TEXT: Skyline: a heavy construction crane lifts a load above the skyscrapers. ACT ONE Scene One - Café Nervosa [SCENE_BREAK] Frasier is sitting at table reading the newspaper when Roz comes in. Roz: Hey, Frasier. Frasier: Oh hi, Roz. Roz: Oh, checking out the personal ads, huh? Frasier: Actually, I'm looking at the want ads. I'm trying to find a housekeeper. Now that Daphne is Niles's girlfriend, it doesn't feel right to ask her to pick up after me anymore, so- Roz: Mmm. Frasier: Awfully difficult finding someone, though. Roz: It's hard getting what you want these days, isn't it? Frasier: [a little wary] Indeed. Roz: But you can still find convenience and value, if you know where to look- Frasier: Dear God, what are you selling? Roz: [produces a sample book of] Wrapping paper! It's a fundraiser for Alice's school. Frasier: Well, at least it's a worthy cause. Roz: Yeah. Frasier: All right, let's have a look. [looks] Oh, that one's too garish... eh, don't like this one, either... ooh, I'm certainly not crazy about bunnies... Roz: Oh, give me that! [takes the book] You're getting five rolls of "Peace on Earth" and thanks for your support! She leaves. Niles comes in and goes to the counter. Niles: Machiatto... make it a doup-iato. Frasier: Niles! Niles please, whatever's wrong, the answer doesn't lie at the bottom of an espresso cup. He pulls Niles over to his table. They sit. Niles: It's Mel again. Frasier: Oh, lord. Still making you humiliate yourself at social functions while she plays the long-suffering wife? Niles: I'm afraid so. But she said a couple more
SUMMARY:
Frasier hires Ferguson, a classically trained and refined Englishman from a long line of butlers, to live in the Crane household. When hearing of Daphne and Niles' clandestine relationship, he expresses a belief that social class remains too strong a presence in such relationships, inevitably dooming them to failure. Frasier holds a pre-opera party, hoping to seal his place on the opera board. Niles arrives to go on a date with Daphne, but Mel has been invited to the party at the last minute. Daphne begins to fear that Niles will not risk his social standing for her, but he declares in front of the party guests that he does not love Mel.