franciegummstarstruck - Tumblr blog

franciegummstarstruck · 23 days

Text

my new JG fanfic,“The Girl Next- Door”...

Judy and her family were vacationing in sunny Palm Springs at a resort-style villa during the Spring break holiday week in April,1963. The beautifully coral painted Mediterranean residence had a sparkling pool and a beautiful quartz rock garden that overlooked a pristine private golf club that boasted of its celebrity membership as well as their well- known championship tournaments.

One evening Judy and her husband, Sidney Luft were entertaining Hollywood friends, Tony Martin, Cyd Charisse, and Chuck Walters at their quaint vacation home. Judy and her old MGM buddies enjoyably reminisced about their days at the studio, while Sidney and her younger children, Lorna and Joey listened in on their busy chatter.

“Judy, I’ll never forget how you’d run away from any horse that was around on the set when we were filming, ’‘The Harvey Girls’'” bubbly expressed Cyd Charrise.

’'Oh my goodness, Darling. I KNOW ! I’ve always been scared to death of horses!” Judy replied bursting into laughter.

“These days even riding on a carousel makes Judy squeamish!” Sid quipped.

“I can remember Judy…how you’d run a mile away from those harmless farm chickens we had all over the set of ’'Summer Stock ” too, it was hilarious!“ Chuck amusingly chimed in.

Judy again giggled.

’'Oh, I remember that! I was chased all around that set by those feathery little creatures…it was ridiculous!’'

While Judy continued to amuse everyone by sharing more fanciful stories from her days at ’'Metro”, the Luft’s personal chef prepared a lovely Spanish dinner to be served that evening.

Meanwhile, right next door to Judy's villa, actress Doris Day and her husband Marty Melcher had just arrived at their rented desert home for a week’s vacation in Palm Springs too. Miss Day brought along her adorable twin Airedale terrier doggies, Douglas and Fairbanks- despite her husband’s disapproval. The very exclusive golf club community prohibited guests bringing more than one pet, but Doris couldn’t think of leaving either one of her beloved doggies behind in Los Angeles. So, Doris convinced Marty that both of their lovable pooches must be taken along on their Spring vacation, irregardless of the community’s “snubby pet rule”.

While Doris and Marty were unpacking in their master bedroom suite, one of her spirited terrier’s, Fairbanks playfully leaped on the bed and snatched a pair of silk stockings from Miss Day's freshly opened suitcase.

“ FAIRBANKS! You take those out of your mouth right now!” Doris exclaimed.

The little furry rascal didn’t adhere to her boisterous command and skedaddled right out of the bedroom while clutching her nylons firmly in his snout. Marty, who was just about on his way to get a shower, chuckled watching Doris chasing after Fairbanks as he scampered throughout the home and eventually outside on the terrace.

“FAIRBANKS! You come right back inside here this very minute!” Doris anxiously scolded.

The mischievous curly haired doggie, still holding those silk stockings in his mouth …romped around the patio…almost seeming to be teasing Doris Day with every stride. She continued to plead with Fairbanks to stop in his tracks, but the rambunctious doggie didn’t obey and before Doris could utter another reprimand, out came her other vivacious terrier, Douglas, carrying a pair of plaid boxer shorts in his furry mouth!

All at once, the two doggies began to chase after each other and within a moment’s notice…Douglas and Fairbanks leaped over an ivy-covered divider stucco wall and into her next- door neighbor’s lovely terrace.

An exasperated Doris, all at once called out for Marty.

’'Oh, my…Marty come quick! Douglas and Fairbanks are now in our neighbor’s terrace!“

Just then, Doris frantically grabbed a hold of a nearby patio chair…leaned it against the ivy-covered trellised wall …and climbed up onto it to look over into the next-door neighbor’s patio. To her utter surprise, she found her naughty little terriers playfully entertaining Judy’s children Joey and Lorna outside under their villa’s covered veranda. While the two spunky little dogs were amusingly dragging around Doris Day's and Marty’s laundry all over the Luft’s terrace. Joey and Lorna buoyantly called out for their mother, Judy.

’'Mama…come quick look what we found outside!”

Doris, still quietly peeking over the ivy-covered wall, anxiously ducked…while a stylish, slender looking Judy Garland, came rushing outside to see what it was that had alarmed her children.

’'Oh my goodness! Where on earth did these dogs come from?” Judy anxiously asked while smirking down at Douglas and Fairbanks, who scampered up to where Ms. Garland was, dropping the silk stockings and shorts at her feet.

“They came over the next door’s neighbor’s wall!” Joey excitedly answered holding onto one of the terrier’s ears.

Just then, as Judy leaned in closer to take a look at the doggie’s I.D. collars…she got slightly bit on the hand.

“Ouch! You’re a couple of feisty characters, aren’t you?” she blurted.

A completely mortified Doris Day, all the while pensively peeking over her notable neighbor’s wall …gasped when she caught a glimpse of Judy Garland being 'nipped’ by one of her beloved pets.

All at once, Doris quickly stepped down off the patio chair and dashed back inside her villa and accidentally bumped into Marty, dressed in his bathrobe.

“Doris, honey what is all the excitement about?” Marty asked.

“Oh, Marty…it’s simply the most terrible thing that could ever happen. Fairbanks and Douglas were chasing one another around the terrace and then they leaped over the wall and into our next -door neighbor’s patio…and you will not believe it …but Miss Judy Garland is our neighbor right next door! I peeked over the wall and saw our Douglas take a 'nip’ at Judy’s hand while she was taking a look at his collar …oh my stars… now what do we do ?!” Doris excitably rambled while practically out of breath.

“Judy Garland? Oh my…well, quick the first thing we’ve got to do is call on Miss Garland next door and try and explain everything…” Marty replied with a grimacing face.

“But, Marty. I’m so embarrassed. She’ll probably never forgive me…what if she sues us?..” she said while wiping the sweat of her brow and shedding tears.

Marty flashed an eyeroll at his wife.

“Well, we’ll just have to take whatever comes…C’mon, let’s go get this whole thing straightened out.” he muttered.

So, Doris and Marty hurriedly dressed and took off for Judy Garland’s residence next door. Meanwhile, back at the Luft’s villa, Judy had gone quickly inside to nurse her scratched hand and ordered Joey and Lorna back inside the house. The troublesome terriers were left alone on Judy’s terrace while she informed her husband, Sidney to call the golf club’s security watchman about the neighbor's stray dogs.

Just as Sid was making the telephone call…their doorbell rang. Judy herself answered it and was absolutely surprised to see striking blonde Doris Day and her husband, Marty Melcher eagerly standing at her front door.

“Hello, Judy..” Doris perkily said with a bright, yet nervous smile.

“ Well, Hi there…oh my goodness! Doris Day and Marty, it’s such a marvelous surprise to see you both.! Are you vacationing in the neighborhood?” Judy warmly asked while shaking Miss Day’s hand with her newly band- aided right hand.

’'It’s so nice to see you too and yes…as a matter of fact..we’re right next door…“ Doris uncomfortably replied while Marty put his head down.

Judy smiled and just as she was about to ask them inside…Doris Day embarrassingly explained to Judy that her uninvited canine guests outside on her lovely terrace were their doggies, Douglas and Fairbanks. And then feverishly apologized for them jumping over the ivy wall and biting her hand.

’'Oh my…so those two little roustabouts outside belong to you?” Judy giggled.

Doris and Marty were relieved that Judy Garland was taking in the news with some amusement.

“Judy, I sincerely want to apologize again for all of this..” Doris continued.

“I hope you will forgive us both, Miss Garland. I knew we should have left our doggies at home, but you know Doris..” Marty confided.

’'Of course, darling, I accept your apologies ..please won’t you both come inside now?” Judy politely asked.

So, a very relieved Doris Day and Marty entered Judy’s home and subsequently greeted her husband, Sidney Luft and their children, Lorna and Joey as well as their dinner guests, Tony Martin, Cyd Charisse, and Chuck Walters.

“I wish that Liza could have been here, she is a terrific fan of yours, Doris …“ Judy brightly remarked. ’'Once more …she would have really gotten a kick out of all of this!”

Doris Day just tensely smiled, still feeling a little squeamish inside.

“Oh, Judy. I still feel just terrible about the idea of one of my 'babies’ biting your hand…“ she apologetically continued.

’'Oh, darling. It’s only a tiny scratch. Don’t worry anymore about it…and besides I never knew there would come a day I’d be ’'bitten” on the hand by Douglas Fairbanks’’. Judy joked.

Just then, Marty excused himself from the chat and left for the Luft’s terrace to retrieve Douglas and Fairbanks. As soon as Marty came hustling back, carrying his crumpled, torn plaid shorts and his wife’s destroyed silk stockings along with the little destructive terriers in tow…he gave them to Doris Day. That very moment, she scooped Douglas and Fairbanks up in her arms and started to amusingly rebuke them in front of Judy and her company.

“You’ve been naughty boys, haven’t you?” Doris snapped.

Everyone in the room, chuckled at Doris Day's cute style of discipline, watching her scolding her doggies as if they were children instead of pets. Judy then asked Marty and Doris if they’d care to stay for dinner, but they politely declined the invitation.

’'Oh, thank you very much Judy, but we can’t stay. You see we’re headed back home to L.A. Before we came over, our housekeeper telephoned informing us that our parakeet, Penelope is stuck in the dishwasher and our kitty cat, Melvin has run off again…so we must leave Palm Springs right away!“ Doris Day explained.

The Lufts and their guests warmly said goodbye to Marty and Doris Day with Judy wishing them a ’'safe and marvelous trip back to L.A.”.

After their hurried departure, Judy humorously quipped, “ I don’t mean it harshly, I think Doris Day is a brilliant actress and a darling person who passionately loves animals the way I love singing ’'Over the Rainbow” but we both have a tendency to overdo it now and then !“

13 notes · View notes