Danny and Terry invite their old friend Mickey, now a firefighter, over for dinner and he and Gwen are instantly attracted to each other. Neither one will admit it, however, and they both go to elaborate lengths to prove their indiference while still running into each other. Danny has an idea for his new newspaper column, using overheard snatches of conversations to provide a colorful, intriguing pastiche. He soon decides, however, that the bar's patrons are the dullest people in the world, so he makes up cocktail napkins with conversation starters on them. His ploy works too well.

It loooks like Gwen's sacred ""no sex before the fifth date"" rule may cause some real trouble, because the spontaneous route may be the only way Mickey will be able to participate--before or after date no. 5. Guy decides to hold a literary competion to help nuture a Bohemian atmosphere at the bar, but the main result is a pair of competing, revealing memoirs written by Terry and Danny.