! But from the very first day he drove onto the very familiar lot, he sensed that there was something wrong! The great happiness he expected to feel was blocked by an unknown fear!

As Bobby happily waved back to the guard who motioned him to pass through the gates of Columbia Ranch, he felt a tremendous rush of deep contentment go through is body! It was his first day of work on his new show "Getting Together," and everything was perfect in his world!

As he neared the park where so many scenes of "Brides" were filmed, he slowed his car down. He couldn't resist the urge to walk through the park and recapture a few moments of the happiest days of his life by reliving some grand memories of "Brides." He sat on the bench that faced the fountain, and within a few seconds Jeremy Bolt lived again…if only in Bobby's imagination.

Looking at his watch, Bobby realized that he had time before he had to report on the set. He took one last backward glance at the park and fountain and a worried expression replaced the wistfully happy smile on Bobby's face. The park looked so strange without the cast and crew of "Brides." It used to always be filled with activity and laughter...and now there was nothing but silence! The only movement and sound was the wind urging the leaves and branches of the trees into a sluggish quiver!

Bobby started walking slowly towards the Seattle set. He was hoping that the first glance at the brides' dormitory or Lottie's saloon would make the ache in his heart disappear! But the moment Bobby saw the deserted and unused set of Seattle, Bobby knew it was a mistake!

ABANDONED AND SAD – Stiffly - almost woodenly - Bobby's head turned to look up at the windows on the top floor of the brides' dormitory. Despite the warm morning sun, Bobby felt a terrible coldness and a faint shutter run through his body! When "Brides" was in production, he used to look up at those windows and see Bridget's lovely, smiling face peeking at him. And now, those windows hadn't been opened for a long, long time!

Bobby's feet automatically led him towards Captain Clancey's ship – or what was left of it! The ship where so many of Bobby's and Jeremy's happy times had happened, was slanting uncomfortably on the bank of the drained, dry lake of Seattle! Captain Clancey's ship, his pride and joy, was as abandoned and saddening as the entire town!

Bobby turned and quickly walked away from the ship...he didn't want to see anymore reminders! But his flight from painful sights only led him to the cobbled streets of Tacoma! Bobby sank into the steps of a very familiar house of Tacoma Street and tried to understand why he was suddenly filled with a cold fear! Certainly he couldn't expect the set of his old show to remain the way he remembered it! But reasonable answers couldn't satisfy the numbing fear in Bobby's mind!

Magically, like the blinding brightness of the sun escaping from behind the dreary darkness of rain clouds, Bobby sensed the real reason behind his fear! It wasn't because "Brides" was over...or that the good times were behind him! The real fear behind Bobby's sadness was that the success he enjoyed during "Brides" could never again be duplicated!

"Brides was like a dream come true for Bobby – and his good luck seemed limitless while it was on! Now, "Getting Together" was like an answer to Bobby's prayer for another show! But now, on the morning of the first day of his new show, Bobby questioned whether his loyal fans would be able to accept him in another role! Would they still remain loyal? Or had his good luck become as dried up as the lake where Clancey's old ship laid?

Worried by his doubts, Bobby slowly walked back to his car and drove to the "Getting Together" set. He was still early – no one had arrived yet! He sat is his car...he didn't want to move or walk or look around. He wanted to completely blank-out his mind! Bobby didn't know how long he sat with his eyes closed, but the tapping on the car window suddenly made him turn around! The very familiar face of the studio doctor was smiling at him!

Bobby quickly jumped out of the car and shook hands with his old friend! The doctor said, "Are you all right? Feeling okay? I was worried about you...you were sitting so still...not at all like the Bobby I remembered!

Seeing the doctor again made everything suddenly right and happy for Bobby. Here was a man who remembered him! A man who met so many different people every day on the Ranch, but he had not forgotten Bobby! Bobby smiled as the doctor laughed, "Now you look like you're glad to be back at work!"

He talked with the doctor a few more minutes, then he ran down to look at the Seattle set again. This time he was looking with happy, grateful eyes – not from eyes that can only be relived through thoughts!

The buildings no longer looked ghostly or abandoned. They were simply waiting! Waiting for the right moment when they would be called to life and used again! Someday, very soon, they would be repainted and be filled with people and work!

Instead of looking back at the past successes, Bobby was filled with hope and excitement for the future. The thrill he felt when he first drove onto the Ranch again rekindled his heart! The magical powers of hope and faith in his new show and in his fans gave Bobby the confidence he needed so badly when he first saw the remains of "Brides"...his happy past!

GREAT TO BE BACK – As he walked back to the "Getting Together" set, Bobby noticed that many of the crew members had arrived! As he neared his set, many familiar voiced called out, "Hey Bobby, it's great to have you back!"

Bobby waved and beamed back, "Hey, you know what? It's really great to be back!" As he stepped inside the dark set, Bobby quietly waited until his eyes became accustomed to the dimly-lit stage. Then he peered at the antique shop where Bobby Conway, his sister Jenny, and fellow-songwriter Lionel Poindexter, were going to live. As everything came into sharper focus, Bobby murmured once more, "Yes sir, it sure is great to be back!"