Mark Malmborg

In a hippie fan magazine interview, Keith has blabbed too much about the family, unsettling all of them, especially Laurie. He has said she had a crush on a Harry Murphy, but Laurie insists it was a Butch Murphy and it was years ago. A motorcycle roars outside, the bell rings and the door is opened to reveal a burly young man in Levis, dirty white T-shirt, boots, and with an earring in one ear. He announces he is Harry "Snake" Murphy and is looking for the chick who is crazy about him. When Laurie explains the mistake, Snake laughs and admits he came on a dare. If Laurie will give him her autograph - on his bare chest - he will shove off. Reuben comes in carrying a twisted wire lawn-flamingo which he says some idiot had run over with a motorcycle, but when he spots Snake he drops that line and gushes about the beautiful machine he had seen on the front lawn. In the following weeks, Snake roars his motorbike right in and out of Laurie's life. She refuses to talk with him, but during a rehearsal of the family's latest number, "Listen to the Sound," Shirley sees that Laurie's mind is far, far away and suggests she and Snake should have a talk. Laurie returns from the talk saying Snake is very sensitive, has written a poem about her, and she has invited him to the school prom. An uneasy family watches Laurie and Snake leave for the dance. Snake has abandoned his usual weird outfit and is wearing normal clothes, but they are obviously far out-dated and no longer fit. When the couple returns to a still apprehensive family, they are a bit disheveled. Snake has been taunted by two varsity football players and has licked them both, but one of his stray punches floored Laurie. However, they have decided their two worlds do not mix. He gives Laurie his earring, and they call it quits. Several weeks later, a package arrives for Laurie. It contains an almost new wire lawn-flamingo and a sweetish poem that, among other things, warns Laurie that the flamingo is "hot."

Wendell is 16 years old, skinny, unsure of himself, and a real klutz. He is a student at Laurie and Keith's school and also delivers groceries to the Partridges. The family suddenly realizes that he has flipped over Laurie, but he is much too shy and awkward to ask her out. Danny goes to the store where Wendell works and asks him if he'd like to have a date with Laurie. He drags Wendell back to the house and recruits Keith to give him a few lessons concerning girls. Both Partridge boys take Wendell into the house and hold him there until he finally stammers out an invitation for Friday night. Laurie accepts. Later, the Partridge Family realizes that they will be doing a concert in Phoenix Friday night, so Laurie has the difficult job of breaking her date. Meanwhile, Wendell has gained such confidence from her acceptance that it is doubly hard for her. She tells him and he immediately slips back to his former self...stumbling and clumsy. Laurie wants to make it up to him the next week, but Wendell avoids her and the other members of the family. Finally, Laurie goes to the store and tells him she would like him to take her to the football party that Saturday night. Once again, he is overwhelmed. The evening goes beautifully, and Wendell is eating it up. Everyone pays attention to him, even the girls, and he is full of pride and confidence. It is the greatest evening of his life. The following day he wants to see Laurie, and she is afraid he will ask her to go steady. Instead - much to her surprise - he tells her they are too young to get serious and he would like to take out other girls (even those who are not "nice" girls). Shirley tells her family the latest...Wendell has asked her out for Friday night.