(We open at Louie's. Rachel and Marsha are wiping tables and filling napkin holders. Jane sips a soda while Sally works behind the counter.)

Sally: (Sighs) Jane, I do wish I'd gotten to go to Paris with Uncle Louie and Slip and Sach, but someone had to mind the store.

Jane: It sure would've been nice to see Paris.

Sally: The boys are lucky. (She sighs) And I miss Slip something terrible. I missed him when he was in London, too. I'm glad Sach turned out to not be an heir and they didn't stay.

Marsha: I wish I could see Whitey more, but he's always workin' in that radio shop.

Sally: How about you, Rachel? Seen much of Chuck lately?

Rachel: Some. But he's wanted to be a reporter for so long, I don't mind sharing him with the paper.

Sally: (Nods) Slip says he finally has a little side thing going with selling real estate. Nothing big. (Sighs happily) Maybe someday, we could save for that little farm we always talked about.

Rachel: That sounds nice.

Sally: He'll run the farm, and I'll work with Uncle, or even open up a store of my own.

Marsha: Gee, you guys have such nice plans. Whitey an' I don't talk much about plans. We just sorta...get together.

Jane: Well, that's nice, too.

Sally: I wonder how the boys' big debut at the Carousel Nightclub is going? Rachel, didn't Chuck say he would be watching Butch and the guy they work with tonight? (Sighs again) And we have to work!

Rachel: *Nods* Yeah. I wish we could have been there.

(Suddenly, the door opens. Chuck rushes in, followed by Danny with Butch. Butch clutches his sore hand and looks like he's about to cry.)

Sally: (Frowns) What happened? I thought you were still at the club!

Butch: They hurt my hand.

Chuck: *Nods* We ran in to a lot of trouble, and they took it out on Butch. It's a long story, but we gotta get the cops, and Butch should probably go see Bernie.

Sally: (Nods) Jane, you get Butch to the hospital. Flag down Billy Hallop; he'll be faster than Lucy. Rachel, you call the police on the pay phone. I'll give you the money if you don't have it.

Jane: *nods* Okay! Come on, Butch!

(Butch only nods, clutching his hand, and follows her.)

Rachel: Right! *heads for the pay phone*

Chuck: *Sighs* I knew it was too good to be true. DuVal just wanted to use us.

*Danny just sits at the table, his face red as a traffic light.*

Sally: Use you? (Nods at Danny) And what happened to him? (Turns to Danny) You look like you could use a soda.

Danny: *Nods* I sure could.

Chuck: I don't think I need to say any more than Zelda decided she liked him.

Sally: (Nods) No, you don't. I'll get him an extra-large ice cream soda with a cherry on top.

Marsha: Those nasty chicks are at it again?

Chuck: Just Zelda. Sheila doesn't seem to like the three of us that much.

Marsha: I have the feelin' she ain't the one who killed Butch's hand, though.

Sally: (Nods) How did Butch end up with a swollen right hand? Were the piano keys that hard?

Chuck: *Shakes his head* DuVal had one of his goons attack him. *sighs* He wanted to know how much we'd found out about what they were up to.

Sally: So they hurt Butch to make you talk.

Chuck: Yes.

Sally: Do you think they may have followed you here?

Marsha: Does that mean they'll try to hurt us?

Sally: Not if we get them first.

Chuck: I wouldn't be one bit surprised if they followed us.

Sally: (Goes to the phone booth) Got the cops, Rach?

Rachel: *Hangs up* They're on their way.

Sally: (Nods) Good. Rachel, I had a wonderful idea. Why don't we mop the floor while we wait for our guests?

Rachel: *Grins* For once, I won't mind cleaning up.

Marsha: We have guys who want to kill us comin', an' all you're thinkin' about is cleanin'?

Sally: (Hands Marsha a mop) You know how Uncle Louie feels about keeping the store clean. (Hands Chuck a mop, too) For the great reporter.

Chuck: Thank you.

*Danny goes behind the counter to work on his ice cream soda.*

Marsha: (As they start mopping the floor, she looks out the window) Oh, wow! There's a tall blond guy comin' over here with a couple of other guys. He's wearin' a tux and lookin' like Fernando Lamas.

Sally: (Her eyes widen) Those other guys with him definately aren't Fernando Lamas, though. Chuck, are these the guys who killed Butch's hand?

Chuck: That's them, all right.

Sally: (Grins at Chuck) Routine five?

Chuck: *Grins back* And six.

DuVal: (He comes in the door, flanked by several goons) All right, boys. You're coming back with...

(But he's never able to finish. Chuck heaves his bucket of water in DuVal's face.)

DuVal: (Sputters) My tux...one of my BEST tuxes...you little... (Points to Chuck) Get him!

(The goons try to do just that, but they slip on the soapy floor before they can get a chance. The girls all dump their water on the goons, too, and start whacking them lightly with mops to keep them down.)

Chuck: *Wields his mop* You're not getting away with this. Those guys had their dreams shattered by you.

DuVal: (He grabs Chuck's hand) How'd you like yours shattered, too?

*DuVal suddenly gets hit with a scoop of ice cream.*

DuVal: (Looks up; sees Danny dumped the remaining ice cream from his soda on him) Why, you red-headed ass!

Danny: Better to be an ass than a jerk! *punches DuVal square in the jaw*

Chuck: *As DuVal drops, out cold; grins at Danny* Nice shot.

Danny: *Shrugs* I thought I might just daze him a little.

Sally: Hey, you're pretty darn good!

Danny: I've never done more than hurt my own fist before!

Marsha: So you took some good lessons. You got all these guys teachin' ya.

(Sally, Rachel, and Marsha move back long enough to reveal the goons tied up with twine from the back room.)

Sally: Good thing Uncle had that extra ball of twine back there.

Rachel: Nice job, ladies.

Sally: I wish we got to do this more often. That was kind of fun.

(Officer Murphy leads the cops in as Sally and the girls drag the goons to their feet. Officer Murphy frowns.)

Officer Murphy: Are these the men who started the bloomin' rucus? (Goes up to DuVal as Chuck and Danny haul him up) Annoyin' these good boys, lad?

DuVal: No, Officer. They were annoying me. They were playing in my nightclub and thought they heard some things.

Officer Murphy: Than why is poor Bartholomew Williams sittin' in New York General Hospital with badly sprained hand and a dislocated finger as we speak? Even I know the laddie didn't do it to himself! He's a piano player, he is, and a fine one. I've known his parents since they came to the Bowery!

Chuck: *Smirks* Somebody had to do that to him.

DuVal: You have no proof.

Officer Murphy: We have the testimonies of these lads.

Sally: And I'll bet you could talk to other musicians who work at their nightclubs and receieved the same treatment, too.

Marsha: An' you might want to look up some chick named Zelda London, even if you don't arrest her.

Danny: *nods* Yeah, she... *His face turns red again before he leans over and whispers in Murphy's ear.*

Officer Murphy: (Gasps) You don't say, lad? A woman, doin' things like that to a man? What is this world comin' too? We'll certainly have a talk with Miss Zelda London, see if we don't!

Danny: *Nods; quietly* Thank you.

Officer Murphy: I'll be takin' these men back to headquarters for questionin'. You boys come around tomorrow to get statements. We'll get them from your friend Williams when he's out of the hospital.

Sally: (Grins at Chuck) And I do believe you have a rather good story to tell the Examiner, too.

Chuck: I sure do. I sorta wish we hadn't been so involved, but...

Marsha: I'm sure it'll be ok, Chuck.

Sally: (Turns to Danny) What about you? (Smiles) Would you like another ice cream soda? On the house. Just don't tell Uncle Louie.

Danny: Please?

Sally: (Nods) Sure! (Turns to Chuck) What about you, Mr. Reporter?

Chuck: I'll take a chocolate soda.

Sally: (Nods) Gotcha. (She goes back to make their requests)

Marsha: I'm gonna call the hospital an' see how things are goin' with Butchy. (She pulls out a nickel and goes to the pay phone)

Sally: (As she makes the sodas) You guys get yourselves into the darndest situations, with or without Slip around.

Chuck: And there I thought it was always Slip or Sach's fault.

Sally: It would seem you're all pretty good at it. (Hands them their sodas) Enjoy, boys. You deserve it. And I don't care what Uncle says. This time, they really ARE on the house.

Chuck: We won't tell.

Sally: Oh, and I didn't get a chance to tell you, but I heard from Slip tonight. I couldn't catch the details - his connection was a little fuzzy, or maybe it was him - but it sounds like the real LeBeau returned from wherever he disappeared to tonight...and he wasn't crazy about Sach taking over his woman, his home, and his job. He tried to kick Uncle out and kick Slip around. (Grins) And on top of that, Sach somehow managed to perfect that chemical formula LeBeau had worked on for years. Needless to say, no one in Paris is very happy now, except for maybe Sach. Sach is getting a medal from the French authorities in a few days...and then they'll be on the next flight to New York. I believe he also mentioned he, Sach, and Uncle Louie have since moved into a hotel on the French government's expense account.

Chuck: Ain't that a kick?

Sally: What, Sach invented something that not only didn't blow up everything within a five-mile radius, but was taken seriously by the French government?

Chuck: Yes.

Sally: I can't believe they couldn't tell LeBeau and Sach apart. For one thing, I once read in the society section of the newspaper that LeBeau, in addition to being one of France's top scientists, is also a champion amateur fencer. Sach wouldn't even know how to point the thing right. For another thing, I've heard Sach's idea of a French accent. It sounds as phony as a bowl of wax fruit.

Chuck: *Nods* Danny does a much better French accent than Sach does.

*Danny shrugs, slurping his ice cream soda.*

Sally: Sounds like you do a lot of things.

Danny: I guess so... *slurps his soda again*

Marsha: (She gets off the phone and joins the others) Bernie Punsley just finished wrappin' up Butch's hand. He's free to go...and we're free to pick him up in Lucy. I think Josie said he'll need to be careful, but there ain't no reason he needs to stay now that it's in the cast.

Chuck: That much is good, at least.

Marsha: Yeah. I think she said somethin' 'bout it bein' sprained real bad, but not broke.

Chuck: This will be bad enough for him.

Sally: (Nods) He'll need all the support he can get. Rachel, help me close up the store. Marsha, lower the shades. We're headin' for New York General Hospital.

(Fade out on the girls mopping up the remaining water mess and closing the shades. Fade in on a room in New York General Hospital. Dr. Bernard Punsley check's Butch's hand, which is wrapped in a small cast and bandages. Butch still looks upset. Jane looks worried. They all look up as the others enter.)

Butch: Hi, guys. Bernie says it's going to be a while before I can play again.

Bernie: I'm afraid so. Nothing is broken, but there's a couple bad sprains.

Butch: (He bites his lip, trying not to cry) I thought I really made it this time, Chuck. I thought...I thought I was going to get to play again. Now I can't play at all!

Chuck: *Goes to his best friend* Butch, don't do this. Your hand will be fine. You'll be playing in no time. They tricked us. It isn't our fault.

Butch: All I want is to play again. (He looks away) But no one wants me. They wanted me when I was a cute kid, but now that I'm not a cute kid anymore...

Jane: So you aren't a kid anymore. You're still cute. *leans against him*

Butch: (Smiles at Jane) I know I can always depend on you. You're the best, Janey. (Looks up at Chuck and Danny) And you guys are the best, too. And you ladies, and Bernie, and Slip and Sach when they come back, and Whitey. I just want to be able to play again someday, for the whole world, like I did when I was a kid.

Chuck: *Pats his shoulder* You'll be playing again before you know it. And you and Danny will be showing off what you got in front of a real audience.

Butch: You're the best friend a musician ever had, Chuck. Did you at least get your story?

Chuck: *Nods* I will. I'm gonna write it up when we get home.

Butch: Well, I could practice playing one-handed. The apartment will be awfully quiet. Whitey's working late at the radio shop tonight. You'll need some background music.

Chuck: I'd like that.

Butch: (Kisses Jane's nose) Thanks for your support. You're the best girlfriend a musician could have, too. Is our date still on for tomorrow night?

Jane: *Blushes* Of course, it is, silly!

Butch: Good. I'll just have to eat the popcorn with my other hand this time.

Chuck: *Grins* You'll be ambidextrous before ya know it. *glances at Danny, who's been unusually quiet, standing against the wall, looking down at his feet* Hey, Butch, since it's just the two of us wanna invite Danny over?

Butch: (Nods) Yeah. (Turns to Chuck) I guess Slip and Sach won't be home for a while. They're having such a great time in Paris.

Sally: Well...ever heard the joke about the guy living "the life of Riley"...and Riley came home?

Butch: Don't tell me. The actual LeBeau appeared.

Chuck: He did.

Butch: Bet he loved seeing Sach in his house and makin' love to his fiancee.

Chuck: I know we'll get the whole story when they get back.

Butch: And since we have so much room, Danny, we'd love for you to stay. I'm sure Whitey wouldn't mind. He won't be in until late, anyway. You can sleep in Slip's bed or have the couch.

Danny: *Finally looks up and gives the guys a faint smile* Thanks, fellas.

Chuck: *Sighs* It'll give the three of us a chance to chat a little, too.

*Danny makes a face and looks down again.*

Chuck: *To Butch* Ready to get out of here?

Butch: (Nods and stands) Yeah.

Sally: We have to get going, too. We'll be opening the Sweet Shop at 10, and Jane has work, too.

Jane: *Gives Butch a kiss on the cheek* I'll see you tomorrow.

Rachel: *Gives Chuck a kiss on the cheek as well* See you tomorrow, too. And behave, okay?

Chuck: Me? *smiles* I'll be good, I promise.

Sally: We'll give you any details if Slip calls the shop again.

Chuck: *Nods* Thanks, Sally.

Sally: Sure, Chuck. Come on, ladies. (They head out, Jane giving one last kiss to Butch as she does.)

Butch: (Sighs) She's so wonderful...

Chuck: Come on, Romeo... *takes the arm with the uninjured hand and puts it around his shoulders*

*Danny goes ahead to get the door as we fade out on them leaving the hospital. Fade in on the trio arriving at the guys' apartment. Butch still has a dazed, happy grin on his face as Chuck sets him on the couch. Danny looks around the apartment. Chuck plops down next to Butch.*

Chuck: *Grins* Hey, Butch, come on, come back to earth!

*Danny finally takes up residence in a beaten up arm chair across from the beat-up couch Chuck and Butch are on.*

Butch: (Shakes his head) Huh? (Looks around) When did we get home?

Chuck: Just now. Jane really sent you away there.

Butch: (Grins) She's such a gem. (Sighs) One of the reasons I want to get a job so badly is to earn enough money to marry her. (Frowns) I guess it's safe to say that we've lost our jobs at the music shop.

*Danny whimpers.*

Chuck: I'd say that's probably a safe bet.

*Danny puts his head in his hands.*

Chuck: All right, I may regret this, but...Dan, what is wrong with you?

Danny: *Mutters into his hands* I don't wanna talk about it.

Chuck: You better not be blaming yourself for this.

Danny: *Shakes his head* No, I don't blame myself.

Chuck: I think I'm starting to get a headache.

Butch: (Looks at Danny) Are you upset about losing the job at the music shop?

Danny: A little...

Chuck: But not enough to be acting the way you are, right?

*Danny nods.*

Chuck: *As neutrally as he's able* Zelda?

Danny: *Looks up briefly, then shrugs* I guess so...

Chuck: *Sighs* Naturally. First girl to show any interest in a while. Of course you'd like her. *pauses, choosing his words carefully* But, Dan, she only wants to use. She doesn't have feelings. I learned that first hand. So did Slip.

Butch: Neither does that boss of hers, Sheila.

Danny: *Shrugs again* But at least you guys have girlfriends. Maybe I'm just jealous.

Butch: You'll find a nice girl, Danny. Someone who deserves you.

Chuck: Yeah, it takes time. You just have to hold out for someone who really likes you for you.

Butch: (Nods) I never thought I'd find a girl who really loved me until I met Jane at the Sweet Shop.

Danny: *Sighs and sits back* Do the girls have a friend who likes a goofy guy?

Chuck: They've got a fair amount of friends.

Butch: But I don't know if any of them could quite handle how special you are.

Danny: *Frowns* Special... yeah, I've heard that one before.

Butch: Believe us, Dan. We've all heard the "special" before, too. You want special? You should see Whitey and Sach.

Danny: I have seen them.

Chuck: We've been in your place. Maybe not exactly the same, but we know how it feels. *smiles* You just gotta be yourself and let it happen when it happens.

Butch: (Nods) That's right. (He yawns; his eyes are drooping) Maybe I ought to head...off to bed...Bernie gave me some painkiller for my hand...

Chuck: *Nods* Go ahead. I'll show Dan his options for sleeping. You go take care of yourself. *grins* I'd like to hear Dan's story of the Maladjusted Jester anyway.

Butch: (Yawns) Ok. (He gives Chuck a one-armed hug) Thanks again. You're a really great best friend. (He heads for the "bedroom" behind the calico curtain he shares with Chuck.)

Danny: So...you really wanna hear the story?

Chuck: Of course I wanna hear it.

Danny: Well, the jester stood in front of His Majesty with a confession of a secret that he must betray...

*We fade out as Danny continues the story and Chuck listens with a grin.*