Show Dance Little Lady I I IBy By Barbara Webb ebb CHAPTER PTER 28 Why Hal Phillips Jan said aid walking walk walk- walking ing inK across the studio hand outstretched out out- outstretched stretched to greet him Where inthe inthe in inthe the world did you come from rom Oh I been around How arc are you Jan Just JIlS fine Hal My its it's nice to see someone from the old unit uniL What arc you doing Nothing much How about you Same here Hal Ital Nothing Where have you been On the road again Naw Im I'm through h with thaL that Nomore Nomore No Nomore more road tours for me I been working working work work- ing at a club in Jersey Off OU and on I saw your show You did How did you like it I didn't think much of the show But you were good Thanks Hal Why didn't you comeback comeback come comeback back stage and see me And I didn't think you'd oud want tos to s see me mc I thou thought ht you were sore atme at atme me or something Why Vb no What made you think so Elita Ellla said something Oh Did she tell you OU about our talk Yeah That's why I thought maybe maybe maybe may may- be you were sore Elita doing now Jan asked with her people up in Con Con- On a farm Wants me to come Wouldn't I be a riot on a farm That's funny Me and the cows I dont don't know Hal You might like i it iL Not me Jan The only farm Idever Idever Id I'd Idever ever live on be bc one in the middle of Times Square There was v a pause Hal looked abut the studio Nice place here Still dancing Sure Here He indicated the studio Jan nodded her head in reply what I 1 came to see you about about Hal said What do you mean Doing anything now No I wont won't be In few n a days days days- the show is closing I mean have you got anything thIng insight insight in insight sight Jan shook her head Well I have I got something good goodIn insight In sight But I need a partner Oh Oh from JanI JanI Jan I OIl know that you turned me down before Hal went on but I thought maybe it would be bc different now I thought maybe you'd work with me What about it The They Discuss Job the job Hal Night club On Long Island Its It's a n new club opening in a couple of I weeks The Club Dorais They need needa a dance team that can also double in ina a couple of singles with the chorus I know the manager and hell he'll give me a br break ak if I can get a partner What do you think of it Sounds all right to me me Jap Jan an an- Yeah You mean you'll team up with me Perhaps Tell me more about it it Well its it's just about the same thing as that proposition I had in Chicago Not as much money Wed We'd only get Split it two ways Sev Sev- enty for me seventy five for you you I How many shows I Three Supper show about G. G Midnight Mid night show and the 3 a. a m. m The hours arent aren't so hot but jobs are scarce scarce these days You dont don't have to tell me that Jan said You get your carfare out and back and your meals Hal paused Will you take it Well Hal Id I'd like to think it over Im I'm pretty sure that I will though When do you have to know The sooner the better This guys guy's got the chorus lined up and wan wants I to get to work rehearsing as soon as he cap I told him Id I'd let him know tomorrow afternoon Can you let me know by then I I think so Where can I get in touch with you Im staying at the James hotel Give me a call there about noon All Allright Allright Allright I right You bet beU i I got to be going now Dont Don't for for- forget forget get to call me Say by the way couldn't you and me do that waltz that you and Barr did in the unit I told this guy about it and he thinks it would be good Sure we could rould do that Ill I'll call caU you tomorrow Okay Jan Good night Good night Hal Seventy five dollars a week S Seve Sev- five enty-five a week This kept running through Jans Jan's head More money than she had ever made before It seemed a fortune Too good to be true But it was true Yes it was Funny Hals Hal's turning up like that Just when she was faced with the thelong thelong long tiring task of trying to get a job Jan wondered how he had known where she lived Chorus Equity probably she thou thought ht What I will Francine sa say Ted will be furi fud I ous s. s I 1 dont don't care I need the money I Its It's a job A good job Ill I'll take ft it t. t Ill I'll talk to Francine about It first firs t though See what she thinks Sh She e knows a lot More than I do Maybe she wont won't want me to take it I dont don't care Jan knew knew that Francine would object object object ob ob- to her taking the job lob Knew it just justas as surely a as s anything Francine's ideas about the dance made her very antagonistic to anything like nightclub nightclub night night- club dancing That is is the kind Jan Jm would be doing Some of it was all allright allright right she said but mos most of it was was was' terrible Francine Has Her lIer Say Say When Francine returned from the the show with Bob Jan told her of the job J I 11 know how you feel cel darling Francine said I OIl know that you wan wana a job that job that you need the money B Bu Buthe Buthe the work Its It's awful You don dance You just stand in front of of's lot of drunks to show them your bod Lord knows that you wont won't be give many clothes to wear The the thc more they like it They'll 5 alv you Just as scanty a costume as th the think they can get away with I I know all that Francine Dont think Im I'm a moralist I Inot not Im I'm just pointing out one of th distasteful features about the j jo What I object to is the way it w w affect your dancing You'll get rf py after a while Careless Yo Yd dancing will get worse and wore That's what I care about I thin thi you can dance if it I hadn't hadn t Id I'd nev have argued so strongly with yo yoi against going home Id I'd much rathe you did nothing and lived with ni m than to do this this I would really s' s s. s Francine paused Jan didn't tak offense she knew Francine to well wel and nd wh when n Francine was on the SU sub of the dance she was waS apt to b be pretty vehement Money wasn't on ong one of the the- things thins g by which Francin Francine judged success as a dancer Francin Francine could ge get out of the poor way she ha had been living for three years in a rain mint we ute j If she wanted to She could g go back with Erskine any day But Francine Fran Fran- cine cane would rather go g s clothes a nice apartment apartment than than to do that Some day she might find the success in this new field of dancing dane ing tag she was working so hard in but again she might not But that thought never stopped her in her work The F Financial f Yardstick 1 i With Jan it was different She Sh measured any success partially the financial yardstick Not entirely so She couldn't have and still main twined her high ideals of dancing But Bu Jan simply could not reconcile he her herself heft r rS r'S self to devoting her life liCe as a dancer S She he knew that what Francine hal had with an uncertain future financially said was true She wouldn't be get get- I ting tang anywhere as a dancer Tk They ey didn't want dancing at the kind of off ot club Hal described They wouldn't have recognized good dancing if they saw it But they paid good money moneyS And that was what Jan wanted mor than anything else at present Bob had listened in silence during Francine's tirade Now he spoke the name of this place Jan Jaril The Club Dorais It Its It's a new place place Just opening Jt Did Phillips tell you the name of the man who's going to run it ft No uNo No Wh Why Bob I just wondered Ive I've got an idea that I know who it is and 1 if it its it's who I think the job may not be so EO 0 hot hots What do you mean Bob Francine Francine Fran Fran- cine asked Theres a certain mobster who's been trying to open a joint out on owl Long Island for some time now He's Hes either raided or forced to close up by another g gang every time he tries IL This may not nol be the same person person lIt If it is well Is-well well Id I'd advise strongly against rist Jans Jan's taking the job Ill I'll s see e can find lind out out t Good Lord LordI I Jan said You tW two J Jarc are arc surely putting me over the jum jumps First I hear that Ill I'll ruin myself as a dancer by taking the job then I hear hear that Ill I'll be mixed up with a lot of I gan gangsters n Oh I wouldn't let that excite excite- you I Bob said I may be wrong Anyway An Any way theres there's no particular d danger inger i Well just what would happen IJan Jan asked fj If they raided the place I probably be loaded into a a. patrol patro wagon just as you were dressed or or orIn I In costume and you'd oud probably spend a few uncomfortable hours in jail M That sounds attractive l Its no fun I can tell you I OIl was just joking Bob But I still think Ill I'll take it Anyway until you can find out anything more nile nice f Theres the phone Francine sa sad sahL Probably for you Jan Ill I'll in ais an answer saver She picked up the phone then motioned to Jan Just as 11 II thought for you Jan Think its it's t Ted d Hello Yes Ted Just talking Who do you think came cameto to see ee me tonight Hal Phillips Yes Funny isn't it Wants me to dance with him Yes some night club That's just what weve we've been talking about Ive I've been on the p pan D. D Bob and Francine Both giving ing ing me me the devil You'd better come down and join in inSure Sure well wait waiL Jan Somewhat Worried Jan turned back to Bob and Francine Fran- Fran cine chic Hes coming right down More grief Hell He'll be furious Might as aswell aswell well get get it over with though 3 Poor Jan Fran Francine ine s said d. d We dotry do dotry try to run you don dont don't t we J JOh Oh Ob I dont don't mind Id I'd be mad If I didn't know that you both and Ted too were just trying to help me Sot But aft after r all Im I'm not a baby Ive I've been in this game for some time now I ought to be able to look after myself If I cant can't by now I never will b bable beable be able to Then you really t think k yu you'll 11 take the job Jan ran Francine asked 4 fl Think so I may be sorry but Ill I'll take that chance chance chance- You tWo dont don't have to wait for o Ted if you dont don't want to Ill I'll go on home He 1 1 can come over over there Im checking out anyway B Bobs b said Ill let you know if I 1 hear anything J Jan went across the hall to her little apartment She was worried Ted was going to be a problem Of this this- she felt certain Couldn't be helped though J Just st how it would affect affect the relationship that in the last few weeks had grown groom n gro considerably Jan Jari didn't know Ted might go into one It of his boyish moods and become very angry Jan hoped he wouldn't wl In this hope sh she was disappointed in Ted wasted no time upon entering His first words were Youre not gt going go- go going in ing to take it are you Jan ft I think I am am Ted I need the thel money money But you ou know what Phillips its Ji Hes He's no good It n will rill be t terrible J JW Jan JanT W Worse than you can imagine What kind of a dump is it wI w L LI I dont don't know Ted Its It's a new place just opening wl Dont take it Jan Ted said His tone of voice was quite serious serious r Why I dont don't want you to t tIlls Ills Is Is that the only reason the most important one Are Ar you being fair Ted Maybe not I dont don't care whether t tI I am or not I dont don't want you dancing with Phillips A AIm Im afraid you'll have hwe to think of ofa oil oila f fa a better r reason LSon than that Ted l Ted red didn't answer He just looked look d dat at Jan then suddenly he g got t up jammed d on his ht het and nd was gone cone To be continued tomorrow |