*We see the boys' apartment, which is still and empty. Suddenly, the door opens, and Sach leads Chuck inside. Chuck's head is bowed, and his shoulders are slumped. He goes right to Slip's chair and curls up in it.*

Sach: Oh boy. Are you ok? You really let it loose in Louie's bathroom. I knew he put somethin' weird in those cookies.

Chuck: Not the cookies...

Sach: What, then? (Puts his hand on his head) You ain't burnin' up. I don't think you have a fever.

Chuck: Jus' feel awful.

Sach: Do you need a drink?

Chuck: *Nods* Water. *presses his face into the chair* Why'd I have so much champagne?

Sach: 'Cause you were thirsty?

Chuck: No... *groans and turns to Sach* Do you remember my dad?

Sach: A little bit. Why?

*Chuck just shrugs.*

Sach: (He puts a hand on Chuck's shoulder) You...you feel like you kinda have the responsibility for the family, especially since Slip won't take it.

Chuck: *Nods* Yeah...

Sach: You're afraid that you might let someone down if you ain't a perfect, good boy.

Chuck: *Nods again* Uh huh...

Sach: You're afraid you'll end up like Slip an' your dad...a bum, more or less.

*Chuck nods slowly.*

Sach: You're afraid you're gonna hurt Rachel, like your Dad hurt your ma and Slip an' Sally keep hurtin' each other.

Chuck: *Frowns deeply; whispers* Yes.

Sach: You're afraid that if you let out your wild side, that means you're a bad person.

Chuck: Yeah...

Sach: An' you're really afraid that those ladies are gonna come in your brain someday and never leave.

*Chuck nods, frowning again.*

Sach: Chuck, first of all, you ain't a bum. I know. I'm not much better n' Slip. But you n' Butchy, you're goin' places.

Chuck: Doesn't feel like I am.

Sach: Chuck, do I have a job?

Chuck: Sach...

Sach: You're already doin' good there! Not many guys in the Bowery have a job with a nice newspaper!

Chuck: I'm a step above copy boy.

Sach: It's a job, ain't it? An' you'll probably get a chance to move up soon!

Chuck: Sach, I'm afraid of the unknown. I don't like not knowing what's gonna happen to me in a few years, next year, or next week!

Sach: That's where I can help ya. I ain't afraid of what's gonna happen tomorrow, 'cause I'm havin' too much fun now.

Chuck: *Mutters* I'm not...

Sach: You think too much about tomorrow. You need to start thinkin' of now.

Chuck: Why would I think about now? I'm having a ROTTEN time now!

Sach: 'Cause it ain't tomorrow. It's now. (He goes to the kitchen and brings out a glass of water) Here ya go. Gotcha some aspirin, too.

Chuck: *Sighs* Thanks, Sach. *takes the aspirin and downs the whole glass of water*

Sach: I hope that helps. You need to stop lookin' at what's bad about now and seein' what's good. Now you know it ain't a good idea to drink a lot of champagne at a party. I can't drink a whole lot, either. I get goofy and then turn all green.

Chuck: I don't know why I did that. I just I didn't want to THINK.

Sach: Next time you don't wanna think, stuff yourself full of cookies instead. They won't do funny things to your mind.

Chuck: *Makes a face, then sighs* Anything else in your empath-vision that you see?

Sach: (Sighs) Chuckie, you're afraid that the part of you that wants to...you know...with Rachel is the bad part.

Chuck: I shouldn't have asked.

Sach: Chuck, there ain't nuthin' wrong with wantin' to...you know...with a girl. All guys do it. You should see Slip.

Chuck: I know there's nothing wrong, but I've already had one bad experience in that department... *puts his head in his head* I'm probably scarred for life.

Sach: (Puts his hands around Chuck's shoulders) No, ya ain't. You're just a little scared right now. It'll pass.

Chuck: It's been a couple months already, Sach.

Sach: (Shrugs) Some people take longer to heal than others.

Chuck: Great.

Sach: But you will heal. You're strong, Chuck. You and Slip both are. You couldn't survive in the Bowery if you weren't.

Chuck: You really think I'm strong?

Sach: Yeah, I do. You're a lot stronger than you think you are, Chuckie. You got through the war, right?

Chuck: Yeah...

Sach: A lot of guys didn't. You came through with just a little damage. Some guys came home missin' arms or legs...or not at all. Remember poor Skinny.

Chuck: *Nods and sighs* You're right.

Sach: You get so caught up at lookin' at the bad things, you forget the good things sometimes.

Chuck: I do do that, don't I?

Sach: Yeah, you do. You just had a play put on by a real theater company! You have a job that a lot of guys who just came back from the Services and are out of work would love to have! You have a good ma, good friends, and a great girlfriend.

Chuck: Am I selfish?

Sach: Not at all! You're one of the least-selfish guys I know. You're just scared, an' ya worry too much.

Chuck: I worry too much. *he gives a little grin* I suppose I do.

Sach: Yeah, ya do. You need to just think about the good stuff, like me!

Chuck: Sach, that's all you ever think about. You don't have a worry in the world, or so it seems.

Sach: Sure I do. I worry about if we're gonna run outta peanut butter ripple ice cream, or if Louie's ever gonna REALLY make us pay our IOUs.

Chuck: Those are barely tip of the iceberg stuff, Sach.

Sach: Not to me! I don't want Chiefy to eat all the good ice cream before I do! In fact, I could use some ice cream. Want some?

Chuck: *Gives Sach a full smile finally* Yeah, I'd like some.

(Fade out on Chuck’s small smile as Sach trots off to get ice cream. Fade in on Louie's the next morning. Everything is now set up as usual. Rachel is wiping tables and filling napkin dispensers. Louie wipes down the counter. Suddenly, we hear the usual racket that indicate Boys are near.)

*All five boys walk in. Slip and Sach are arguing. Butch and Whitey chat animatedly. Chuck follows, hands in his pockets.*

Louie: Hi, boys. Did you have fun last night?

Sach: Oh boy, did we!

Butch: (Eyes Chuck) Well, some of us did.

*Chuck just looks away.*

Whitey: I don't think I ever ate as much as I did last night!

Sach: Yeah, me either!

Louie: Well, I'm glad, boys. You deserved it. The show looks like it was a big hit yesterday. How about you, Slip? Did you enjoy yourself?

Slip: *Shrugs* It was fine. *he catches Chuck as he walks by a puts a hand on his shoulder* How 'bout you, Chuck?

Chuck: Alright.

Sach: Chuck, why don't you and Rachel have a talk in the back room?

Chuck: *Nods* Okay.

Rachel: All right.

Louie: (Nods) It's still pretty early. I can handle things up here, and if it gets busy, I'll corral one of the boys to help.

Rachel: (Takes Chuck's hand) Come on. You'll never do this on your own.

*Chuck lets her pull him along to the back room.*

Rachel: (Closes the door, then turns to him) Ok, Chuck, out with it. What happened yesterday? Why have you been avoiding me for the past week? We haven't gone out in ages!

Chuck: *Quietly* I don't know what happened.

Rachel: Are you all right? What did those women do to you? (She sits down on a crate; Chuck sits next to her) Tell me. I'm not like those women. I won't hurt you.

Chuck: *still quietly, but he does turn to her* They split out an evil side of me. He's the one who was avoiding you all week. The guys think it happened because I don't let out my "wild side." *shakes his head* I don't HAVE a "wild side."

Rachel: Of course you do! The fact that he got out proves it. Everyone has a wild side. Some people are just better at controlling them than others.

Chuck: Okay, then, I never USED my wild side before. *sighs; louder* Rachel, I've spent my whole life being "a good boy." I don't KNOW anything else.

Rachel: Well, you need to learn how to let your wild side out without it getting out of control. You have plenty of teachers, including me.

Chuck: I don't want to learn from them. *pauses* I think you'd be a great teacher.

Rachel: (Blushes) Thank you. You know, it's not a bad thing to let your wild side come out and play every now and then. You just can't let him take over.

Chuck: I don't know where the line is. When we were kids, Slip was always in trouble. I never wanted to be like that.

Rachel: You can have fun without getting into that much trouble.

Chuck:: I keep hearing that. Butch's suggestion was to make noise in the movie theater. I just don't want to bother other people.

Rachel: Ever tried mooning someone in the back of that jalopy of yours?

Chuck: *Sighs* No. *Shakes his head* Can't I just...spit on the sidewalk, instead?

Rachel: That could work, too. My younger brother does it all the time.

Chuck: *Nods* Darren. He seems like a good kid.

Rachel: Yeah, he is. He does have a wild side - you saw it at the bachelor auction - but he's never been in jail or been slapped by a woman, to my knowledge.

Chuck: He seemed to like the attention he got at the auction.

Rachel: Yeah, he did. He's a bit of a ham when he gets on a stage or around a crowd.

Chuck: *Sighs* A complete opposite. I couldn't do that. If that had actually been me at the play, I'd have been shaking like a leaf beforehand...but it wasn't me. *Frowns* I'm sorry you missed out on the whole play.

Rachel: I'm not going to say I'm not disappointed...but I don't remember what happened between sitting in the women's dressing room and you kissing me upstairs.

Chuck: I don't remember much of that, either.

Rachel: Chuck, what do you like to do for fun?

Chuck: Read and write. A movie once in a while.

Rachel: What about hanging out with the guys?

Chuck: Yeah, but they get to be too much to handle at times.

Rachel: That's when your brother jumps in.

Chuck: Yeah.

Rachel: What do you think you'd be up to doing first? Spitting on the sidewalk is a good start.

Chuck: That was supposed to be a joke. *takes Rachel's hand* Do you think maybe...we could...kiss in public?

Rachel: (Squeezes his hand) I'd kiss you anywhere!

Chuck: I just need to take it slow. I think could handle this. Wanna go out there and show the others what I've learned?

Rachel: Sure. (She takes his hand)

*Chuck smiles at her and leads them out of the back room.*

Louie: (As four heads whip up at once; the other guys are all sitting around their usual table) Well?

Chuck: *Looks at Rachel and nods* Wanna show them?

Slip: Show us what?

*Chuck kisses Rachel.*

(Rachel pulls him close and deepens the kiss. Sach's jaw drops. Louie just grins. Butch sighs dreamily.)

*Whitey's eyes widen. Slip smirks, resting his chin in his hand.*

Louie: That's very nice, you two. Better than a movie.

Butch: Now I want to catch Jane on her lunch break so I can kiss her like that.

Rachel: (As they finally break apart, she sighs) You ARE good.

Chuck: *Blushes* Yeah?

Rachel: (She's blushing herself) Yeah. Don't be so hard on yourself. I think you have more of a wild side than you want to admit.

Butch: If that's your wild side, he should come out more often, just as long as he doesn't try to hurt anyone.

Sach: Yeah! It can be good to be a little bad sometimes.

Chuck: That was nice.

Rachel: It sure was!

Louie: See, my boy? You can learn to let go. You just have to start slow.

Rachel: Even just a little bit of fun will keep that wild side of yours from getting bored.

Sach: How does that "wild side" feel now, Chuckie?

Chuck: *He's still looking at Rachel* Wonderful...

Slip: Ya done good, Chuckie.

Rachel: Yeah. (She kisses him again.)

Sach: (Looks up at the camera) Hey! (He goes to where Chuck and Rachel are kissing) Don't you folks know it ain't polite to peek? (He reaches up and pulls down a sign that turns into the script-and-Bowery-background from the late 40s and early 50s movies that says "The End.")