The Moving Finger
[Cheers. Early morning]
(After a hectic day at work, everyone has gone home to rest. Only Sam and Diane are left at Cheers, sitting at the bar enjoying the calm. The atmosphere conveys a pleasant warmth: the sweaters, the heating, the wooden furniture, the dim lighting, the comforting autumn drink the lovers enjoy before going home and, above all, the complicity that shows in their smiles and glances. When they are about to kiss, Carla interrupts the scene by abruptly entering the bar and startling the couple)
Carla: HELP!
(Sam and Diane look at her worriedly and, believing someone is following her, Sam runs to close the door while Carla gasps clutching her side and Diane runs to her nervously. When Carla rests her hand on Diane, Diane freezes and pales as she notices the blood and sees the bullet wound. Diane, terrified, lets out a scream and Sam runs towards them. Before Diane can reach the phone, Carla collapses into her arms)
Carla: Sam... Kiss me... I want to leave happy and without regrets...
(Sam and Diane exchange a quick glance, very worried and already beginning a mourning process for the imminent loss of their friend and partner. Sam does not even have to wait for a confirmation or sign from Diane, there was no need to ask her because he knew she would never deny Carla something like that. At that moment, Frasier enters the bar and is shocked to see the scene. Diane, seeing some friendly arms, cannot help but burst into tears and runs to hug him, but to her surprise, Frasier gently leans over her and bites her neck with his fangs. Diane's eyes widen in surprise and she looks at Frasier horrified and very confused. Fearful and trembling, Diane gently touches her neck and, as soon as she notices the holes through which an abundant amount of blood is coming out, she falls unconscious to the floor in front of a horrified Sam, who has not finished processing the death of his best friend and has to face the death of his lover and future children, babies that will never be born. This was the confirmation that a long life of mourning and loneliness awaited him)
(...)
(After an indefinite time, Diane wakes up in a damp, cold and dark place. Confused, she puts her hands on the floor to get up and notices that her body feels quite weak, so she decides to sit up to regain her strength before continuing. When she raises her head, she is surprised to see that she is in the center of a circle formed by tombstones and surrounded by red and fatuous fire. When she finally manages to stand up, one of the tombstones moves aside and the fire shows her the way forward. Diane nervously looks ahead, but there is no end in sight. When she remembers what happened in the bar, she is startled and puts her hands to her neck. She still has the two marks, but there is no blood flowing from them. Scared, Diane puts her other hand on her belly and, realizing that it is now empty, breaks down crying. What awaited at the end of the road was none other than Carla, who has now taken the Devil's place and goes to meet her. Seeing Diane, Carla is surprised)
Carla: Diane?! What are you doing here?!
Diane: (Frightened and confused) Carla?! A... Am I dreaming?
Carla: No. Unfortunately we've both gone to a worse place.
Diane: (Confused) "Worse place"?
Carla: Yes. Spending eternity with you and without Sam is not how I pictured the afterlife.
Diane: (Surprised and frightened) I died?! I thought that- Oh, no... (Cries) Carla, isn't there any way for me to get back to Sam?
Carla: I'm sorry, Diane. I can't do that. But don't worry, I have other plans for you (laughs).
(At that moment, a rather short man comes out of the shadows from the same place where Carla came from)
Andy: (Cheerful) Hi there.
(...)
[Malone's house. Early morning]
(Diane wakes up screaming in panic. Drops of cold sweat cover her body. The loud scream awakens Sam, who looks at her in fright. Panting, Diane drops onto the bed)
Diane: Last time I read a horror anthology before bed.
Making your way in the world today
takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries
sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you wanna go
where everybody knows your name
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see
our troubles are all the same.
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.
You wanna go where people know
people are all the same.
You wanna go where everybody knows your name.
[Saturday, October 26. Cheers II. Morning]
(In the basement and already dressed, Sam combs his hair while waiting for the coffee to be ready. As he brings his hand mirror to the back of his head, he notices that the area where a week ago he had a hair graft was no longer a light-skinned surface, but just an unevenness from his abundant head of hair. Thrilled, Sam bends his knees with a big smile, as if he were going to jump for joy. When his tears of emotion cease, he turns off the fire and runs upstairs. Ecstatic, he enters the bedroom, where his wife is still asleep)
Sam: Diane, we did it!
(At the shout, Diane wakes up somewhat startled and looks at him in bewilderment, but before she can ask him what the hell is he talking about, Sam jumps up to hug her and tilts his head down so she can see his hair growing back)
Sam: Look, look! It's hair! Strong brown hair! I'm so happy! (He kisses her and runs out of the room to get the coffee he left in the basement)
(Diane, seeing Sam as excited as a child to have hair again, laughs and gets out of bed. It did not matter if he was 30, 40 or 50, his hair was still a priority. And probably when he was 70 or 80 and had a white head of hair, it would still be. You can make a Don Juan fall in love, but you cannot make him stop being a Don Juan)
(...)
[Cheers. Morning]
(As Halloween is just around the corner, the bar is decorated with black and orange garlands, carved pumpkins, skeletons, gnawed cloth and cobwebs. The atmosphere is relatively quiet, there are not too many customers and Cliff, Norm and Paul's seats are empty because they are working, as are the rest of the regulars. Carla is cleaning the table of some customers who have just left and Woody is behind the bar changing the keg of beer that Norm had finished the night before. At that moment, Sam and Diane walk in, arguing)
Sam: (Fed up) No!
Diane: Come on, it's just this year! I'll help you choose according to your personality and appearance! And I'll help you get ready if you need to! And I promise they'll be cheap or affordable!
Sam: (Turns to her, fed up with the conversation) I can tell you're enjoying this.
Diane: (Smiles playfully) More than a trick-or-treater.
Sam: I always answer "Treat".
(Diane, hearing him say something that did not surprise her at all, rolls her eyes with a smile)
Sam: That reminds me... Let's have themed sex tonight.
Diane: (Stares at him frowning, rather disgusted) Not with the costumes I have in mind.
Sam: No, no (laughs). I have something I think you'll like.
Diane: For you or for me?
Carla: If you keep up that conversation you're gonna witness a real Halloween scene.
(They both look at her with a resigned smile and decide to continue the conversation later, when Carla is not around)
Woody: What were you talking about?
Sam: Halloween. Diane wants us to go as writers or literary characters this year.
Woody: Well, I don't think it's a bad idea. It sounds fun.
Diane: (Smiles, happy) Thanks, Woody!
Woody: I was watching cartoons this morning and I came up with an idea for the bar. What if we put up a board with themed drinks that can only be served these days? We can give them spooky names. But not so spooky that people would be afraid to drink them.
(Sam and Diane laugh)
Sam: Sounds good to me.
Woody: Great, I've already come up with a few! I've been writing them down on a piece of paper I keep in my pocket. When I have them all, I'll chalk them up.
Carla: Hey, Diane... Let's assume that in the end we are gonna follow that stupid idea of yours... What costume do you recommend?
Diane: Mmm... Since you like divination I would say the Sibyl of Cumae, but that woman was four times you.
Carla: That would have looked good on Lillian.
Diane: The harpy one suits you very well, but maybe the wings are uncomfortable for work. What do you think about The Grim Reaper?
Carla: (Smiles wickedly) I like it. I want to see the look on the customers' faces (laughs).
Sam: Did you come up with Carla's costume because of your dream?
Carla: (Excited) You dream that I killed you?!
Diane: No. I dreamt I died, but not because of you.
Carla: (Disappointed) Then I don't wanna hear it.
(Sam and Diane smiles resignedly)
(...)
[Afternoon]
Norm: (Entering) Afternoon, everybody.
All: Noooorm!
Diane: Norman...
Woody: You come in talking about scary stuff today too, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: To me, the spookiest. I haven't had any beer yet today.
(They all smile at the comment)
Woody: Well, technically you have, you were here until 1:00 a.m. last night.
Norm: That's true, but for me the day starts when I get up in the morning.
(As Woody pours Norm a beer, a mailman enters Cheers)
Mailman: A letter for Carla Tortelli.
Carla: That's me. (Picks it up) I'm sure they're bills. (Looks at it, confused) That's funny, there's no sender.
Cliff: That's illegal. (Runs to the door to find the mailman) He's vanished...
Sam: Open it, see what it says. At worst it'll be a scam, and you're not stupid enough to fall for it.
Carla: (Opens the envelope and takes out the letter) That's weird, it's written in capital letters cut out of books.
Diane: (Outraged, shocked and hurt) What kind of psychopath would do that?!
Cliff: Well, now that you mention it, one of the characters in Agatha Christie's The Moving Finger. Obviously, the one sending the letters was the villain.
Diane: I know, I read that novel when I was a teenager. I thought of it as soon as Carla said about the letter. I meant who around Carla might have done that.
Norm: (Somewhat scared) You don't think someone is trying to kill Carla, right?
Diane: Well, they tried to kill me, why wouldn't they try to kill her? She picks on almost anyone.
Sam: What does the letter say?
Carla: (Reads) "Although you are despicable to almost everyone, you are nothing more than a broken soul in an iron shell. When you least expect it, you are going to fall". (Frightened) My God, someone's coming for me!
Sam: Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you. I have an idea, why don't you stay with us tonight?
Carla: Can I sleep in your bed?
Sam: If I don't have any other choice...
Diane: (Upset) Sam!
(...)
[Malone's house. Nighttime]
(Carla, Sam and Diane are all three in Sam and Diane's bed, all in their pajamas. Diane is looking at a book without actually reading it and making a "How on earth did I end up in this situation?" face and Sam and Carla are laughing while playing a card game)
[Monday, October 28th. Cheers. 01:00 a.m.]
(It is late and the bar is already empty. Norm and Paul are heading for the door to leave and Sam and Carla are placing the stools on the bar to clean the floor. When Carla sees a letter taped to one of the stools, she lets out a gasp that startles the rest)
Norm: What's wrong?
Carla: (Startled) It's another letter!
Sam: Open it and see what it says.
Carla: (Scared, pulls the letter out of the envelope) "As a man, you leave a lot to be desired. Even though people say you treat women well, you have slept with people who are important to your friends. That damage is permanent, and the worst thing is that you do not care. Watch your step".
Sam: That one sounds like it's for Paul.
Paul: The madman who's after Carla is after me now, too?
Norm: It seems so.
(Puzzled by this turn of events, everyone exchanges glances)
(...)
[Afternoon]
(Sam is in his office filling out some paperwork from the bar. When his pen runs out of ink, he opens the drawer to get a new one and is startled to see a letter. Somewhat scared, he opens it)
Sam: (Reads) "You feel like you are blooming, but you are actually a flower that is drying up. You have wasted too much time and failed to protect what was meant to be yours: earth, water, fire and the hand of death. What's next?"
(Uneasy yet confused, Sam opens the door and beckons Diane to enter)
Diane: What is it?
(Sam shows her the letter and Diane shudders. Concerned, Sam hands it to her to read)
Sam: What does it mean at the bottom?
Diane: "You failed to protect what should have been yours". Maybe it's talking about your successes, or your love life. I can think of a hypothesis, but it's a little long-winded.
Sam: Tell me.
Diane: The earth may allude to the first time we broke up, in '84. I went away and put land between us, even though we were still in the same country. Water could refer to the second time we broke up, when I left you to write my book in '87 and you went sailing and didn't come back until you shipwrecked. Or when I left you to go to Europe with Frasier. The fire could refer to our passion, but since it's something you lost I see that as unlikely.
(After pausing to think for two seconds, Sam's eyes widen, as if a light bulb has lit up over his head)
Sam: When Cheers burned down!
Diane: (Is surprised at his quick deduction) Yes, that's got to be it!
Sam: And the last one I guess it's talking about when you almost...
Diane: Yes.
Sam: (Confused) But who could be sending them? No one besides us knows all that.
Diane: Someone from the bar?
Sam: In other circumstances I would have suspected you, but I don't see you cutting letters out of a book.
Diane: Clifford?
Sam: I think he could. He did a similar trick with napkins once.
Diane: If it's him, I'm gonna kill him. I've been sharing a bed with Carla for two days.
Sam: Hey, we're in the same boat here. Do you know how much I want to have sex with you?
Diane: As much as I want to have sex with you.
(Realizing that right now Carla would not interrupt their plans, they both exchange glances. Very horny, Sam kisses Diane. As soon as their lips part, the lovers run towards the exit door)
[Tuesday, October 29th. Cheers. Morning]
(The bar is rather empty. Of the regulars, only Phil is there because the rest are working. Sam is behind the bar having a cup of coffee, Woody is sweeping and Carla is cleaning the tables. Taking advantage of the calmness and silence, Diane takes out her things to write for a while, but something falls down and Woody picks it up)
Woody: Here.
(Diane, seeing that it is a letter with no sender, shudders)
Diane: Cliff's out of the question. I just got these books from the library and the notebook is new, I just bought it.
Sam: All right, this is starting to scare me.
Carla: What does yours say?
Diane: (Reads) "All your life you have done nothing but pretend. Loving something does not mean you are good at it. You have wasted the best years of your life and hurt a lot of people. Is it really all over? Or is it just an illusion like the years before?". How harsh...
Woody: There is something written on the back.
Diane: (Reads) "What will be the next bad thing that happens to you?"
(Reading this last line, Diane pales a little and looks at Sam scared)
Sam: Don't worry, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you this time. Last time I wasn't there to protect you, but this time I'm not gonna take my eye off you.
[Wednesday, October 30. Cheers. Afternoon]
(It is a day like any other day at Cheers. Sam and Woody are behind the bar serving drinks, Carla and Diane are serving customers, and Cliff and Paul are at their usual stools when Norm walks in)
All: Nooorm!
Diane: Norman...
Woody: How's everything going, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: (Serious) Not so good. This morning when I got to work, I found this in my office. (He shows them the envelope with the letter)
Sam: (Surprised) You too?
Carla: What does yours say?
Norm: (Reads) "Just because everyone loves you does not mean you are a good person. Deep down you are nothing more than a walking beer barrel who neglects both your health and your wife. Sooner or later you will get your punishment".
Sam: I don't consider you to be a bad person, although it's true about Vera.
Cliff: And about the cholesterol.
Norm: Diane, are you sure this isn't a trick of yours to make us better people or something?
Diane: Do you see me cutting letters out of a book?
Norm: You're right, sorry. And yes, I'm aware that I spend too much time at the bar, but I enjoy it!
Diane: We're aware of that. But... didn't you have just as much fun on vacation with Vera?
Norm: Well, I guess I did. Maybe a little less because Sammy wasn't there, but not having Cliff sharing facts made up for it.
Cliff: I love you too, Normie.
(Diane turns, looks at him with a resigned smile and looks back at Norm)
Diane: If it's true that you love her, why don't you try to spend time with her more often? You can go home a bit earlier and come over a bit later on weekends. Or you can invite her over one day when we meet. It doesn't have to be at the bar if you don't feel like it.
Norm: I guess I can try that. Don't blame me if I don't last a day, though.
Diane: If Sam was able to last two weeks locked in a room with me and no sex, I'm sure you can spend two more hours a day with Vera.
Norm: But Sam had entertainment. He and the boy next room spent the whole time talking and playing games. They did puzzles; they played dominoes, checkers and video games; they raced remote control cars; they watched cartoon movies...
Diane: And all that at a hospital. Imagine what you can do being free. Watch a movie at home, go to the cinema, go somewhere nice with the car, go out to eat... I've known you for years and I know how lazy you are, but force yourself to go out once in a while. I'm sure you'll enjoy it in the end. If it's hard for you, think about how you feel at work or when you go a long time without a beer. See if you can understand poor Vera's feelings better.
Norm: All right, all right... I'll give it a try...
[Thursday, October 31. Cheers. Afternoon]
(As is common on Halloween, the bar is quite full and everybody is wearing costumes. Phil is dressed as Dracula; Paul is dressed as Jack Torrance from The Shining; Alan is dressed as the Mr. Dark from Something Wicked This Way Comes; and Norm is dressed as Gomez Adams. Behind the bar are Sam, dressed as Frankenstein, and Woody, dressed as Sherlock Holmes. Carla and Diane are serving customers, the former dressed as The Grim Reaper and the latter in a black tunic or period dress and a rather realistic brown wig. Next to the entrance, there is a chalkboard with all the themed drinks: Apple Punch (Applesauce, peanut butter, milk, cinnamon, ginger and maple syrup); Spookie latte (Coffee, milk, maple syrup, roasted sweet potato, cream, cinnamon and ginger); Witch's kisses (Melon and lime juice or liqueur, sparkling water and floating cherries); Vampire kisses (Raspberry and cranberry juice or liqueur, grenadine and vodka (optional)); Blood punch (Apple juice, cranberry juice, ginger and rum (optional)); Bloody Mary (Tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, black pepper, black cardamom, tabasco and vodka (optional)); Nightmare on Bourbon Street (Bourbon, cider, lemon, maple syrup, ginger and cinnamon); Dark Storm (Rum, ginger beer and lime); Grave Digger (Mezcal, cognac, cider, ginger beer and orange juice); and Dead Reviver (Gin, cognac, dry vermouth, absinthe and lemon juice))
Carla: (To Diane) Who are you supposed to be dressed as?
Diane: Mary Shelley. That's why Sam is Frankenstein's monster.
Sam: We made a bet to see if even dressed as a monster I could get women attention. I wanted to go as Dracula, but Phil chose it first. It won't happen next year, though. I'll be the sexiest vampire you've ever seen.
Carla: (To Sam) I don't doubt it. (To Diane) And I knew you dyed your hair!
Diane: Of course I dye it, I have good genetics, but not miraculous. You did it when you were my age too.
Carla: Are you sure that the white hair is due to age and not because you use so much peroxide?
Diane: Carla, I don't use peroxide on my hair, I'm a natural blonde. You saw my childhood pictures when you came home.
Carla: (Annoyed) Right! I guess now I'll have to find something else to bug you about. Although if I had to criticize costumes, my target should be Woody.
Woody: (Annoyed) Why me? I look great.
(Sam and Diane smiles at his self-confidence)
Carla: 'Cause Sherlock has to be smart, you're too gullible to be a detective.
Sam: Carla... Let him wear whatever he wants. (To Woody) By the way, aren't Kelly and Oakley coming to the party?
Woody: No. They're going to go around the neighborhood to get candy. Some people are lucky...
Diane: That reminds me... (Takes three pieces of candy out of her pocket) Here, one for you, one for Kelly and one for the kid.
Woody: (Happy) Thank you!
(Seeing Woody's face light up with just one piece of candy, Sam and Diane laugh. At that moment, Cliff enters dressed as Hercule Poirot and a dark laugh is heard. Hearing it, Cliff jumps in fright and Sam, Carla and Norm laugh)
Cliff: (Annoyed and nervous) Don't laugh! I wasn't scared because of the door! It was because this morning I got this. (Shows them the letter) Now some psycho knows where I live and he's coming to kill me. What's more, he may already be among us. To be honest, I didn't think I'd make it this far today.
Sam: Don't worry, we won't leave you alone all day.
Carla: You're really gonna miss your only chance to get rid of Cliff?!
Sam: (Serious) Yes. Years ago I lost Coach and a few months ago I almost lost Diane. I'm not gonna let another member of this crew leave. And you've been sleeping in our bed for five days, you're in no position to complain.
Carla: (Desperate) And don't you realize how much this is wrecking me?! (Disgusted) Today I woke up cuddling Diane!
Sam: (Laughs) I know. You scared me to death with that scream. I thought a murderer had come into the room. (Serious) Speaking of murderers. Cliff, what does the letter say?
Cliff: "You have earned the dislike of many for sharing too much. Yet you are unable to open your heart to anyone. Change scares you, and you are a coward. Today all that will be over. Say goodbye to your life".
Norm: (Surprised) You know it by heart?
Cliff: (Frightened) Those words have been haunting me for hours. I'm sure at any moment, a cold villain will walk through that door.
(As soon as Cliff finishes the sentence, the evil laugh is heard indicating that someone has opened the door and Lilith walks in, as white as ever or even whiter than usual. She is wearing her hair up in a high bun, a floor-length high-necked black dress and lips of a dark shade of red. At the sight of her, Cliff screams in fright and Sam, Norm, Diane and Carla laugh)
Carla: Rottenmeier? Or are you not even wearing a costume? (Laughs)
Lilith: Miss Hardbroom, from The Worst Witch. Although I understand the confusion. If I were Rottenmeier, I'd be wearing pince-nez. May I know what all the fuss is about?
Woody: Everyone at Cheers except for me has received a letter written in capital letters cut out of books criticizing and threatening them.
Lilith: Wow, just like in Christie's novel.
Diane: Exactly, except for the fact that so far there have been no murders.
Cliff: You'll see I'm the first.
Diane: (Smiles) I think it's about time we found the culprit.
Sam: (Surprised) Do you have any idea who it might be?
Diane: Yes, and I hope you can forgive me.
Carla: (Furious) I knew it!
(In anger, Carla raises her sickle to slash Diane and she lies down against an empty table to avoid the strike. Before Carla can reach her neck, Sam takes the sickle from her and Lilith, realizing that she is pregnant, is surprised and reaches out a hand)
Lilith: Are you all right?
Diane: Yes, thank you.
Lilith: Good thing. A woman who is creating life must be protected at all costs. How many months along are you?
Diane: Four.
Lilith: (Surprised) Four?! (Embarrassed) Sorry, that was rude of me.
Diane: (Laughs) Don't worry, it's natural you got confused. We're expecting dizygotic twins.
Lilith: My sincere congratulations. Now I understand your visit last month.
Cliff: (Nervous) Diane! Will you please tell us what you meant by forgiving you! I'm going crazy! You're not gonna kill us, are you?
(Diane and Lilith stare at him as if to say "Are you an idiot or what's wrong with you?")
Diane: No, Clifford, I'm not going to kill you. (Looks toward the pool room) Miss Marple...
(Hearing Diane, a woman with short ashy blonde hair and blue eyes dressed in a suit and hat, walks towards them. Cliff, upon seeing her, opens his eyes wide and takes a step back in bewilderment. Sam, realizing who it is, is also very surprised)
Cliff: (In disbelief) Tinkerbell?!
Sharon: (Looks at him with a nervous smile) Ponce... Or should I say Hercule. Or rather, Clifford.
(Cliff, bewildered, looks at Diane)
Diane: I think it's about time I told the truth. About a week ago, I went to get a dress for Halloween and Sharon recognized me and asked me about you.
Cliff: (Looks at them with a nervous smile) Really?
(Sharon nods as she laughs nervously)
Diane: When she told me she was planning to dress up as Miss Marple, I invited her to come to the bar and we came up with the letters idea.
Cliff: The tail bearer is as guilty the tale maker.
Diane: Are you angry?
Cliff: No, I'm grateful.
(Relieved, Diane and Sharon smile)
Sharon: I'm sorry I never came back to the bar. My mother got sick the day after we met and I had to go back to Ireland. I have been taking care of her for over ten years until her death and haven't had a chance to return until now.
Cliff: I'm sorry to hear about your mother...
Sharon: Thank you... And I'm sorry I scared you with the letters. I work in a library, and I took advantage of the fact that there were a lot of expurgated books that were useless because they had been attacked by bookworms or partially damaged by natural phenomena to make the letters. Although I obviously couldn't have done it without Diane's help. Of course, I don't think badly of any of you, nor does Diane, it's just that we had to respect the plot of the novel.
Cliff: (Happy and nervous) We have to make up for lost time. (He sits where he sat when he first met Sharon and she sits next to him) Sam, get us two drinks.
Sam: What will you have?
Sharon: I'll have a Blood Punch.
Cliff: And I'll have a Nightmare on Bourbon Street.
Norm: You disappoint me, Cliffie.
(Hearing Norm, Sam and Diane laugh and Cliff smiles)
Diane: I think I'm going to make myself a Spookie Latte, I'm starving.
Carla: How? At lunch you ate as if you were fatting up like a pig for the slaughterhouse.
Diane: (Looks at her annoyed) Leave me alone, I'm pregnant. I didn't say anything to you when you brought 20 inches long sandwiches.
Cliff: (Laughs, ignoring Carla and Diane's argument) That letter thing was really clever. I admit you two had us all completely fooled. Speaking of clever, did you know that you can form "Elite Brain" from "Albert Einstein"?
(Sharon starts to move her finger around visualizing the letters and, when she gets it, she laughs)
Sharon: That's right (laughs). I have a fact about Halloween, did you know that Houdini died 70 years ago today?
Cliff: (Laughs) Yes, yes I did.
Woody: (Surprised) He died on Halloween?
Cliff: He did. I have one that's not about Halloween, but it's really cute. Did you know that just like cats and dogs, squirrels stretch when they wake up in the morning?
Sharon: (Laughs) Yes, yes I do. I used to see a lot of them in Ireland. My parents had a house in the woods. Did you know that some Halloween rituals included finding a husband?
(Cliff, upon hearing that fact, opens his eyes wide in surprise)
Cliff: No, I didn't know that.
Sharon: Just like with the bouquet at weddings, it was said that the one who picked the apple first, would find a husband.
Carla: (Shoves an apple in Cliff's mouth, fed up with him) Eat one and shut up for a while, will ya?
Cliff: (Takes the apple out of his mouth and looks at Carla suspiciously) Is it poisoned?
Carla: You think I'm gonna risk going to jail, you egghead? Though I should have doused it in sleeping pills.
Cliff: (Startles as he remembers something) The bouquet! It was real!
(Elated, he stands up and hugs Sam and Diane, taking them by surprise)
Cliff: (To Diane, quietly) If I wasn't madly in love, I'd kiss you.
Diane: (Closes the package of decaf coffee in disgust and puts it back in its place) I think I've lost my appetite...
(...)
(Sam is behind the bar making a Dark Storm, Woody is next to him making a Dead Reviver, Carla is serving the customers by the hallway, Diane is at the bar drinking her Spookie Latte and Cliff and Sharon are still talking and laughing. At that moment, Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick walk into the bar and Sam is surprised)
Sam: Hey, you're Starship guys! I know you, from the movie Mannequin! What are you having?
Grace: (Looking at the blackboard) I'll have a Vampire Kisses, but with little alcohol.
Mickey: (Looking at the board) I'll have a Witch's Kiss, with little alcohol too.
Sam: Coming up.
Woody: (Gives the drinks to Carla and turns to Sam) I'll take care of the girl.
Cliff: (Walks over to them and whispers) Hey, would you guys mind singing something later? I just reunited with the woman who captured my heart at the Halloween party in '84 and who I hadn't seen again until just a couple of hours ago.
Mickey and Grace: (They look at each other and look back at Cliff) Sure.
Cliff: (Happy) Thanks!
Sam: (Serve them their drinks) It's on the house. (Leaves the bar and goes to the jukebox)
(As soon as Mickey and Grace finish their drinks, they grab the microphones Sam has given them and start singing. Cliff and Sharon stand up and start singing softly to each other as soon as the lyrics start)
Mickey and Cliff: Lookin' in your eyes / I see a paradise / This world that I've found is too good to be true / Standin' here beside you / Want so much to give you / This love in my heart that I'm feeling for you
Grace and Sharon: Let 'em say we're crazy / I don't care about that / Put your hand in my hand / Baby, don't ever look back / Let the world around us / Just fall apart
(As Grace says the line "Let the world around us just fall apart", Sam comes out from the bar and grabs Diane's hand to get her off the stool)
Grace, Sharon and Sam: Baby, we can make it / If we're heart to heart
(Sam puts his hands on Diane's belly alluding to the lives they are creating and they both start dancing)
Mickey, Grace and Sam: And we can build this dream together / Standing strong forever / Nothing's gonna stop us now
(Happy, Diane puts one hand on Sam's shoulders and grabs the other, and he puts his hand on Diane's back as they keep dancing)
Mickey, Grace and Diane: And if this world runs out of lovers / We'll still have each other / Nothing's gonna stop us / Nothing's gonna stop us now
Grace: Oh, whoa
Mickey and Cliff: I'm so glad I found you / I'm not gonna lose you
Mickey, Sam and Cliff: Whatever it takes / I will stay here with you / Take you to the good times / See you through the bad times / Whatever it takes / Is what I'm gonna do
Grace, Sharon and Diane: Let 'em say we're crazy / What do they know / Put your arms around me / Baby, don't ever let go / Let the world around us / Just fall apart
(As Grace sings the line "Let the world around us just fall apart", Kelly and Oakley enter Cheers and Oakley runs up to Woody. Very happy to see them, Woody jumps over the bar)
Grace, Sharon, Diane and Woody: Baby, we can make it / If we're heart to heart
(Happy, Woody takes his wife and son's hands and the three begin to dance. Norm, seeing his friends happy, smiles as he looks at them. Carla turns away so they will not see her and smiles too, secretly happy for them but longing to have the same for herself and wondering why Cliff got lucky and she did not)
Mickey, Grace, Cliff, Sharon, Sam, Diane and Woody: And we can build this dream together / Standing strong forever / Nothing's gonna stop us now / And if this world runs out of lovers / We'll still have each other / Nothing's gonna stop us / Nothing's gonna stop us now...
(...)
(At night, when everyone has left and the bar is dimly lit, Cliff and Sharon dance one last song by the door, like the last time they saw each other before she left for Europe)
Mickey and Cliff: Look at all the stars tonight, look at all the moonlight / Look at us we're all alone
Grace and Sharon: Oh and it's just like a dream, some romantic fantasy / Darling come and hold, hold me close
Mickey, Grace, Cliff and Sharon: We could be making love / And with the slightest touch / We could, set the night to music / We could set the night to music...