Alrighty then folks, its time for chapter 2! I hope you all enjoy this, as it marks the first appearance of Susie Campbell in the story! :D

Hope you guys enjoy! :D (DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BATIM, THEMEATLY AND MIKE MOOD DO. OR THE LYRICS USED, THOSE BELONG TO LOUIS ARMSTRONG.)


Chapter 2 - Hitting The Town

Grant Cohen charged out of his office, running up the many flights of stairs leading to Joey Drew's office.

For once, Cohen's appearance at Joey's door meant good news.

And still yet, it somehow had bad news to go along with it.

"Uh, Mr. Drew?" Grant asked, knocking on the boss's office door.

"Yes yes, come on in!" Joey said.

Grant walked in, and as usual, there notes and sketches everywhere for cartoon ideas and characters. "We have, uh good news boss!"

"Really? Bout damn time you brought some into this place, Cohen!" Joey said, standing up.

Grant sighed. "We have a five hundred dollar surplus after this year."

"We have a WHAT?!" Joey said in disbelief. "Five hundred dollars... five hundred! Cohen, I've waited a long time for you to bring some good news into this office! Looks like it finally paid off!"

"Well see, we need to use it by midnight tonight," Grant began, "or else we will have that cut out of next year's budget."

Joey then banged his head on his desk. "Uh...you okay there boss?"

"Dammit Cohen, why must you tell me this?!" Joey said. "You never bring, exclusively, good news to the office!"

"Boss, do you want me to deliver it straight or not?" Grant asked.

Suddenly, Joey's face lit up. "Grant, I got an idea! Gather all of the break room employees in the conference room, stat."

"You mean... the ones that work there?" Grant asked.

"Oh heavens no, they sleep all day," Joey said. "I mean the ones that visit there!"

"Oh," Grant muttered. "I'll, uh, round em up."

And about ten minutes later, after several lift trips and promising this was worth it, he had gathered all of the break room employees.

"What's all the fuss about?" asked Wally, once everyone had sat down.

"We have a five hundred dollar surplus!" said Joey.

Everyone in the room clapped gleefully. "But we have to spend it by midnight, or that's cut out of next years budget." Everyone groaned.

"Use it for new equipment," Lacie suggested.

"Buy new instruments!" Norman said.

"Use it for more sturdy pipes and safety equipment," Thomas suggested.

"NO!" everyone simultaneously screamed.

"Okay... since we all can't agree on an idea," Joey said, "I'll pick one."

"Uh oh," Shawn whispered to himself.

"We're gonna spend it at the town Ritz ballroom!" Joey said.

Murmurs of agreement spread through the room. Thomas and Lacie didn't look too sure about it, but everyone else seemed okay with it.

"We have to dress elegantly, right?" Allison asked.

"I'd think!" Joey said.

Now there were looks that said, as Wally would put it, "I'M OUTTA HERE".

"Ah come on fellas, it'll be fun!" said Joey. "Plus-"

"No can do, Mr. Drew," Sammy said. "I got places to be."

"Where?" asked Joey.

"Did I stutter?" asked Sammy. "Places to be."

"Huh... well you have fun then!" the studio director said. Sammy nodded.

"When do we have to be there?" asked Henry.

"8:00 sharp!" Joey said. "We'll all be outside."

Suddenly, the clock in the room went off, and Joey checked his stopwatch. "Huh... what do ya know. Its 5! See ya tonight folks!"

And with that, the employees all left.


8:00, that night

Henry arrived in a very uncomfortable suit that night at the Ritz ballroom, but he just kept telling himself "it would be worth it". And Linda was off visiting her mother, so that made him happy she wouldn't be alone that night.

"Henry!" Allison called over, wearing an elegant dress. Wally and Thomas stood nearby, with similar suits to Henry's. "So glad you made it!"

"I's burnin' up man!" Wally said.

"Don't worry, I share your pain," chuckled Henry.

They saw Jack and Lacie making small talk over on the wall, with Lacie bickering about how she "didn't think she fit in her dress", and Jack was just nodding and agreeing. Shawn was in a suit, yet somehow managed to keep his cloth cap instead of wearing a top hat like Joey. The man in charge even had a cane to go with it...

You could probably tell Grant was just there for the bar, along with Lacie and Thomas. Shawn and Jack were there for the music, and the rest were there because they knew they had to use the five hundred dollar surplus.

And Norman... well we don't know why he was there. Other than the fact it was mandatory, and he didn't have a good excuse, that is.

"We ready gang?" Joey said.

Nods went around, and they all entered.

"HOLY SHIT ITS LOUD!" Shawn yelled as soon as they took one step into the building.

"It truly is," Jack muttered to himself.

"This is gonna be a long-ass night," muttered Lacie. Grant and Norman didn't even wait to be seated at the table, they were already off to go have a drink.

However, when everyone did end up being seated, one table consisted of the remaining eight employees. Complimentary wine was available at the table, which was almost immediately non-existent thanks to Thomas and Shawn.

Suddenly, the waiter came over. "Hello there folks! What can I get you all to eat tonight?"

Joey's eyes said "order the most expensive thing ya like", so that's exactly what they did.

"There wasn't anything under ten bucks! This place is fancy as hell," Wally said.

"No joking," Allison said.

"Wait just a minute," Shawn said. "I-Is that Sammy, up there on the piano?!"

"Holy crud," Jack muttered. "He thought he could sneak away..."

"Sure don't look like 'im," Lacie said.

"Why not?" Thomas asked.

"Well I'll tell ya," Lacie said. "He's smiling!"

"Huh, 'ell I'll be!" Wally muttered.

"He does look pretty happy, to be fair," Allison said. "I'm glad for him."

"Same here," Henry said.

"Well once he gets down, I'm gonna congratulate him!" Joey proclaimed.

"I think we should just let him be," said Henry. "Who'd wanna wipe the one smile he has off of his face tonight?"

So then, over the course of the next hour, everyone ate their food and made conversations with one another around the table.

Suddenly, about half an hour after everyone was done eating (two hours spent at the Ritz), the music stopped, and everyone applauded. Sammy then stepped off stage.

"Uh oh... he's a-coming this way," Wally muttered.

Sammy was indeed walking their way. "Hey fellas..."

"We understand why you didn't show up, Lawrence!" Joey said. "You were already on your way!"

"Its nit just that," Sammy said. 'Not only is Susie performing tonight-"

"Holy cow! Good for her!" Jack said.

"...Thanks, Fain," said Sammy, before continuing. "Anyway, our drummer just called in for having a broken hand."

"Well damn," Lacie muttered.

"Susie is up next!" Sammy said. "And we need a damn drummer!"

"We got a human drummer," Wally said, gesturing to Allison, who blushed madly.

"Thanks Franks, but we need one who can...oh forget it," Sammy said.

"WAIT!" Shawn exclaimed. "I can do it!"

Sammy looked unsure. "Kid, I swear-"

"I wouldn't joke about this sir," Shawn said. "I understand that your wife needs to uphold her rep, and I don't intend to make a mistake. If I'm good at one thing, its toy making - drumming is right behind that."

Sammy sighed... "I better not regret this kid."

"You won't!" Shawn said. "When is Susie's performance though?"

The announcer suddenly started speaking at the center microphone.

"Loosen up those hands boy," Sammy said, before the two walked up on stage.

"Best of luck Shawn!" Jack said.

The rest gave thumbs up's and waves as Shawn stepped up to the drummer's drums. Sammy sat down at the piano, and Susie Campbell-Lawrence stepped up to the stage.

"She's beautiful..." "Lucky man..." murmurs through the audience rang.

Susie nodded to Sammy, and he began to press the keys. Shawn shortly followed with the drums, looking over at the music. And he was pretty damn good!

"You see my heart gets a thrill, my feet won't keep still," Susie sang, "I feel such a thrill, oh, when they swing that music! Rhythm like that..."

It was at this point that couples started getting their groove on the dance floor. Jack held out his hand for Lacie, who declined politely. However, Allison grabbed Wally and headed over. Henry and Joey were laughing at Wally's "misfortune", and even Thomas cracked a smile. Shawn looked like this was the hardest he had ever worked to do something, ever, and Grant and Norman...

Well they were having fun.

Susie then started singing a random scat solo, and Sammy seemed even happier than before. Only his wife was capable of making him feel this way. Meanwhile, you could see Shawn had regretted wearing his coat to drum, although he was having fun.

She then finished her solo, and let Sammy and Shawn take over. Wally and Allison were having a great time on the dance floor, Joey was kept entertained with Henry and Thomas, Jack was drinking his wine, and Lacie was chuckling at the antics of the fancy people. Grant was telling Norman drunken tales, and Norman was taking it all in. He had only drank a shot of Brandy, while the finance manager had drank down three shots of whiskey.

And then, the song came to an end. The couples applauded as Shawn, Susie, and Sammy took center stage and bowed. They then stepped off, and while Shawn went back to his table, Susie and Sammy made their way off to the backstage area.

"How ya feeling pal?" asked Thomas, chuckling.

"I FEEL LIKE FIRE!" screamed Shawn. Everyone at the table laughed at the youngster.

Suddenly, Wally and Allison walked back over. "Best dance ever, Ally! Thank ya for a whoppin' good time!"

"Indeed it was! No trouble!" Allison said cheerfully.

"Well, we've got our ticket," Joey said. "Hmm... $432.45. Lets hope those drinks Cohen and Polk ordered were expensive."

"Lets indeed," Henry said.

Wally helped Allison put her coat back on, to which she responded with a huge smile. He loved seeing Allison smile. Jack pushed in Lacie's chair, to which she nodded in approval. Henry, Joey, and Thomas simply stood up, and went off to fetch Grant and Norman.

When they got there, Grant was a laughing mess. Norman was watching with a smile.

"Cost of the drinks is $67.55 boss!" Norman said.

"Hot damn, five hundred on the dot!" Joey smiled.

Everyone cheered for the surplus being spent whole and wisely - on a night at the Ritz.

And it was a night that the crew would forever remember.

Especially Grant, because he was the one who had to do all the paperwork in this scenario.


Okay guys, Susie will have another few chapters and play a bigger role, I promise! :D

Next chapter will be called "Band Together"! Hope you all will enjoy it! :D See all you folks soon!