allen works with his friend and flatmate bud clark (preston foster), as a riveter, high up on the girders of a skyscraper under construction, getting paid $62.50 a week, "more than a college professor". bud is engaged to be married, and tries to set up a date for allen that night, but allen expresses some disinterest, as bud keeps setting john allen up with "firewagons", his term for fat girls. bud and john go out on the town after bud winning $38 on the horses. john sees that the girl that bud's girl has brought along for him to double date is the "firewagon" (june gittelson), so he splits off on his own, going to a taxi dance hall nearby, where he meets dancer shirley day (vivienne osborne). after dancing and talking to shirley for some time, he indicates that they should talk some more. "can't. gotta have a ticket". "well ok", allen dozily says. "get a handful so we can dance a "lot" together". in the five minutes allen is away buying tickets, shirley has gone off with another customer. that customer gropes her, and shirley day causes a scene, shouting at the customer. "he paid a dime and he thinks that entitles him to privileges". john allen wades in, punching the customer to the floor. tony, the dance hall owner (j. carrol naish), tells them both to get out, firing shirley day. allen then takes shirley for a milk shake.