[Scene: Central Perk, Rachel is introducing Phoebe, who is playing her guitar for the crowd.]

Rachel: Everybody? Shh, shhh. Uhhh... Central Perk is proud to present the music of Miss Phoebe Buffay.

(applause)

Phoebe: Thanks. Hi. Um, I want to start with a song thats about that moment when you suddenly realize what life is really all about. OK, here we go. (plays a chord, then the lights go out) OK, thank you very much.

[Scene: The ATM vestibule of a bank, Chandler is inside. The lights go out, and he realizes he is trapped inside.]

Chandler: Oh, great. This is just...

(Chandler sees that there is a gorgeous model inside the vestibule with him. He makes a gesture of quiet exuberance.)

Opening Credits

[Scene: Monica and Rachel's, Monica is on the phone with her mother. Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross are there.]

Rachel: Wow, this is so cool, you guys. The entire city is blacked out!

Monica: Mom says it's all of Manhattan, parts of Brooklyn and Queens, and they have no idea when it's coming back on.

Rachel: Wow, you guys, this is big.

Monica: (into phone) Pants and a sweater? Why, mom? Who am I gonna meet in a blackout? Power company guys? Eligible looters? Can we talk about this later? OK. 

Phoebe: Can I borrow the phone? I want to call my apartment and check on my grandma. 

Monica: Sure

Phoebe: Wait, (to Monica) What's my number? 

(Monica and Rachel look at Phoebe strangely.)

Phoebe: Well, I never call me.

[Scene: ATM vestibule, Jill Goodacre is on the cellular phone.]

Chandler: Oh my God, It’s her, it’s that Victoria's Secret model. Something... something Goodacre.

Jill:  Hi Mom, it's Jill.

Chandler: She's right, it's Jill. Jill Goodacre. Oh my God. I am trapped in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre!  Is it a vestibule? Maybe it's an atrium. Oh, yeah, that is the part to focus on, you idiot!

Jill:  Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just stuck at the bank, in an ATM vestibule.

Chandler: Jill says vestibule... I'm going with vestibule.

Jill:  I'm fine. No, I'm not alone... I don't know, some guy.

Chandler: Oh! Some guy. Some guy. 'Hey Jill, I saw you with some guy last night. Yes, he was some guy. 

(Chandler strides proudly across the vestibule and Jill stares at him.)

[Scene: Monica's apartment, Joey enters with a menorah, the candles lit.]

Joey: Hi everyone.

Ross: And officiating at tonight's blackout, is Rabbi Tribbiani.

Joey: Well, Chandler's old roommate was Jewish, and these are the only candles we have, so... Happy Hanukkah, everyone.

Phoebe: Eww, look. Ugly Naked Guy lit a bunch of candles.

(They all look at the window, grossed out, then flinch in pain.)

Rachel: That had to hurt!

[Scene: ATM vestibule.]

Chandler: Alright, alright, alright. It's been fourteen and a half minutes and you still have not said one word. Oh God, do something. Just make contact, smile!

(Chandler smiles at her, she smiles back sweetly.)

Chandler: There you go!

(He continues to smile like an idiot, and she looks frightened.)

Chandler: You're definitely scaring here.

Jill: Hello, oh, huh Mom. Mom. Mom… you’re tripping! Dexter’s a dog. Well, the blackout is scaring him. Would you pee in Dad’s shoes too if you didn’t know what is going on. All right, call me back.  Mothers.

Chandler: Yeah.  Attaboy! A word. That wasn’t so hard. Mothers. Yeah. Mothers. Yeah! Perfect. Don’t smile. 

Jill: (awkwardly) Would you like to call somebody?

Chandler: Yeah, about 300 guys I went to high school with. Yeah, thanks. 

[Scene: Monica and Rachel's, The phone rings; it's Chandler.]

Monica: Hello?

Chandler: Hey, it's me.

Monica: (to everyone) It's Chandler! (on phone) Are you OK?

Chandler: Yeah, I'm fine. (trying to cover up what he is saying) I'm trapped in an ATM vestibule wth Jill Gdcr.

Monica: What?

Chandler: I'm trapped... in an ATM vestibule... with Jill Gdcr!

Monica: I have no idea what you just said.

Chandler: Put Joey on the phone.

Joey: What's up man?

Chandler: I'm trapped... in an ATM vstbl... wth JLL GDCR.

Joey: Oh my God! He's trapped in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre!  Chandler, listen. (says something intentionally garbled)

Chandler: Yeah, like that thought never entered my mind.

[Scene: Monica and Rachel's, time has passed. The five are sitting around the coffee table talking.]

Rachel: Alright, somebody.

Monica: OK, I'll go. OK, senior year of college... on a pool table.

All: Whoooaa!

Ross: That's my sister.

Joey: OK... my weirdest place would have to be... the women's room on the second floor of the New York CIty public library.

Monica: Oh my God! What were you doing in a library?

Ross: Pheebs, what about you?

Phoebe: Oh... Milwaukee. It’s a really weird place. 

Rachel: Um... Ross?

Ross: Disneyland, 1989, 'It's a Small World After All.'

All: No way!

Ross: The ride broke down. So, Carol and I went behind a couple of those mechanical Dutch children... then they fixed the ride, and we were asked never to return to the Magic Kingdom. So, Let’s see, that leaves

Phoebe: Oh, Rachel.

Rachel: Oh come on, I already went.

Joey: No, no no.

Monica: You did not go!

Rachel: Yes, I did. 

All: Come on. Tell us. Come on.

Rachel: Oh, alright. The weirdest place would have to be... (sigh)... oh, the foot of the bed. 

Ross: Step back.

Joey: We have a winner!

[Time lapse, Ross and Rachel are talking, Joey is on the couch, and Monica and Phoebe are in the kitchen.]

Phoebe: Hey, you know.  This must be what the fridge look like with the door closed. Spooky. 

Monica: Anybody hungry? We got a Klondike….soup. 

Rachel: I just never had a relationship with that kind of passion, you know, where you have to have somebody right there, in the middle of a theme park.

Ross: Well, it was the only thing to do there that didn't have a line.

Rachel: There, well, see? Barry wouldn't even kiss me on a miniature golf course. 

Ross: Come on.

Rachel: No, he said we were holding up the people behind us.

Ross: (sarcastically) And you didn't marry him because...?

Rachel: I mean, do you think there are people who go through life never having that kind of...

Ross: Probably. But you know, I'll tell you something. Passion is way overrated. 

Rachel: Yeah right.

Ross: It is. Eventually, it kind of... burns out. But hopefully, what you're left with is trust, and security, and... well, in the case of my ex-wife, lesbianism. So, you know, for all of those people who miss out on that passion... thing, there's all that other good stuff.

Rachel: (sigh) OK.

Ross: But, um... I don't think that's going to be you.

Rachel: You don't.

Ross: Uh-uh. See, I see.... big passion in your future.

Rachel: Really?

Ross: Mmmm.

Rachel: You do?

Ross: I do.

Rachel: Oh Ross, you're so great. (she playfully rubs his head and gets up)

(Ross gets up, pleased with himself.)

Joey: It's never gonna happen.

Ross: (innocently) What?

Joey: You and Rachel.

Ross: (acts surprised) What? Why not?

Joey: Because you waited too long to make your move, and now you're in the friend zone. 

Ross: No, no, no. I'm not in the zone.

Joey: Ross, you're mayor of the zone.

Ross: I'm taking my time, alright? I'm laying the groundwork. Yeah. I mean, every day I get just a little bit closer to...

Joey: Priesthood! Look Ross, I'm telling you, she has no idea what you're thinking. 

Ross: Oh, yeah? She just ran her fingers through my hair. Were you missing that interaction? 

Joey: No, no, no, no, no. This is running fingers through your hair, okay? Now this is a tousle. Look, Ross. If you don't ask her out soon you're going to end up stuck in the zone forever.

Ross: I will, I will. I’m just. See, I'm waiting for the right moment. (Joey looks at him) What? What, now?

Joey: Yeeeeaaaahhh! What's messing you up? The wine? The candles? The moonlight? You've just gotta go up to her and say, ‘Look, Rachel, I think that...' (Rachel comes into the room behind them)

Ross: Shhhh!

Rachel: What are you shushing?

Ross: We're shushing... because... we're trying to hear something. Listen. (everyone is silent) Don't you hear that?

Rachel: Ahhhh!

Ross: See?

Rachel: Huh. (she agrees, but looks very confused)