DREAM DATE WITH KEITH PARTRIDGE!
When I was a kid, I was madly in love with David Cassidy from The Partridge Family. Some childhood crushes never die and in some cases they are referred to as obsession – or stalking as you get older. I was pretty busy pursuing stardom in Hollywood back in the eighties, but not so busy that I could not became diverted by a picture that I saw of David Cassidy in The “Star” magazine in 1987. I had not thought about David Cassidy in years but he looked incredible in his blue silk suit and I decided it was finally time to meet this man. I went down to The Screen Actors Guild and got his manager’s address and sent him my two best seductive head shots that would almost assure me a date with anyone. I made up some lame story about how I was looking for a producer for my band since he was producing now. I pretty much just mailed it and went on to something else not really expecting a response. About two months later, to my surprise, David Cassidy called me. One of his first questions was asking me how tall I was. I told him 5’5” and he was very pleased as I later found out so I would not be taller than him. We made small talk and he said that he wanted to meet me. One slight problem was that between the time I mailed my letter to him and the present time, I had become engaged. I really went back and forth about it whether I should go out with him but I finally decided I would and told my fiancé that he might help produce our band. I just had to do it. I felt like I would always regret it and would have always wondered what would have happened if I didn’t go. I knew I would not sleep with him and I never kiss on the first date so I felt good knowing nothing would happen and I could still be faithful to my boyfriend.
As I prepared for my date with destiny, to this day, I can still see my fiancé fuming as he sat in my ‘Lazyboy’ chair as I was getting dressed to meet David, snarling: “You just watch, he’s going to try to make a move on you! He’s probably going to make you try on some skimpy costume!” I just laughed and said he was being ridiculous and that it wasall just business… even though deep down inside I could barely contain my excitement to meet my teen idol.
David picked me up next door at The Copper Penny Restaurant since I did not feel it was appropriate that my fiancé answer the door. David pulled up in his silver Porsche and we drove to a Mexican restaurant there in Toluca Lake. He immediately became disappointed when he tried to order some wine and found out I did not drink. He went on to tell me how amazing it was that he received my letter since he gets thousands of letters through his fan club all over the world. (I guess the pictures with my measurements helped!) After he had some wine, he showed me the movie lot where ‘The Partridge Family’ house was located and then we went to another bar in Encino near his house. It seemed like he wanted people to recognize him. Whenever we entered a room, he would start jerking his head swiftly around to cause attention until people would notice his erratic movements and then recognize him. After kicking back a few more drinks and trying again in vain to get me to indulge in alcohol, we finally left the bar and drove up a long, winding road through some gates to a driveway where his big white house sat on top of the hill. We went in and then sat in the kitchen and he played some of his new music and he told me he had lost almost everything he owned to drug use some years back. He told me that guys play guitar because it is like having a big “Dick” they can play with. He talked about his love for his family and that is when I asked him if it was true about him being engaged to someone named Susan (it was). “No, she’s just a pal I write music with,” he replied. We then proceeded up the staircase to an all-white room, complete with white fur on the walls and white shag carpeting. That’s where he then whipped out the skimpy costume complete with 6” red stiletto heels. He asked me to try it on to get some ideas for my career. I politely declined and said I could never part with my cowboy boots when I perform onstage. (What can I say; it was the 80’s Bon Jovi era!) Things were just not progressing with his plans of seduction for the night so we went back downstairs. I went and sat on his couch in the living room. He sat on the floor facing me and started talking to me. All of a sudden, he started getting closer… then a little closer, then he took my hand in his… closer he came with my heart beating erratically inside my throat with every movement of his in my direction… “I’m very attracted to you, Sally,” he said as he moved in, even closer. I was really starting to panic; I was confused, nervous, my mind raced wildly. Here was David Cassidy, the fantasy of my childhood dreams, on his knees, holding my hand, telling me he was attracted to me. His lips were now within inches of mine right in front of me so at the last second, I did the only logical thing any insane person would do before our lips met: I quickly reached into my purse and whipped out my pack of Dentyne gum. “Do you want a piece of gum?” I asked. “No thanks,” David replied as he backed down. He was clearly irritated now. It was obvious he was never going to get anywhere with me so he finally gave up and took me home. It was a quiet ride home. I must admit that my image of him was a little shattered. He drank a little too much and seemed a little bit too conceited. But that did not stop me from having the nerve to ask him if we were going to go out again as I was getting out of the car. I think he said “sure” but it was obvious he just wanted me to hurry up and get out of the car. I can’t really blame him. I wasted the guy’s whole night just to satisfy my curiosity with a date with my former teen idol.
When I got back to my apartment, it was really late but my fiancé was waiting at the door. The conversation went something like this: “So, did you play dress up with David Cassidy?” he smirked. “Yes – I mean no, I mean I could have, but I didn’t,” I replied. “What?!? You mean he actually asked you?!?” “Well, sort of, but we just talked.” I replied. “Yeah, sure you did!” he went on. “Well, you told me to go!” I defended. “Well, I didn’t think you would!” he shot back. I was interrogated the rest of the night until things finally cooled down but never really did reveal the truth that David actually did pull out the skimpy lingerie.
I heard some time after that David had married his ‘pal’ Susan. I often wonder if my frustrating date was what finally helped him make up his mind to get married. I probably pushed him to it!
As time passed, my fiancé left me for some girl at his office anyway so I was glad I went out with David Cassidy.
I was always one to follow my dreams. And in this case, my dream date with my childhood heart throb, teen idol of millions… Keith Partridge. R.I.P David Cassidy – I will miss you!
-Sally Steele
The Partridge Family was BADASS!