Beyond Friends Episode Seven. "I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen"

Guest Star
Matt LeBlanc as Joey

"The Boys And Me"

Rachel had stopped to get a frozen yogurt at the stand outside therestaurant when she saw it. A flyer that was pinned to the giant blue bulletin board. She picked it off and read.
"Tossed Aside. Play by infamous off-off broadway writer at the Galeriam Theater. Showtimes Fri-Sat-Sun at eight o'clock." She ran down the list of actors and actresses. Mostly washed up soap wannabes and hasbeens. Then one name stood out, the lead actors name was very familiar to her. She looked up and smiled.
"I'll be god-darned!" She said as she tossed the rest of her now semi-melted frozen yogurt and ran home.

Rachel took the stairs two at time and ran into Chandler.
"Hey!" She said out of breath.
"Hey." Chandler said. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I'm done with work for today." Rachel said.
"I was just gonna get the mail." Chandler said. "You ran all the way home, is there something wrong?"
"Well...." Rachel said still huffing and puffing. She held up a finger and Chandler waited patiently.
"Take your time." Chandler said certain this was nothing more than her seeing the "Greatest suede pumps at payless and I need to borrow ten bucks, Chandy-dear."
"I'm okay now." Rachel said. "I guess I have nothing to say but look at this."
She brought a polaroid of the pumps? Thought Chandler who was surprisingly used to Rachels manner and talk by now. It took Monica two years to stop referring to Rachel as just another roommate. He took the bright yellow flyer.
"This is a flyer for a play." Chandler said looking at it.
"What did you expect? Another pair of loafers?" Rachel said rolling her eyes. "Puh-lease. That reminds me, I do have that hat to pick up at Neiman Marcus later."
Chandler nodded. He read the flyer. "Joseph Tribbiani?" He said looking back up. "I thought he was in a soap or something."
"Well Days of our restless children is in what they call hiatus. Sometimes they never make it back on the air and maybe Joey needed the money."
"Lovely stuff." He said handing the flyer back over. "But what does this have to do with me and you?"
"Well I was thinking since we have no life or visible sign of a date on next Saturday, I thought we would go see this and if possible meet Joey backstage."
"Oh I can't" Chandler said. "I have to organize my sock collection."
"You did that already!"
"Yeah but now I'm making different catergories, cotton, wool, dress socks....you know the drill." Chandler said heading down the stairs.
"But wouldn't this be a great opportunity to see a great friend, wonderful best friend, act in a play?" Rachel said running down and cutting him off.
"I dunno." Chandler said.
"Come on!" Rachel said. "It'll be fun!"
"Well...." Chandler said looking at her. She was giving him a pouty face.
"Pleasssseeeeee!" Rachel said. "If you go with me to the dumb play I will organize your room for you."
"Underwear too?" Chandler said cocking an eyebrow at her.
"Yea, whatever." Rachel said. "What do you say? Be a sport!"
"Okay, I'll call the theater as soon as I get my...our mail." Chandler said ducking under Rachels arm. He opened his box and found a violet envelope with a ribbon around it.
"Whats this?" Chandler said waving the envelope at Rachel.
"I dunno, I hate violet." Rachel said. "Open it! Maybe the landlord is giving us free rent for a month."
Chandler looked at Rachel. "Why would he do that?"
"I don't know! Everyone likes me, its only natural!" Rachel said as Chandler pulled the ribbon off the letter.
"Hmm." He looks inside the envelope. "These are two tickets for Joeys play."
Rachel took the small note inside. "From an old friend." She shook the note. "I bet its from Joey."
"How do you know?"
"He spelled friend wrong." She pointed out a word.
"Ah."
"We're still going, right?" Rachel asked taking the tickets.
"Yeah, yeah." Chandler said. "I haven't seen him since he moved and since Kathy dumped me for that Navy SEAL."
"You never said she dumped you for a Navy SEAL." Rachel said.
"I know, it just sounds just a little more pathetic that way." "All right." Rachel said as they made their way up the stairs.

Saturday Night Around seven-thirty

Rachel put on her nicest dress. She modeled it in the mirror. She didnt realize until she was brushing her hair that Chandler had been watching her the whole time.
"What?"
"It's almost time to go." Chandler said.
"Ok."
"Do you even know what this plays is about?" Chandler says while retieving the tickets from the kitchen table.
"I think its something neo-classical." Rachel pondered.
"What?"
"Three guys watching football."
"No wonder Joey was attracted to it."

A couple minutes later they arrived at the theater and watched the play. Joey had the lead role as someone named George, a man who hasn't been away from his tv for a week and was going for some couch potato world record.
"Very uh...different." Rachel observed as the play ended.
"Hmm." Chandler said.
"Well lets go meet Joey." Rachel said getting up from her seat.
"Do we have to?" Chandler whined.
"Why would you not want to see your best friend? You guys were so tight for years and years. Its frankly hard for me to believe that you guys have evolved into this."
"Well after Kathy, it pretty much dissolved after that."
"Oh, I don't believe that either." Racahel pulled Chandler along. He followed reluctantly.

They found Joey out back signing autographs for two devoted fans. He signed one playbook and gave it back to one of the fans.
"Thanks for coming guys." Joey said. "See you at the next performance."
"Joey!" Rachel called out. Joey turned his head and saw them. "Hey Rachel." He walked over and hugged Rachel, His eye caught Chandler."Chandler old buddy!" He said and hugged Chandler.
"Joey, youre really glad to see me?" Chandler looked at Joey quizzically. "I mean what about Kathy and all that..."
Joey hushed him."By gones are by gones. Thats history."
Chandler smiled. "Thats great."
"See, Chandler?" Rachel said. "Arent we glad Joey sent us these tickets?"
"Tickets?" Joey said. "I didn't send you tickets. In fact I didnt even know you two were living together. Are you two.." Joey raised an eyebrow.
"No, no, no." Chandler said.
"We gotta go." Rachel said as she thought she someone in the corner of her eye. She shook her head.
"Hey, we'll do something this weekend." Chandler said.
"You still watch Baywatch?" Joey asked.
"Yeah!" Chandler said as Joey highfived him. Joey hugged Rachel and left.

Later

Rachel snuck out to the living room and dialed a phone number. She waited for a couple of seconds before it was picked up.
"Joey here." Joey said.
"It's Rachel." She said. "Thanks for expressing those tickets over tonight."
"No problem, anything for an old friend." Joey said and hung up.