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*We open in the back room at Louie's. A rather fearful-looking Danny stares at his reflection in a cracked mirror. He wears a nice looking all gray suit with matching shoes. Butch and Chuck stand on either side.*
Butch: You look great, Danny! You look like you could sweep Kathy off her feet!
Chuck: Just be yourself. You'll do just fine.
Danny: *Looks at them via the mirror* Have you guys overcome your worst fears?
Chuck: Danny, the only girl who could actually hurt you is Zelda, and she's the one we're trying to stay away from.
Butch: Why don't you dance with her? You're a great dancer!
Chuck: I’ll bet Kathy would love that.
Danny: *Turns around the them* I guess I could manage that.
Chuck: Great! Now, get out there, before you're late!
Danny: My feet won't move.
Chuck: *Sighs* Butch, help me get him out the door.
Butch: (Takes Danny's right arm) This is for your own good, Dan.
Chuck: That's right. We wouldn't do anything to harm you in any way.
Danny: I do trust you, it's just that my feet don't want to move.
Chuck: And that's why we're helping.
*We switch to a view from the main room of Louie's as Butch and Chuck practically shove Danny through the door, then follow him out.*
Kathy: (She's waiting for him, wearing a nice blue ruffled dress) Hi there, honey! (Goes up to him) Gee, you look swell!
Danny: H-hi, Kathy. You, uh, you look nice.
Kathy: Thanks! (She takes his hand) Shall we?
Danny: S-sure.
Louie: (He leads them to a table in the middle of the room that's set with a good tablecloth, fine china, and candles and a rose in the middle) Here you go. Best service in the Bowery.
Kathy: Wow, Louie, you went all out!
Louie: Order whatever you like. I highly recommend the pastrami sandwiches, or the chicken matzo ball soup.
Danny: *Gulps* I think I'll take the matzo ball soup.
Kathy: I'll have the soup and the sandwiches, and ooh, what's for dessert?
Louie: For dessert, we have a Valentine's Strawberry Milkshake with two straws.
Kathy: We'll have one of those, too!
Danny: *Frowns* It would be more sanitary to have two separate milk shakes...
Kathy: But it's less romantic!
Louie: He does have a point, Kathy. All right, Danny. I don't want the health inspectors after us.
Danny: Thanks, Louie.
Louie: Anytime, Danny. (Leans over Danny and whispers) She's a nice girl. Talk about the weather. Talk about TV shows or Broadway shows or movies. The usual things. That'll break the ice for larger things.
Danny: But...
Kathy: But what?
Danny: *Nervous laugh* Hm?
Louie: I'm going to leave you two alone now. Have fun. (He pats Danny's hand and heads for the kitchen.)
Kathy: You look white as a sheet? Am I really that scary? Do I have anything in my teeth?
Danny: *Shakes his head* It isn't you.
Kathy: Then what? (Grins and nods at the jukebox) Why don't we dance while we wait for our food?
Danny: Uhhh...okay.
Kathy: Come on. (She pulls him out of his seat)
Butch: You'll need music. (He turns on the jukebox, which plays an instrumental dance tune.)
Kathy: (She's already snapping her fingers) Ain't this great?
Danny: Y-yeah.
Butch: Come on, Dan, you're a good dancer! You're a pro!
Kathy: Oooh, like Fred Astaire? Really?
Danny: Uhhh...
Chuck: Go on, Danny!
Kathy: Come on! I've never danced with a real pro before!
Butch: (Gives him a shove into her arms) There you go.
Kathy: (She starts moving) I want to see what you can do!
Danny: *Stands frozen* I...I...ohhh...
Chuck: *Shakes his head; mutters* He's plummeting fast.
Butch: (Whispers to Chuck) How can we get him dancing?
Kathy: (She grabs his hand and puts it on her waist) Come on! (She grabs his shoulder) You can't stand here all night!
Butch: You can do it, Dan!
Danny: But...
Kathy: Come on! Let's jitterbug! (She starts dancing fast around him, pulling him across the room with her!)
(She swings him around the room, twirling him in time to the music!)
Kathy: Isn't this a blast?
Danny: *Whimpers* Yeah.
(Kathy finishes by throwing Danny up in the air...but he doesn't come down!)
Kathy: (Makes a face) What are you doin' up there?
Danny: *Holding onto the ceiling fan* Hiding.
Kathy: From what? I ain't gonna bite ya!
Butch: Danny, do you need help getting down?
Danny: Who says I want to get down.
Chuck: Dan, get down here!
Butch: You can't stay up there all night!
Kathy: Yeah! You'll get cramps!
*Danny sighs. He slides off the fan and lands not so gracefully on the floor.*
Danny: Ooohhh...
Kathy: Are you ok? (Yanks him to his feet and dusts him off.) Did you break anything?
Butch: Any permanent damage?
Danny: *Winces* I might have issues sitting for a little while...
Kathy: Then you can stand while we dance! (Turns to Chuck) Flip us to somethin' romantic! I wanna slow dance!
Chuck: *Eyes Danny, but shrugs* You got it, Kathy.
Kathy: (Pulls Danny very close to her) Let's do somethin' real romantic.
*Danny gives an exaggerated gasp that sounds normal coming from him.*
Kathy: What? (She leans her cheek on his as a slow, jazzy number starts on the jukebox) You scared or somethin'?
Danny: Y-yes.
Kathy: Honey, slow dancin' ain't nuthin' to be afraid of.
Danny: I'm n-not afraid of d-dancing...
Kathy: (Leans closer as they move to the music) Then what are you afraid of?
Danny: I have an extreme case of ochlophobia, it leans for heavily toward females. My psychologist wrote his thesis on me.
Kathy: Um, yeah. So you're scared of girls?
Danny: Yes.
Kathy: Why? We ain't such a bad lot.
Danny: I just am. I get extremely nervous and j-jumpy. My heart rate goes up, and I s-start to g-get light-headed.
Kathy: Wanna sit down, then? Maybe you just need to take a load off. (Pushes him in the chair.)
Danny: B-but it w-won't go away. Th-the only d-difference now is I w-won't f-fall over.
Kathy: Well, I'll do what I can to help.
Danny: Y-you don't h-ave to. I'll be f-fine.
Kathy: Your knees are knocking and you're whiter than a sheet. You're not fine.
Danny: Y-yes, I am... *puts his head down on the table*
Kathy: (She leans on the table, puts her head on it, and stares right into his eyes) No, you're not. You look like you're about ready to upchuck.
Butch: Do you need a bucket, Dan?
Danny: N-no b-bucket... *pauses, then jumps up and runs for the bathroom*
Chuck: *Puts his arms out in an "I give up" motion* Well, that's great.
Kathy: Was it something I said?
Chuck: Really, Kathy, it isn't your fault. He really does have that phobia, and that's how he reacts. We're trying to help him, but we're not getting very far.
Kathy: Maybe you just need a woman's touch.
Butch: I don't know. He's really scared.
Chuck: Yeah, but if you kept after him and showed him that his fear is, in essence, ridiculous, you might just break him of it.
Kathy: I could sure try...if we could just get him back out here.
Butch: (Grins at Chuck) Maybe we ought to go in the bathroom and drag him out. He might hide in there for the rest of the night.
Chuck: *Nods, grinning* Let’s go do some dragging.