Norbert Leo Butz
Ruffhousin’ Mit Shuffhausen
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
I understand you are completely numb from the waist down, is that correct?
[FREDDY, spoken]
Yes, sir
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
No feeling whatsoever?
[FREDDY, spoken]
Mmhmm. That's right
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
I see. So...
This little piggy says-
[FREDDY, spoken]
Nothing
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
And this little piggy, the same?
[FREDDY, spoken]
Uh-huh
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
I suppose that it’s futile
To wiggle or doodle
Or jiggle this piggle?
Well, ain't that a shame
And this one?
[FREDDY, spoken]
Like wood
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
And this one?
(Freddy shakes his head.)
Zer gut
So, that's the entire contingent
We’ll have to try something a little more... stringent
(He pulls a pussy willow branch from a vase and whips it through
The air)
[CHRISTINE, spoken]
Stringent?
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
Trust me, Fraulein, I am a doctor
(sung)
When I was young and I was cute
And I was in the Institute
They banged it in us like a drum
The Corpus Hippocraticum
So just before you graduate
You raise your hand
And stand up straight
And everybody has to quoth
That zippy Hippy-cratic Oath
You swear to God to heal the sick
But do no damage - that's the trick
Even if you have to lop a leg
Or God forbid, an arm
If it's for the best, go crack a chest
Or slice 'em open like a wurst
But first:
Do no harm
(He wacks Freddy on the legs with the pussy willow)
Yodelayeeoo!
(spoken)
Nothing?
[FREDDY, spoken]
Nope
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
Hm
(sung)
A medical professional
Before he starts a session'll
Be sure to pause and clear his head
And think on what Old Hippo said-
A real mensch with lots of heart
Bestowed on us this noble art
And let me tell you that ain't easy
In three-hundred and eighty B.C
Defend the weak and mend the ill
Prescribe a pill then send a bill
For many years the system has
Been working like a charm
But you must recollect
With great respect
Hippocrates and what he versed:
First
Do no-
(WHACK!)
[FREDDY]
YOWWW-DELAYEEOO
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
That's lovely my boy
[CHRISTINE, spoken]
But Doctor, this seems so cruel
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
On the contrary, Fraulein, Sergeant Benson would be the happiest man on earth if he could feel any pain. Ja?
[FREDDY, spoken]
You bet!
[LAWRENCE]
Let's all yodel!
(They do.)
I said yodel!
(WHACK!)
The Corpus Hippocraticum
Like bats out of the attic come
Like popes out of the Vati-come
[CHRISTINE]
Like nylon sheets with static come
[LAWRENCE]
Like donkeys from the paddock come
[CHRISTINE]
Or fish sticks from the haddock come
[LAWRENCE]
Or you psychosomatic come to me
(He suddenly turns and exits. Freddy breathes a sigh of relief.)
[FREDDY, spoken]
Well, I guess that’s that
(Lawrence runs back in brandishing the pussy willow and gives him the biggest WHACK yet. Freddy whimpers.)
[LAWRENCE]
I look at him, the sorry face
I know I have to take this case
It’s who I am, it's what I do
If you were me, you’d have to too
If I were him or I were you
I'd look at me and like the view
For here I am and here we go
Hippocrates would wish it so
(spoken)
This man intrigues me, I will take Sergeant Benson on as my patient
[CHRISTINE, spoken]
Doctor, look! He's so happy he's crying! Do you really think you can have him walking again?
[LAWRENCE, spoken]
Walking?
I’ll have him running!
Jumping!
Shouting!
Shrieking!
Or my name isn't...
(Punctuating each word with a whack on Freddy's legs)
Dr!
Emil!
Shuffhausen!
The third!