Lean On Me, Part 2
By: Katie
Lean On Me
Part 2
After catching Juan with another woman, Katie finds
solisce in Lenny Kosnowski's arms.
Katie: Or you won't see me there, seeing as I called in sick. And in a
couple hours and I'll be gone for good.
Squiggy, who just happened to be on the roof looking for moths, overheard the whole thing.
he was panicking...
Squiggy: This is not good, what do I do, I gotta tell someone..I'll tell Lenny.
He quietly goes back downstairs and to his and Len's apartment.
Squiggy: Lenny! Emergency!
Lenny: Aww..whatsamatta, you're moths in heat?
Squiggy: No, ya jerk, you're girlfriend's up on the roof.
Lenny: What're you talk about Squiggmann?
Squiggy: I ain't lyin, Katie's up on the roof?
Lenny: So?
Squiggy: So! is that all you gotta say to that? So?!
Lenny: Calm down Squig, she probably wanted some fresh air and a good view.
Squiggy: Oh really Len? Then why is she talking about being "Gone For Good"
Lenny: What! Why didn't you say something!
Squiggy: That's what I was trying to do!
Lenny: Damnit! Where's your brain Squig!
Squiggy: How should I know, I don't use it that much!
He leaves, slamming the door behind him. He gets to the roof. He's too late.
Lenny: Katie?! Where are you? She's not up here. She must have gone back down stairs.
He leaves the roof and goes back downstairs. In the hallway, he can see the shadow of a woman
carrying a backpack walking towards the stairs. Lenny moves in closer to see who it is.
Lenny: Hey! Where you goin?
Katie: Ahhh! Lenny Kosnowski, don't scare me like that!
Lenny: You had me pretty scared myself. What is all this talk about being
gone for good. I thought you were gonna...
Katie: What! Jump? What are you nuts?
Lenny: Well, Squiggy said...
Katie: Ugh! I should have known..
Lenny: Aww don't be mad at him. He was worried about you too.
Katie: ::bitterly:: That's so sweet, at least somebody gives a damn.
Oh what's the use, I'm outta here!
Lenny: Oh now wait a minute! C'mon, Let's not go doing anything stupid like running away.
Katie: It's the only thing I can think of.
Lenny: Ever try talking?
Katie: What good what it do. I have no boyfriend!
Lenny: Okay, this is not talking, this is yelling.
Katie: Damnit Len, I hate this..You might as well c'mon in.
She opens the door to the apartment, plops on the couch and cries.
Lenny: I hate seeing you like this.
Katie: Then leave.
Lenny: I don't wanna leave.
Katie: I hate this..I hate him...Why does it hurt so much!
Lenny: It just does...Believe me, I know how you feel.
He sits down next to her and puts his arm around her.
Katie: ::through tears:: I just wanna hurt him till he feels worse than I do.
Lenny: You don't think you did that yesterday? You were really wailing on him.
Katie: No, I only punched him in the nose, Carmine flattened him. I wanted to do that.
Lenny: Okay...but...
Katie: I wanted the satisfaction of liquifying him and them stupid notes...Ugh! He's been
doing those eversince I can remember..::mimicking Juan:: Dear Mr. Kotter, Please excuse Juan for being
a Sheephead..He inherits it from his father's side of the family, signed Epstein's Mother's Veterinarian.
Lenny: ::laughing::
Katie: It's not funny Len.
Lenny: Oh right...sorry I can't help it! It's funny.
Katie flops down on the couch and watches Lenny enjoy a good laugh at Juan's expense.
It's a notion that he has that she's finding it difficult not to enjoy herself, She turns her face away from
him so he can't see her smile or laugh for that matter. Len's not stupid, he knows she's laughing.
he could tell.
Katie: Okay, I think maybe i'm starting to feel better, but I wasn't laughing.
Lenny: Oh no, of course not. So, so you still wanna beat him to a crisp? As Squig
would put it.
Katie: I guess not, I mean, I got better things to do. I need to get out of this city though.
Lenny: Where do you wanna go?
Katie: Let's go to the shore. You and I, just for a couple of days.
Lenny: I really don't get this whole New Jersey thing.
Katie: I love it there, that's all. It's the shore, Atlantic City.
Lenny: Yeah but...It's Jersey.
Katie: Len, All of the state ain't Newark.
Lenny: Okay, look, i'll make you deal, You come back to Milwaukee with me for a month
and I'll go to Atlantic City with you the next month. How does that sound.
We can even make it a group trip if you want. We'll invite those two tall guys your friends with.
Whatstheirnames...
Katie: Vinnie and Freddie?
Lenny: Yeah that's it and that guy with the weird laugh.
Katie: You mean Horshack?
Lenny: Yeah, that's it...Horshack..jeez what a name.
Katie; Oh I don't want him coming with us.
Lenny: Why not? I don't think he and the twirp are friends anymore.
If it'll make you feel better, Carmine can have a little talk with him.
Katie: Don't bother, I only really like Freddie and Vinnie.
Lenny: ::sighs:: Okay...What a week huh?
Katie: You ain't kiddin Len, You know I'll be glad to get out of the city for awhile. I'm getting
a little burnt out.
Lenny: Well...then it's a good thing we're takin this trip. Hey, look i'm gonna get goin.
You gonna be okay till the girls get home? Cause well...I'll stay if you want.
Katie; Nah, I think i'm gonna be okay.
Lenny: You're sure now, You ain't gonna be going up to the roof are ya?
Okay cause that...
There's a knock on the door...
Katie: Who could that be.
Lenny: Only one way to find out.
Katie: ::screaming:: WHO IS IT!
Lenny: Oww my ear...
Katie: Oops, sorry.
voice O/S: Whatta ya yelling for, it's me Vinnie!
Katie: Oh..::unlocking door:: Well you didn't knock your knock.
Vinnie: ::opening door:: You really didn't give me a chance.
look, I'll make this short. Juan wanted me to...
Katie: Look before you say anything else. Just know that I never wanna
hear what he has to say again. That creep bastard hurt me and if he
EVER shows his face in my presence again..I'm going to hurt him soooo bad...his grandchildren and
his great grandchildren will feel it and close the door...This ain't Mayberry R.F.D.!
Vinnie: Alright! Boy, it's good to see you're not still upset.
Katie: I only get upset when you mention that crumb's name.
Lenny: Barbarino, can I talk to you for a sec, out in the hallway.
Vinnie: Yeah sure.
Lenny: (to Katie) Be right back, Vinnie wants to show me a dead rat in the hallway.
Katie: Yeah right.
They go out into the hallway and close the door behind them.
Vinnie: How long has she been violent?
Lenny: Since she saw Epstein..you know, kissing Kitty.
Vinnie: Don't mention that bimbo's name to me.
Lenny: Geez, sorry..anyway, forget them. Look I think all of us should
get out of the city. We'll pool our money together and go to Wisconsin.
Vinnie: What's in Wisconsin?
Lenny: Milwaukee, Kenosha and Madison.
Vinnie: Oh okay..I guess that'll be fun. Hey is Laverne gonna be there?
Lenny: Yeah sure.
Vinnie: Oh good..I mean yeah, that'll be nice.
While Lenny and Vinnie are out in the Hallway. Katie turns the shower on and sneaks
out the bedroom window and onto the fire escape.
Katie: I'll just try to be quiet and sneak down. I just wish the keys would stop clanging on
on the fire escape. They'll give me away.
Out in the hallway, Vinnie and Lenny finish talking about Juan and walk back inside the apartment.
Katie's on her way to the subway by now and just misses her friends as they come home from work.
Lenny: Katie? Where are you?
Vinnie: She's probably in the shower, Look I gotta get going, Freddie and I will
be over later to talk about the trip.
Lenny: Yeah, okay see you later.
Vinnie: Len? you okay? You're really out of it.
Lenny: Huh? naw, i'm fine. I'm going too. See ya later.
Vinnie: Bye
Both men go home after Lenny leaves a note saying that he'd be back later. Down on the street,
Ashley, Crystal, Melissa and Ashley ran into Carmine and asked him if he had seen Katie around.
Meanwhile, Katie is standing on the platform waiting for the train into Manhattan. Shifting from one
foot to the other, She's nervous about being noticed by her friends. She loved them, but, they
just didn't understand how bad she hurt. Going home to her parents, Stamford, seemed like a good idea.
she called them from the corner and said she'd be coming home on the next train. They were thrilled at the news.
She was glad she left a note for the girls explaining her absence.
Back in Brooklyn...
Ashley: Well, I have two notes here.
Crystal: Who's this one from?
Melissa: ::looks at the notes:: Okay, this one is from Lenny to Katie
and this one is from Katie to us.
Crystal: Read the one to us then.
Melissa: Okay. ::reads to herself::
Ashley: Out loud?
Melissa: I was practicing. :clears her throat: "Dear , Melissa, Ashley and Crystal:
Crystal: How come i'm always last?
Melissa: May I continue?
Crystal: Be my guest.
Melissa: Why should I! I live here.
Ashley: Ugh! give me the damn note..:snatches the note from Melissa: I'll read it, Ahem,
Dear All of You:
I'm leaving, Nobody seems to understand how much I'm hurting. Tell Lenny I love him.
See you all Someday.
Love,
Katie
Crystal: I feel terrible.
Melissa: Me too.
Crystal: Well i'm going to get Carmine. He'll be..What was that last sentence?!
Ashley: Tell Lenny I Love Him.
Crystal: Oh my god! Lenny Kosnowski?
Melissa: Why are you so surprised, It's only been obvious since April.
Katie's train pulled into the station. She got off and crossed Hope Street and walked up Clearview.
to her parents house, a renovated bungalow set up on two hills..She walked through the white picket
gate, up the walk and up the steps to the back door. She opened the door and walked in.
Katie: Mom?
Mrs. B: Katie, is that' you?
Katie: Who else would it be?
Mrs B: You do have a sister, remember her?
Katie: I'd like to forget.
Debbie: I heard that!
Katie: How come you're home, Why aren't you hanging out with those hoodlum friends of yours.
Debbie: Yeah well at least I don't have a friend named Squiggy..or Horshack.
Katie: Horshack is Epstein's friend and I don't want to talk about it.
Mrs. B: Well you're home now, you can just relax and forget all about that jerk.
Katie: Nobody called here for me did they?
Mrs. B: Why are you expecting calls?
Katie: I'm going to the beach tomorrow. Right now I wanna just go up to my room.
Debbie: It's my room now!
Katie: Huh huh, Guess again, guest room's free.
Debbie: That's not a guest room it's the laundry room with a bed in it.
Chris: It's your room now, cause you're not getting mine either.
Hey, when did you get home? Wanna go over to the basketball court?
Katie: Nah thanks, I'm too upset to..well okay, maybe one game.
Mrs. B: That was a quick decision.
Back in Brooklyn..Lenny and Squiggy's apt.
Squiggy: Oh that Jeckle..what a comedic genius.
Lenny: Oh yeah he's good. Heckle's no slouch either.
Squiggy: Those girls across the hall sure are loud today.
Lenny: Yeah, they're making it hard to hear our show.
Squiggy: So go on over and tell em to shut up.
Lenny: Why is it always me?
Squiggy: You're taller than me.
Lenny: ...and better looking.
Squiggy: Yeah...hey wait a minute...
Lenny gets up and walks across the hall. He just barges in like he did with
Laverne and Shirley.
Ashley: Don't you ever knock? Besides Katie's not here.
Crystal and Melissa: ASh!
Ashley: Ooops..:lowers her head in shame:
Lenny: What's going on? where's Katie?
Crystal: Lenny sit down and read this oh and this one is a private
one for you.
Lenny: Okay.
He sits down and reads the note, afterwards crumbling it up slowly.
Lenny: Damn...
Melissa: What?
Lenny: I should have stayed here. ::shaking his head:: That's what.
Crystal: We gotta find her.
Melissa: Len, go in the bedroom and read your note, maybe she said where she is.
Lenny: Okay, but I don't think I need to..:glances at note: I'll just be in there.
Ashley: Thought so.
Lenny goes into one of the bedrooms and reads the note:
Dear Lenny:
Thanks for trying to help me, but it's no use. I went home to Stamford and i'm heading out
from there, who knows where. I just need time to get my head together. I really really like you.
Katie.
Lenny: Wow, short note. C'mon in girls, it's nothing steamy. I'm gonna try to find her.
You better stay here in case she comes back on her own.
Ashley: You sure you don't want one of us to go with you?
Melissa: Uh..Ash..think about that for a second.
Ashley: huh?...OH...I get it.
Lenny: Ohhkay...Look tell the others what's going on, the trip will have to wait.
Melissa: What trip?
Lenny: I'll explain it later.
He runs out the door and out of the building, towards the subway.
Will he find Katie, or has she left for parts unknown. Find out in Part 3.
Part Three
Part One