Everyone ready to begin this year's Christmas stories?

Mike: (Shrugs) Sure.

Peter: Decorating downtown will be fun!

Micky: Ready!

Davy: I am.

(We open in downtown Malibu Beach a few days after Thanksgiving. Mike helps Micky carry out boxes of lights.)

Mike: How did you get the city of Malibu Beach to let you and your construction buddies do the lights downtown?

Micky: One word: cheap.

Mike: Oh. That explains everythin'.

Peter: (He and Davy carry the ladders) This is going to be so much fun! There's already two guys starting on the lights and wreaths down by Stainton's.

Micky: We keep our word.

Peter: Why don't we do the blocks around the candy store and the hardware store, and we can do around Millie's, too?

Mike: And when we're done. we'll have lunch at Millie's.

Peter: And Micky...stay out of Will's. If we're going to be having Millie's later, we don't need you eating his entire inventory.

Micky: I have a job to do. I can eat later.

Peter: Ok, then. Micky, you have the most experience with this. You can go up the ladder first. I'll hand you the lights. Mike and Davy can hang all the big candy canes.

Mike: (Hefts a big candy cane made of plastic) We'll hang these on the street lights.

Micky: *Salutes* Aye, aye, Sir! *Climbs the ladder*

Peter: (He follows Micky) I don't imagine this will be much different than decorating your house...only you might not blow out the city of Los Angeles' electrical grid this time.

Micky: Though it'd be a heck of a feat if I did!

Peter: (He holds the ladder steady as Micky skitters up it) Careful, Micky! If you fall off this latter and go splat, Lauren will never forgive me.

Micky: Trust me, Pete, I don't WANT to go splat.

Peter: Although it might make an interesting sound.

(Peter watches Mike and Davy as they hang candy canes, then watches Will mix fudge in a huge copper cauldron in his shop window. He's not, however, watching Micky or his ladder.)

(Micky leans over a little further to try to get the lights from hanging onto people.)

Peter: I'm so glad things seem to be going well. Hard to believe this very place where we're standing was under water two years ago.

Micky: It's a lot easier to work on dry land.

Peter: Yeah. I'm glad most places seem to have recovered so well. That flood was really terrible. It did so much damage.

Old Lady: (She leans over Peter) Excuse me, young man, can you direct me to Fourth and Main?

Peter: (Nods and smiles) Sure. It's right down there, two blocks. I'll take you there myself.

Old Lady: Thank you, young man. You're so kind. (Peter takes her arm...leaving Micky unattended.)

Micky: *Without turning* Pete? Peter? *turns to look for him, but the ladder is off balance & he grabs onto the awning right next to him* PETER!

Mike: (He walks past with plastic candy canes and huge wreaths under his arm; looks up) Hey, man. What's hangin'?

Micky: Me! :P

Mike: This is gonna sound dumb, but how did you get up there?

Micky: The ladder fell off balance & dumped me here. Where's Peter!?

Mike: I think I saw him with some old lady. Boy, is Val gonna be pissed. He dumped her for some chick old enough to be his great-grandmother.

Micky: GET ME DOWN!!

Mike: (Puts the wreath and the candy cane down) Here, just fall into my arms.

Micky: *Looks at the camera* Mama... *lets go*

(Mike catches him easily.)

Mike: Hi, Mick. Welcome to Terra Firma.

Micky: You enjoyed that too much.

Mike: Hey, if Errol Flynn can have fun with it, so can I. (Sets him down) Want me to go on the ladder and finish?

Micky: No, I'm fine. I just need someone to spot the ladder.

Mike: I'll do it until Pete remembers that he's supposed to be helpin' us and comes back. (Makes a face) Sometimes, he's just too much of a nice guy.

Micky: I'm perfectly willing to let him do that. I just wished he'd said something so I could've gotten off the ladder first.

Mike: You know him. He probably forgot.

(Mike holds the ladder as Micky shimmies up it again.)

Mike: How are the lights coming, anyway?

Micky: Great!

Mike: Davy's got a couple of guys workin' on the wreaths in front of City Hall now.

Micky: Good.

Mike: Want more lights?

Micky: I'm all set for now, thanks.

Mike: (Hands Micky up a big wreath) Here's the wreath for the center. Wanna put up the lit "Merry Christmas" sign with Davy after we finish here...if we can ever find Pete?

Micky: Sure!

Mike: (As Micky comes down) You put up the last candy cane. I'm gonna go find Pete. (As he turns around, he accidentally smacks Micky upside the head with the candy cane...then does it again when he turns the other way, looking for Peter. Micky ends up on the ground the second time.)

Micky: *Holds his head, groaning* Next year, these guys aren't helping.

Mike: (Drops the candy cane) Damn. I'm sorry, Mick. You ok?

Micky: Yeah.

(Peter suddenly comes running past the guys...completely naked. He streaks past them into the nearest shop.)

Micky: Tell me I was just seeing things.

Mike: (Raises an eyebrow) I wish. I know Pete's proud of his body, but he don't need to show off like that.

(There's a blue light behind the door of the shop. When it subsides, Peter walks out, dressed again...and blushing the same shade as his red sweater.)

Peter: Don't ask.

Mike: I didn't know you were takin' up streakin', buddy.

Peter: Michael, just...don't.

Mike: (Looks at Micky) If you didn't see anythin', man, I didn't see anythin'.

Micky: I didn't see a damn thing.

Peter: (Still blushing) Um, good.

(Mike picks up the remaining lights as Davy strolls over, tugging boxes of lights and a huge electric sign that says "Merry Christmas!")

Mike: Got the sign, Dave?

Mike: Let's get to City Hall and see if we can string up this sucker.

Micky: Gladly.

(The guys all walk over to the City Hall. Some other guys are pulling up candy canes and stringing lights.)

Mike: Micky, you wanna go up the ladder again? We're gonna need two guys on ladders this time.

Micky: Sure.

Peter: I'll take the other side. Davy, you hold onto me.

Mike: And everybody PAY ATTENTION! We don't want anyone else fallin' off the ladders.

Peter: Micky, I'm really sorry about that.

Micky: No harm done, Pete.

Mike: Ok, then. Dave, you help Pete. I'll help Mick again.

Davy: Right.

Peter: (Nods) Right. We'll pull it up when we get in the middle.

Mike: Yeah. It ain't that heavy, so gettin' it up there shouldn't be hard. It's makin' it stay up there that's gonna be the problem.

Peter: Maybe we could tie it to the buildings somehow.

Micky: *Climbs the ladder* Looks like there's some small hooks already up. I think we can use these.

Peter: (Nods) They must be there from last year. (He climbs the ladder as well)

Mike: (Holds Micky's ladder) The last guys who did this knew their stuff, then. Tell Dave n' me when you're ready for us to help get the sign up there.

Micky; *Checks a few of the hooks and nods* These look good. You ready, Pete?

Peter: Yeah, I'm ready. (Grins) I can't wait until nightfall to see how this looks!

Micky: Alright fellas, hand it up to us.

Mike: You got it. Ok, Dave, you take the other side. (Hefts one side)

Davy: Here, we go, mates. *hefts his side up and towards Peter*

(Mike does the same, pulling it up towards Micky.)

Peter: (Grabs the sign) I got it, Dave!

Micky: And I have my end!

Peter: Ok, Micky...oof! (He leans a little too hard against the ladder and almost loses the sign!)

Micky: Careful, Pete! You okay? Don't worry about the sign. I've got it.

Peter: (Nods) I think so. Just got the wind knocked out of me.

Mike: You sure you got it, Mick?

Micky: Yeah, I'm fine.

Mike: Don't drop that thing. If we break it, we might have to pay for it...and God only knows how much it costs.

Micky: *Grunts* I GOT it!

Mike: A little bit more to the left, Mick...

*Micky grumbles as he adjusts the sign.*

Peter: (Calling from the other side) Michael, we're big boys. We know what we're doing. (Looks down) How does my side look, Dave? Any adjusting?

Davy: It looks great, Peter.

Mike: You gotta go up a little more, Mick.

*Micky mutters, shifting his end again.*

Mike: Now it's crooked.

Micky: Mike...

Peter: (Frowns as Micky bobbles) Oh dear. Maybe I'd better adjust my side, too.

Davy: That looks good.

Peter: Thank you, Davy.

Mike: You gotta go up a little, Mick...

Micky: MIKE!

Mike: Just tryin' to help!

Micky: Well, stop helping!

Mike: Fine. (Huffs)

Peter: (Calls over) Are you ok, Micky? You look a little red.

Micky: *Finally lets the sign go; it stays put* That's because Mike kept me hanging onto this damn thing!

Mike: Micky, maybe you should get down. (Holds the ladder) I don't want you tippin' over, and you look like you're going to figure out how to run through a wall when there's no wall.

*Micky growls, but does go down the ladder.*

Mike: (As Peter gets down; he looks up) Still looks crooked to me.

*Micky shakes a fist.*

Peter: (He gets between Micky and Mike) Whoa! Mike, it looks fine. Stop picking on Micky. Mick, ignore him. You did a great job.

*Micky just grunts. Davy pulls him away.*

Peter: Why don't we set up the lights on City Hall? That'll make you feel better, Micky.

Micky: Fine. *Davy leads him off in that direction*

Peter: (Turns to Mike) Why don't we finish with the candy canes?

Mike: (Shrugs) Sure. (They head off in the opposite direction.)

(The camera pans upwards, revealing the morning sun coming up over City Hall. There's a dissolve...and the sun is now high above the roof of the building. Mike and Peter stroll down the street together, doing the MonkeeWalk and ignoring strange looks from the people they pass.)

Mike: (Grins) This is still kind of fun.

Peter: Always was.

Mike: (As they stop by City Hall) I hope Micky didn't over do it with the lights. They ain't tryin' to win a contest or anythin', just make City Hall look festive.

Peter: Michael, your definition of "festive" and Micky's definition of "festive" are two entirely different things.

Mike: No kiddin'. (They head up the steps to the front of City Hall) Where are those guys, anyway?

Peter: Maybe they went to get a cup of hot chocolate from the convenience store...

(That's when we hear screaming from above. Two brown blurs tumble into the bushes in front of City Hall.)

Mike: Shit. Guys!

Peter: Are you ok?

Davy: *Pops up first* Oh, bloody fantastic.

Mike: What were you two doin' up there?

Micky: *Pops up next* Hanging lights!

Mike: All the way up there?

Peter: How did you GET all the way up there? Climb out an office window?

Davy: Don't ask.

Peter: Have you finished yet?

Micky: We are now.

Mike: (As they help the guys to their feet) Well, how did you do?

Peter: (Tugs at several strings of lights around the window) Is it me, or does the entire front end of City Hall look like it's a wrapped gift?

Mike: Sure does to me.

Micky: *Shrugs* Looks fine to me.

Mike: Maybe if you took...

Micky: NO!

Peter: (Puts his hand over Mike's mouth) It looks fine, Micky. I think it's the best thing you ever did. Mayor Motley will be amazed. Maybe he'll even give you a special commendation.

(Mike mumbles under Peter's hand.)

Peter: Why don’ we go down to Millie's and see if we can get some lunch? I'll bet she has fresh bread baking in the oven right now.

Davy: That sounds like a good idea, Peter.

Mike: (When Peter finally takes his hand off of his mouth) Great. I'm starvin'. I could so go for one of Millie's cheesecake slices right now.

Peter: Let's get going.

(The guys all turn around, arm in arm, and head down the street to Millie's. As we fade out on City Hall and the huge sign hanging in the street, we see the sign pull off of a rope until it's hanging in the middle of the street by one thread...and the camera fades out.)