Norm was upset, and he'd been tying one on all night. He could still walk and talk, but he needed someone to direct his footsteps and an interpreter who could translate maudlin drunk.
Sammy was a lot better off. He might have had a few, but he was still upright, coherent and vaguely capable of thinking. The thought slowly crept into his mind that it was home time, and he'd better steer Norm in that direction.
Knowing that they would have a couple, both of them had walked to the pub. Now all they had to do was walk home. They headed off, with Sammy doing the steering, and actually made it to Norm's house without getting lost. OK, so they made a couple of wrong turns. They did get there, and that was the important thing.
Sammy lent on the bell until Nancy answered the door. She looked at the pair of them and sighed.
"Sammy, did you know that you were supposed to let go of the bell once you've pressed the button? You might like to let go now.
Seeing you're here, you can help me get Norm into bed."
The pair of them coaxed Norm through to the bedroom and encouraged him to lie down. Nancy slipped off his shoes and left him like that.
"I think that before you head home, you'd better have a cup of coffee. It might dilute the beer a little," Nancy told Sammy.
She headed off to the kitchen, with Sammy obediently following. Sitting down and watching Nancy as she bustled around fixing up the coffee, an idea slowly formed in Sammy's mind. Norm had a problem, and as his mate, Sammy had to try to help him work it out. He'd explain it to Nancy and see what she thought.
Nancy gave Sammy his coffee and sat down to drink her own. Sammy seemed to be struggling with the concept of thinking. Unfamiliar territory to him, Nancy thought. Every so often he'd look at her, turn to look towards where Norm lay sleeping in the bedroom, and then back to her, nodding sagely to himself.
Finishing his coffee, Sammy stood up, suddenly looking decisive. He'd apparently made up his mind about something. Finishing her own coffee, Nancy stood, intending to escort him to the door and see him on his way.
To her surprise, Sammy put his hands on her waist, lifted her, and sat her on the table. Then he started undoing his trousers.
"Sammy," Nancy sighed, "what do you think you're doing?"
"Told you," said Sammy. "Going to help Norm."
"No, Sammy," Nancy told him. "You've just been sitting there, slurping your coffee and saying nothing."
"Oh. Norm wants you pregnant, but can't seem to do it. I'm going to help him."
"And what makes you think Norm would want you to help him in this matter?" inquired Nancy in a gentle voice.
"Not going to tell him. Don't need to boast just because you're helping out a friend. It's what mates do."
Sammy stood there, trousers down, looking at his erection. Rather, looking at his total lack of an erection. He frowned.
"That's not right," he muttered. "Should be standing up."
"Sammy, you are too intoxicated right now to even lay a carpet, let alone a woman. Why don't you toddle on home and sleep it off. And pull up your trousers before you leave the house, if you don't mind."
Sammy looked down at himself again and then looked at Nancy, suspicious.
"It's the dressing gown," he announced. "I'd better take it off."
Sighing, Nancy let Sammy undo her dressing gown and push it off her shoulders, revealing her nightie and a very attractive figure pressing against the nightie in all the right places.
Smiling, Sammy looked down at himself again, and the smile changed to a frown.
"That aint right," he muttered. "Gotta be standin'."
"You're drunk, Sammy," came a sweet comment. "Go home now."
"Don't rush me," mutter Sammy. "I'm thinking."
Nancy sat patiently, waiting for Sammy to work it out. He did, but not the way she wanted.
"The nightie," Sammy announced. "It has to come off."
"Are you nuts," snapped Nancy. "I'm naked under this. I'm not taking it off."
"Gotta," said Sammy simply. "Can't get you pregnant while you're wearing it."
"You can't get me pregnant anyway," snapped Nancy. "You're too drunk to even get a stiff."