Dana opened the door, still wearing the heavy robe. "So what do I do now?"
Venkman grinned. "You get dressed and we go out. I've got a baby-sitter and everything. Trust me, you need it."
Dana was tempted. "You don't have to entertain me, you know."
"I know," Venkman said, trotting into the living room and returning with her suitcase. "I brought some of your clothes."
Dana smiled, took the small suitcase, and eased the bedroom door shut. "Wear something intriguing," Venk man said to the closed door.
He walked down a small corridor and opened his
closet, looking for his good suit. "Did you happen to see some shirts on the floor in here?" he called.
"I put them in your hamper," Dana said from the bedroom. "I thought they were dirty."
Venkman shook his head mournfully. "Next time ask me first, okay? I have more than two grades of laundry. There are lots of subtle levels between clean and dirty."
He walked into the misty bathroom and attacked the hamper, yanking out pieces of clothing. Shirts. Slacks. Socks. "Hmm," he muttered, "these aren't so bad yet. You just hang them up for a while and they're fine."
He smelled the armpit of one shirt, frowned, and, reaching into the medicine cabinet, sprayed it for a full minute with deodorant. He sniffed it a second time. Better. Definitely better.
Pouring a healthy splash of after-shave into each sock, Venkman smiled.
He was all set for a night on the town.
21
Janine sat in the reception area of the Ghostbusters' firehouse, working late. Above her, she heard noises coming from the lab area that she knew should have been deserted.
She wasn't alarmed. She realized it would be Louis. Poor Louis, she thought with a sigh. The closest he would ever come to a brainstorm was a slight drizzle. Still, there was something about him that appealed to her.
He meant well. Janine supposed what appealed to her about Louis was that he exuded the same type of personality as the pets she'd chosen as a child. While all the other kids picked pedigreed dogs, she'd always gone for the stray mutts. Dogs who were so goofy and out of whack that you didn't expect anything from them. If they gnawed the newspaper instead of carrying it into the house, who could blame them?
She covered her computer and made her way up toward the lab, a warm smile on her elfin face.
Inside the lab, Louis was dressed in a Ghostbusters jumpsuit. It fit him like oversize feety pajamas. He had a proton pack strapped onto his back, but the straps were so loose that the pack banged into his rear end when ever he moved.
"Okay, Stinky," he muttered. "This is it. Showdown time. You and me, pal. You think you're smarter than I am? We'll see about that!"
He faced the ceiling and squeaked. "Oh, hello, Pizza Man! Oh, two larges! I ordered only one. Pepperoni and pineapple, my absolute favorite. I guess I'll have to eat these both by myself."
The green ghost Slimer poked his head down through the ceiling and scanned the room for the grub.
"Okay, let's boogie," Louis whispered.
Louis whirled around and fired a proton stream at Slimer just as Janine entered the room. Slimer retreated easily. Janine gulped and ducked as a ragged bolt of energy streaked across the lab and seared the wall behind her.
Louis stood there, trembling. "Ohmigod!" he shouted. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It was an accident."
He flip-flopped across the lab to Janine. The receptionist slowly straightened up. "What are you doing up here?" she asked him.
Louis began to sweat. "I was trying to get that smelly green ghost. The guys asked me to help out. I'm like the fifth Ghostbuster."
Janine smiled at him sweetly. "Why would you want to be a Ghostbuster if you're already an accountant?"
Louis thought hard. "Oh, no. It's not like that. It's just if one of the guys calls in sick or gets hurt."
Louis quickly slipped off the proton pack. The pack slid to the floor, nearly toppling Louis onto his back.
"So," Janine said, "have you made any plans for New Year's Eve?"
Louis shrugged. "No. I celebrate at the beginning of
my corporate tax year, which is March first. That way I beat the crowds."
Janine was impressed. "That's very practical. I hate going out on New Year's Eve too."
Louis and Janine exchanged smiles. Suddenly Louis felt awkward. There was a warmth welling up within him. He was either very attracted to Janine, or else he was experiencing the aftershocks of a Thai food lunch Venkman had talked him into.
"Well," Janine said, turning, "good night, Louis."
Louis stumbled forward, his mouth getting the best of his brain. "Janine, do you feel like maybe getting something to eat on the way home? Have you ever been to Tad's? It's a pretty good deal. You get a steak, baked potato, a roll, and a salad with your choice of dressing for $5.29. You can't beat that!"
Janine faced Louis, bestowing upon him a wide, adoring smile. "I'd like to, Louis, but I told Dr. Venkman I'd baby-sit for his friend."
Louis's face fell instantly. "Oh," he murmured. "Maybe some other time, then."
"Do you want to baby-sit with me?" Janine offered.
Louis brightened. "Oh, sure!" he exclaimed. "That sounds great"
Louis trotted up to Janine, and the twosome left the firehouse together.
Downtown, Venkman sat waiting for the baby-sitter in the center of his living room. His recently sprayed suit and socks ensemble looked mighty fine, even if he did have to say so himself.
His front doorbell rang.
He leapt out of the couch and trotted to the door, expecting to welcome Janine.
Instead he gazed upon Stantz, Spengler, and Win ston. They stood in the hallway wearing over-the-hip
rubberized wading boots, firemen's slickers, and miners' helmets. They each carried several sensing devices, meters, collection jars, and photographic equipment. If Venkman didn't know better, he would have sworn they were heading out on a major National Geographic spelunkers' expedition.
Venkman motioned them in. "Don't tell me, let me guess. All-you-can-eat barbecued rib night at the Sizzler?"
"Better!" Stantz beamed. "We're going down into the sewer system to see if we can trace the source of that psycho-reactive slime flow. We thought you might want to come along!"
Venkman snapped his fingers theatrically. "Darn it! I wish I'd have known you were going. I'm stuck with these silly dinner reservations."
Spengler ignored him. "You know, animals and lower life forms often anticipate major disasters. Given the new magnetheric readings, we could see a tremen dous breeding surge in the cockroach population."
"Roach breeding?" Venkman replied. "Gosh! This is sounding better and better!"
Venkman called through the closed bedroom door. "Dana? The boys are going down under the sewers tonight to look for slime. Egon thinks there might even be some kind of big roach-breeding surge. Should we forget about dinner and go with them instead?"
Dana emerged from the bedroom looking gorgeous in a long, slinky evening gown, her auburn hair cascad ing down onto her shoulders.