Everyone ready to head to the malt shop?

Mike: Sure.

Peter: Sounds like fun!

*Micky drools.*

Davy: Watch it with the drool, mate!

(We open with Ursula following the traffic down Main Street, back to the building that houses Millie's store in 1973. The place is already fairly crowded.)

Mike: (Raises his eyebrows) Wow. We shouldn't have any problems finding information here.

Emma: Micky, same rules apply here as in Millie's. Don't clear the place out.

Micky: Sorry! I'll behave!

Lauren: I've heard THAT before.

Mike: Ok, gang, we need to get information on this "Cruiser" and the Wild Riders.

Peter: Why the Wild Riders?

Mike: Someone's gotta teach those asses a lesson, and I'll bet that "Cruiser" would be able to help.

(The group walks in to the sound of "Blueberry Hill" playing over the jukebox. It's the same set as Millie's place and the Chinese place before it, but now done in 50s trappings - chrome everywhere, narrow-legged tables, pastels, a shiny counter where a small young man with brown hair serves teenagers and college students milkshakes, a checkered floor. Mike gestures everyone to a table near the jukebox, where a few couples sort-of slow dance.)

Waitress: (She cracks gum and looks slightly bored) What'll it be, gang?

Mike: A shoehorn.

Waitress: Funny. To eat, smart mouth.

Emma: I'll have your largest hot fudge sundae.

Mike: I'll have a vanilla milkshake. (Looks at Emma) And you were fussin' about Mick!

Emma: Mick doesn't have a little Nesmith in him.

Peter: Um, I'll have a banana split. (Looks at Valerie) Want to share? They're usually big.

Valerie: That's a good idea, Peter. Banana split with two spoons.

Micky: I'll take the triple chocolate root beer float.

Lauren: *rolls her eyes* I'll have a chocolate milkshake.

Davy: A regulah root beer float for me.

Daphne: And I'll have strawberry milkshake.

Waitress: (Cracks her gum) Got it. (She heads off)

Mike: (Makes a face) I thought this was where the action is.

Emma: Everyone's probably on the street.

Micky: *drums his fingers on the table* Weeeell, maybe we could create a little action.

Mike: Mick, don't get us kicked out.

Valerie: We're looking for the Cruiser, not trouble.

Micky: No, no, just some fun, that's all! Maybe we could have a dance contest or something.

Davy: That's not a bad idea, mate.

Peter: We'd really get people hopping!

Valerie: And we'd be able to question more people.

Mike: I ain't participatin' in any dance contest!

Emma: (Sighs and looks at her stomach) And I can't.

Micky: See? I can have ideas that don't cause chaos.

Lauren: Oh please. I can't dance, but if we do couples, I'm game.

Valerie: Why don't we make it a couples dance contest? I'm not the world's best dancer, either.

Mike: Wouldn't you need to ask the guy in charge?

Micky: *looks around* I guess that would mean we have to FIND the guy in charge first.

*A short Asian man comes out of the swinging door from the kitchen area, wearing an apron. He carries a plate and basket of food. He puts the food down in front of a couple at a table. After he heads back for the kitchen, the couple swap the plates.*

Mike: (Indicates the Asian man, who has come back out to the counter) Maybe we could ask him. If he doesn't run the place, he might know who does.

Emma: Mick, this is your idea. You ask him.

Peter: (Smiles at Micky) We could ask him together.

Micky: *shrugs* Okay, Pete. Let’s go.

(The two head up to the older Asian man, who now serves milkshakes to a familiar group of teenage boys.)

Willie: (Grins) Hey, I know you guys! You're the folks from the deli!

Ronnie: How's your night so far?

Anthony: We haven't gotten any women yet!

Willie: But I got Peggy Sue Turner's phone number! :D

Peter: Hi, boys! We thought we'd do something a little fun.

Charlie: What kind of fun?

Peter: We're going to ask the owner if we could have a little dance contest! Maybe the winner could have free milkshakes!

Micky: Add a little more fun in here.

Charlie: Hey, we know the owner!

Micky: You do?

Willie: Yeah! (Yells) Hey Arnold, couple of guys wanna talk to you! They wanna hold a dance contest!

Anthony: (Makes a face) Why didn't you just grab an air raid siren and announce it to the entire San Fernando Valley?

Arnold: *comes out of the kitchen* What's this yelling for? I run a restaurant, not a cafeteria! :P

Peter: Sorry sir, he probably just got excited. Are you the owner?

Arnold: Yes, I'm Arnold.

Micky: That would explain the big A on top of the place.

Arnold: He smart boy.

*Micky grins.* :D

Peter: We thought we could have a dance contest for your customers tonight. That is, with your permission, sir.

Willie: That would be so cool!

Charlie: But we'd have to find girls first!

Anthony: Hey, there's women here! We could borrow them!

Arnold: You do what you want. You make mess, you clean it up! *heads for the kitchen*

Peter: (Looks at Micky) I guess it's ok.

Micky: Sounded like it to me.

Ronnie: (Shrugs and sips his milkshake) Don't mind Arnold. He's always like that.

Willie: Yeah, he's used to crazy ideas by now.

Peter: Hey Micky, you're good at getting people excited. Why don't you announce the dance contest?

Micky: *grins* You got it, Pete! *jumps up on the empty bandstand and attempts a two-finger whistle...all he does is spit* Man... *rolls his eyes, then yells* Can I have everyone's attention!?

(Everyone looks up, including more people who have just come in or are on their way in. Mike looks up as the waitress delivers their food.)

Micky: *grins; normal tone* Thank you. As a little treat for everyone tonight, we're gonna have a little couples dance competition! And the winner will get... *glances at Peter and the boys* well, you'll get something. So, who's up for it?

Anthony: (Gets up next to Micky) The winner will get a free meal, including milkshakes with two straws, from Arnold's! :D

(Cheers go out from the crowd as people pile onto the dance floor.)

Peter: Who's gonna be the judges?

Anthony: Do we have any volunteers to be judges?

Emma: (Raises her hand) I'll do it. I'm in no condition to be dancing myself, as much as I'd like to.

Mike: (Sighs) Oh, what the heck. I'll do it, too. I'm not into dancin'.

Anthony: Ok, then, someone's gonna have to select the first song.

Willie: (Looks at the others) And we need to find us some women.

Peter: (Looks at Micky) Who'll put the nickel in and pick the first song? Something slow or fast?

Micky: *produces a quarter* I'm picking a fast one! :D

Peter: (Takes his wife's hand) Come on, Valerie!

Valerie: (Nods) We'll question people between dances.

Willie: (As he finishes his milkshake) Hey, lookit them! (Indicates two pretty girls sitting at a table by a window) Hey ladies...

Anthony: I saw them first! (He quickly follows Willie over to the ladies' table)

Charlie: (Looks at Ronnie) That leaves us. That's not fair.

Ronnie: (Turns to a pretty girl with short brown hair in an oversized navy-blue sweater and plaid skirt) Hey, w...w...wanna dance?

Girl: (Blushes) Sure!

*Davy and Daphne join the growing crowd.*

Micky: And I have the perfect song! *goes to the jukebox and drops his nickel in; "Great Balls Of Fire" begins* Babe! *grabs Lauren's hand and pulls her onto the "dance floor"*

Mike: (Sighs) Man, now I almost wish I WAS dancin'! I'm a big fan of Jerry Lee Lewis!

Emma: (Puts her hand on Mike's) That's ok, honey. We'll keep an eye out for anyone who looks like our Cruiser instead.

(We launch into a dance romp to an energetic "Great Balls Of Fire" as almost the entirety of Arnold's, except for Mike and Emma, whirl and twirl around the dance floor.)

(Valerie and Peter chat with another couple, a tall young woman with an L on her purple sweater and two guys in leather jackets, one blond, one shorter, neither particularly helpful. The tall woman points to her friend in the navy sweater who dances with Ronnie.)

(Charlie dances - or tries to - with a very, very tall blond woman with a bouffant hair do.)

(Valerie questions the very tall blonde...or as well as she can, since the girl towers over her.)

(Mike points out various "Cruiser" possibilities to Emma, who shakes her head or nods.)

*Since Lauren has a tendency to get motion sickness, she spins Micky around, instead of the other way around.*

(Willie and Anthony dance on the counter with their girls.)

(We have couples dancing on tables, too. Valerie and Peter attempt to question them.)

*Davy and Daphne have a ball swinging each other all around the dance floor.*

(Cut to outside. A large dark blue car drives up to Ursula and nudges her a little. She nudges him back, and they almost seem to bounce up and down in time to the music.)

(A shy young man with light brown hair asks Mike and Emma if they've seen a blond woman in a Thunderbird. Mike shakes his head no and asks him if he knows anything about the Cruiser.)

(Emma and Mike stand as the song winds down.)

Mike: Ok, the winners are couple number 3, the chick...uh, babe with the L on the purple sweater and the guy in the red jacket!

(She jumps up and down happily; he cheers.)

Emma: You may come to the counter to claim your free meal and lovers' milkshake from Arnold.

Mike: We're gonna leave you with a little bit of music for lovin', since I see a lot of people around here who are good at that. (He slips a nickel in the machine, choosing "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.")

Emma: (Leans dreamily against Mike) Oooh, this is one of my favorite love songs.

Mike: (Smiles and kisses her cheek) I know, darlin'.

Charlie: (he and his tall girl join them) Hey, everyone! Meet Candy!

Candy: (Smiles) Hi!

Charlie: We're going up to Lover's Lane. Wanna come, too?

Ronnie: (As he joins them with his girl) Lots of action up there tonight!

Anthony: (Grins) Yeah. All kinds of action.

Mike: (Looks at the others) I dunno. Anyone want some action?

Emma: (Sighs) Sure. It's really too beautiful of a night to be hanging around a malt shop anyway.

Micky: Boy, is THAT a dumb question!

Lauren: *groans* Mick...

Peter: The view is beautiful at Lovers Lane!

Valerie: (Sighs) Yeah...

Mike: Ok, then, everyone head out! (They all charge out of Arnold's in a rush, leaving a muttering Arnold to clean up after what's left.)