David Cassidy

Kaitlyn and I met in residence a few years ago. I was the girly girl across the hall and she was the hippy American who liked to dance with sunglasses on. But perhaps what defined Kaitlyn the most for me was the poster that hung on the cement wall above her bed: David Cassidy.

Kaitlyn has Partridge Family trading cards, their albums both on CD and vinyl, and a love for the original teen heartthrob. We could say David Cassidy is the predecessor that paved the way for the Jonas Brothers. Sort of.

This is why yesterday was special. Holly, Kaitlyn and I traveled to Peterborough to see a David Cassidy concert. David is well into his 60s, but had the energy of a 20 year old. His set was sprinkled with a few covers, an impromptu 12 bar blues song and many classic Partridge Family songs. The crowd was sprinkled with rain.

The best part of the night, though, was watching Kaitlyn meet David. We stood outside of his trailer before the show, mingling with the other fans - who were considerably older than us - chatting about Partridge Family trivia. Kaitlyn was a clear fan in her David Cassidy t-shirt and laminated poster (yes, the one that usually hangs over her bed). One of the VIP guests loved Kaitlyn so much that she let her come along to meet David. Through tear streamed eyes Kaitlyn saw, met and hugged the star.

And the lesson learned: Come on, get happy!