THERE'S TROUBLE AHEAD

"I love weddings," Bobby Rydell's mother said one evening at the dinner table -- for no particular reason. "You know, Bobby," she went on dreamily, "I can't wait for yours."

 

"Mine!" Bobby exclaimed, dropping a forkful of ravioli. "Mom, I don't even have a girl yet -- I don't even know a girl."

 

"Oh, you will one day," Jennie said. "And you'll have a great big formal church wedding. It'll be beautiful."

 

Suddenly, Bobby looked sad. Then he said quickly, "Yeah, that'll be the day!"

 

The truth of the matter is that Bobby Rydell is too busy with his career to meet a girl and fall in love. In fact, Bobby's career -- the thing he wanted so badly and worked so hard for -- is turning out to be harmful in some ways to him, especially in his private life.

While other boys lead a normal, happy life, Bobby is faced with a rugged, back-breaking work schedule. He never has any time to himself, and when he does find an hour all his own he is so unconditioned to it that he doesn't know what to do with himself.

Recently, Bobby found himself sitting on his own front doorsteps on a Saturday evening with nothing to do.

 

"It was the first time in three years," Bobby explained, "That I actually was sitting in front of my own home with some time on my hands. And I didn't know what to do. I just sat there with my mind all whirling, not knowing what move to make. There were my buddies, Louie and Joey. I wondered what they were doing. I wondered if I should call them or just drop over. And then I remembered how long it had been and I thought maybe they would have plans that wouldn't include me. Finally, I dropped that idea. I thought of going for a walk, but I can't do that anymore. Someone would come over and then, well -- it wouldn't be a walk anymore.

 

"I just sat there and it slowly got dark and I still hadn't figured out what to do with my few golden hours. When it got to be night, I just went inside and turned on the TV and watched it by myself all evening."

 

 

Jennie, Bobby's young and alert mother, saw the "danger" signs in Bobby's busy work life cropping up as long as two years ago. She tries not to interfere with his career, but there are times when she puts her foot down and demands that Bobby be given a weekend off to spend with his parents.

"We all miss Bobby so much when he is gone," Jennie says. "Now my husband travels with him, and you don't know what it's like in that house all alone, just Granny and me. We want our men to come home. Deep in his heart, Bobby knows how we suffer -- so he suffers, too -- and that's not fair. "

 

 

Bobby Rydell's life has become so difficult that he can't even go to a neighborhood park and play a friendly game of baseball. One day, Bobby and some friends tried to do just that, and before they knew it, a big crowd of kids had gathered around them. They began to interrupt the game to get Bobby's autograph, and some of the guys began throwing teasing remarks at Bobby.

Finally, Bobby and his friends made their getaway. They tried to stop and play somewhere else, but the same thing happened. The worst part of all was that Bobby, though he didn't say anything, felt in his heart that he had ruined the afternoon's fun for those who were with him.

 

Another result of Bobby's strenuous schedule is the trouble he has been having with his throat. No one can sing as often as Bobby has and not have his vocal chords suffer for it. Bobby always has a cup of hot tea with honey (his own special "throat relaxer") in his dressing room. But he would be better off if he tried the "few days off to relax and play" treatment. It's been known to work wonders for other overworked singers.

Right now, things are looking pretty good for Bobby Rydell. He certainly is one of the most promising young performers in the business, and if his TV pilot is picked up by a network station he'll really be coming into his own. But the signs of wear and tear on Bobby are beginning to show -- not only physically but emotionally. Bobby is too sincere and sensitive to be under the constant pressure he must endure. He is missing many, many of the simple everyday (and most important) parts of his life. Maybe now Bobby is happy and doesn't realize what he is missing. But time will take its toll and the day will come when this wonderful young man will find himself longing for a little normal privacy, the closeness of dear friends and childhood buddies, and more time to spend at home and traveling with his parents -- just for fun.

Bobby needs to stop now for awhile, to hop off of that fast merry-go-round and taste the basic pleasures of life. He'd better do it soon, too, for if he doesn't, he will wake up one day and he may find that it is too late.

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