Nick (going to table, with champagne bottle and glasses) There he goes again.

Joe Miss Duval?

Kitty (sincerely, going over) That’s not my real name. That’s my stage name.

Joe I’ll call you by your stage name.

Nick (pouring) All right, sister, make up your mind. Are you going to have champagne with him, or not?

Joe Pour the lady some wine.

Nick OK, Professor. Why you come to this joint instead of one of the high-class dumps uptown is more than I can understand. Why don’t you have champagne at the St Francis? Why don’t you drink with a lady?

Kitty (furiously) Don’t you call me names – you dentist.

Joe Dentist?

Nick (amazed, loudly) What kind of cussing is that? (Pause. Looking at Kitty, then at Joe, bewildered.) This guy doesn’t belong here. The only reason I’ve got champagne is because he keeps ordering it all the time. (To Kitty.) Don’t think you’re the only one he drinks champagne with. He drinks with all of them. (Pause.) He’s crazy. Or something.

Joe (confidentially) Nick, I think you’re going to be all right in a couple of centuries.

Nick I’m sorry, I don’t understand your English.

Joe lifts his glass. Kitty slowly lifts hers, not quite sure of what’s going on.

Joe (sincerely) To the spirit, Kitty Duval.

Kitty (beginning to understand, and very grateful, looking at him) Thank you.

They drink.

Joe (calling) Nick.

Nick Yeah?

Joe Would you mind putting a nickel in the machine again? Number –

Nick Seven. I know. I know. I don’t mind at all, Your Highness, although, personally, I’m not a lover of music. (Going to the machine.) As a matter of fact I think Tchaikovsky was a dope.

Joe Tchaikovsky? Where’d you ever hear of Tchaikovsky?

Nick He was a dope.

Joe Yeah. Why?

Nick They talked about him on the radio one Sunday morning. He was a sucker. He let a woman drive him crazy.

Joe I see.

Nick I stood behind that bar listening to the goddamn stuff and cried like a baby. None but the lonely heart! He was a dope.

Joe What made you cry?

Nick What?

Joe (sternly) What made you cry, Nick?

Nick (angry with himself) I don’t know.

Joe I’ve been underestimating you, Nick. Play number seven.

Nick They get everybody worked up. They give everybody stuff they shouldn’t have.

He puts the nickel into the machine and the waltz begins again. He listens to the music. Then studies the Racing Form.

Kitty (to herself, dreaming) I like champagne, and everything that goes with it. Big houses with big porches, and big rooms with big windows, and big lawns, and big trees, and flowers growing everywhere, and big shepherd dogs sleeping in the shade.

Nick I’m going next door to Frankie’s to make a bet. I’ll be right back.

Joe Make one for me.

Nick (going to Joe) Who do you like?

Joe (giving him the money) Precious Time.

Nick Ten dollars? Across the board?