(THEY'VE ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE WHERE THE PARTY IS. CECIL IS NOW VERY NERVOUS ABOUT GOING IN THERE, DRESSED AS A GIRL.) CECIL: Hey-hey, wait a minute, Sally. Let's don't go in yet. SALLY: Why not, Cecil? CECIL: Don't ring the bell yet. SALLY: But, Cecil, we don't wanna stay out here on the porch. CECIL: Do-do-do-do-- Do I look all right? SALLY: Yes. You look beautiful. CECIL: Oh-oh-oh, gosh. Why did I ever wear this crazy outfit? SALLY: Come on, let's go on in. CECIL: Don't ring the bell, Sally. Don't, now. Let's--let's... Let's look in the window and see if anybody's here yet. SALLY: Of course, everybody's here. We're hours late. CECIL: (NERVOUS LAUGH) O-oh gee. I hate to go in. SALLY: What are you afraid of? CECIL: Who's afraid? SALLY: (GIGGLE) Oh, Cecil, you're acting like a bashful girl. (GIGGLE) CECIL: Sally... I don't know any of this bunch. You go on in, and I'll wait out here. I'll go sit in the car. SALLY: Now, Cecil, don't be a coward. Let's go on in. We're late now. CECIL: Well... W-wait. L-let's talk this over. Oh, Sally, I'd rather die than go in there. SALLY: Don't ever say that I act like a baby. CECIL: Ohh... I feel so darn silly with this dress on. Lemme take it off. SALLY: I should say not. You ought to be ashamed of yourself! CECIL: Who-- Oh, who's in the hall, do you think? SALLY: I don't know. Let's ring the bell and find out, when they open the door. CECIL: No, Sally! No, no! No! Don't... please don't. SALLY: But we have to go in. CECIL: Oh, do we, do we have to? Can't I take you home? SALLY: No. I should say not. After going to all this trouble to dress up? I'm going to ring the bell. CECIL: Oh, Sally, p-please wait a minute; please wait. SALLY: My goodness, where IS the bell? I can't find it. CECIL: (VOICE CRACKS) They haven't got one, Sally. (CRACKS AGAIN) We better go home. SALLY: I don't see why they didn't put the porch-light on, so we could see something. CECIL: (BEAT) Th-they're not expecting us. We better not go in if they're not expecting us. That wouldn't be polite. That would be un-polite. SALLY: Well, I guess I'll have to knock. I can't find the doorbell. CECIL: Don't knock. W-wait a minute. SALLY: Of course I'm going to knock. CECIL: (VOICE CRACKS) If you do, I'm gonna run. Wait til I get some courage. SALLY: Oh, you make me sick. CECIL: (WEAKLY) You're not half as sick as I am. I have the funniest feeling in my stomach. SALLY: Cecil, if you were going to act this way, why in the world did you let me fix you up to masquerade as a girl? CECIL: I'm beginning to wonder, myself! SALLY: Why, you look perfect! CECIL: Well, I don't feel that way. SALLY: Poor Cecil. (PATTING HIS SHOULDER) I'm sorry. I guess you don't feel quite at home. CECIL: Don't pat me! I'm not a puppy! SALLY: Don't be so touchy. Look at me. I'm not nervous. CECIL: You've got more clothes on than I have. SALLY: Cecil, you might as well make up your mind. We've been invited to this party, and we're going in. CECIL: (MOANING) Ohhhhh... Please. Just a minute. Don't knock on that door! Oh, wait. SALLY: Whattayou wanna wait for? CECIL: (BEAT) D-do I look awful silly? SALLY: I tell you, you look beautiful! Honest. CECIL: I wish you wouldn't say that! SALLY: Cecil, we can't stay out here on this porch, all night. CECIL: We could stay out here until the party's over. SALLY: (SARCASTIC) Well, that would be a lot of sense, wouldn't it? CECIL: I guess, maybe so. SALLY: What in the world is the matter with you? Have you got stage-fright? Stop standing on your feet! CECIL: What else could I stand on? SALLY: I mean, stop standing on ONE foot. CECIL: (MOANING) Ohhhh, Sally. I'd give a million dollars if I were home in bed. SALLY: You haven't got a million dollars. (GIGGLE) CECIL: Well, I haven't got nerve enough to go in there, either. SALLY: But, Cecil, there's nothing to be afraid of. CECIL: Ha! You funny person. SALLY: Well, there isn't. ("BE REASONABLE")Come on, let's knock on the door. CECIL: It's a wonder they couldn't hear my knees knocking. SALLY: Cecil, you're a big baby! You're a coward! CECIL: (POUTING) Who's a coward? SALLY: (GIGGLE) YOU are. Aw, baby, is it afraidee? CECIL: All right. Now, just wait. Just wait. SALLY: That's what I'm doing. Shall I knock on the door? CECIL: (BEAT) S-sure. No, no! Don't! SFX: SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR CECIL: Ohhhh, Sally! SALLY: Now, stay where you are, Cecil. CECIL: Oh, couldn't you have waited a minute? SALLY: We've waited too long now. Here. (GIGGLE) I'll hold your hand. CECIL: Let go. I'm no baby. Ohhhh, gee... SALLY: (GIGGLE) CECIL: Oh, golly... SALLY: What are you panting about? CECIL: (BEAT) There's nobody home, Sally. Let's go. SALLY: Oh, of course there is! Can't you hear them making a noise? SFX: SHE KNOCKS AGAIN CECIL: Don't do that! SALLY: Don't do WHAT, Cecil? CECIL: (BEAT) Don't knock unless you tell me. You make me jump. SALLY: (GIGGLE) Here. I hear someone coming now. CECIL: How do I hold my hands, Sally? Oh, I wish I had some pockets. SALLY: Put them where-- SFX: DOOR OPENS SALLY: Oh, hello! It's us. FLOSSIE: Oh, hello, Sally! Come on in. I'm awfully glad you could come! SALLY: Oh, it was so nice of you to ask us! (GIGGLE) Oh, don't you look nice! A gypsy! Well, where did you get it? FLOSSIE: Mother made it for me. Oh, Sally! What a cute idea for a costume! An angel! Oh, look at the wings! That's clever! Who thought of it? SALLY: Cecil. Oh, yes. I-I want you to meet-- (NOTICES) Well, goodness, where IS Cecil? FLOSSIE: Who is Cecil? SALLY: Oh, goodness! Open the door, quick! He didn't follow us in! SFX: DOOR OPENS SALLY: Oh! (GIGGLE) There you are, Cecil! Why didn't you come on in? CECIL: (BEAT. MISERABLY) You didn't tell me to. SALLY: Flossie, this is Cecil. (GIGGLE) FLOSSIE: Oh, how do you do? CECIL: (UNEASY) Ver-very well, thank you. SALLY: Cecil didn't want to come to the party, dressed as a girl. (GIGGLE) Don't you think he makes a nice girl, Flossie? FLOSSIE: Oh, I should say so! You're a wow, Cecil! SALLY: (TO CECIL) See? I told you so. Now, are you satisfied, Cecil? CECIL: (MISERABLY) Is the party nearly over? FLOSSIE: Oh, no. It's really just beginning. Everyone has on the cutest costumes! Oh, Cecil, you go right in that room to the left. Sally, you come on with me. CECIL: Uh, wait. What-what's in the that room? FLOSSIE: That's where the boys are putting their coats. The girls are all in this other room. Come on, Sally. CECIL: I didn't wear a coat. W-we neither of us did. FLOSSIE: Oh, that's all right. All the boys are in there. We'll all go into the other room in a minute. CECIL: Uh, Sally... (WEAKLY) Wait a minute, please? SALLY: Just a minute, Flossie. (TAKES HIM ASIDE) What is it, Cecil? CECIL: L-let me go with you, Sally. Please. A-as a special favour? SALLY: (GIGGLE) Why, Cecil, you can't go with me. There's nothing in there but girls. CECIL: (BEAT) I'm dressed like a girl. They won't know the difference. SALLY: Now, don't be silly. You go on in there with the boys, and we'll be down in just a minute. CECIL: Oh, Sally. I can't. With these clothes on? Ohhh, they'll razz me to death. SALLY: (CALLING) Just a minute, Flossie. (QUIETLY) Now, Cecil, please don't act like this. CECIL: Sally... I wouldn't desert YOU, in YOUR moment of need. Honest, I wouldn't. SALLY: Well, you don't need anything. Goodness, what'sa matter with your backbone? CECIL: Ohhh, I don't know. It's frozen. Please, Sally. SALLY: Cecil, Flossie is waiting for me at the foot of the stairs. CECIL: (MISERABLY) Sally, I wouldn't be this mean to a pup or something. SALLY: Cecil, I have to go. Now, I'll be right back. Go on in. CECIL: Oh, all right. All right. All right. And if anything happens, don't blame me. SALLY: Well, what COULD happen? Just go up on in there with the other boys, like nothing was wrong. You're just self-conscious. CECIL: Well, I warn ya now; I warn ya. Don't blame me if anything happens. SALLY: Cecil, what COULD happen? CECIL: If any o' those wise alecks make any smart cracks about me dressed as a girl, well, well... SALLY: Cecil, they don't know you. I'll be out in just a minute, and I'll introduce you. CECIL: Oh, please, Sally... (STEELS HIMSELF) All right. All right. You'll be sorry. (FADING OFF-MIKE) Just you wait and see, now. SALLY: G'bye, Cecil. I'll see you in just a few minutes. (GIGGLE. TAKES FLOSSIE'S ARM, AND THEY START UP THE STAIRS) FLOSSIE: What was the matter with your friend, Sally? SALLY: Oh, nothing. (NERVOUS LAUGH) He's kinda funny. He's awfully nice, though. FLOSSIE: He LOOKS like a nice fellow. What was the secret? SALLY: Oh, nothing. (GIGGLE) Oh, Cecil, he's very nice. He's so thoughtful and gentle. FLOSSIE: That's nice. I hate loud, noisy people; don't you? SALLY: Oh, Cecil is so quiet, you'd never know he's here. FLOSSIE: That's fine! This way, Sally. SALLY: Oh, yes. He never makes a disturbance like some other boys I know, and, uh-- SFX: SUDDEN COMMOTION FROM BOYS' ROOM, UNDER FLOSSIE: Wait a minute, Sally! What in the world is going on down there, with the boys?! SALLY: Goodness! It sounds like someone is being murdered! FLOSSIE: Quick, Sally! Run downstairs! It's the boy YOU came with! Stop them! It's a battle! Oh, dear! SALLY: (RUNNING DOWNSTAIRS) Cecil! Ce-cil! Stop it; do you hear me? Stop fighting! What's the matter? Are you crazy? Cecil! (FADING) Just wait. Oh, goodness...