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From: rika1@mindspring.com (Rika) Subject: PC: Update, Tuesday, 10/28/97 Date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997 00:57:05 GMT X-Server-Date: 29 Oct 1997 00:58:21 GMT PORT CHARLES UPDATE Tuesday, October 28, 1997 It's the Frustrated Juror Update. I'm in my third week of jury service on a civil case, and somehow everything looks to me like it's related to litigation these days, so I couldn't help but see today's episode of PC that way. TODAY'S STORYLINES: ------------------- * Well, at Least They Don't Need a Jury Yet * To Be Sued or Not To Be Sued * A Criminal Case In the Making WELL, AT LEAST THEY DON'T NEED A JURY YET ----------------------------------------- Scott, Lucy, Kevin, Serena, and Gail are still at the police station, and now Karen has arrived as well. Scott brings Karen up to date on the storyline. Karen asks where Serena is, and Scott explains that a child welfare worker has her. Karen assures Scott that the child welfare workers know what they are doing and will take good care of Serena; he doesn't believe it. Outside, Gail is trying to convince the social worker that she and Lee can provide a good environment for Serena. Lucy storms over and asks why Serena (who is in the next room with Kevin) can't be permitted to see Scott. When next we see him, Scott is getting more and more upset about Serena, while Justus, Karen, and Kevin try to calm him down. The guardian will release Serena to Gail and Lucy's custody, Kevin assures him. Justus asks Scott to be patient, but Scott says he can't. (Your updater can relate to his impatience and frustration with the judicial process. Oh, can she ever.) He wants to know what evidence the FBI has. Kevin suggests that they get Mac involved, and Scott agrees, if somewhat uncharitably; Kevin leaves to call Mac. Scott blows up again, and Justus and Karen again try to calm him down. He again insists he can't calm down because he's too worried about Serena, but Karen tells him to do it for Serena's sake - it's the only way he is going to get out of there so he can find out who set him up. If he is violent and irrational in front of the judge, it will hurt his case. Meanwhile, Rex has finished telling Danielle the story of how he framed Scott. Scott walked right into his trap, but now he has something even nastier in store. He will argue that Scott presents a danger to Serena, so Rex and Danielle will file for custody of her. Mac, the same guy who was too busy in Felicia's Aztec doll storyline to even visit his best buddy in the hospital, has already made it down to the police station when we return. Scott tells him to focus on Rex Stanton; Kevin and Mac don't want to limit the investigation yet. (Hey, you don't suppose Rex has a weakness for large British women, do you? If so, Kevin and Mac will know JUST what to do.. A police officer comes in with handcuffs, preparing to take Scott to his arraignment. Scott is about to go ballistic, but Kevin advises him to save his energy to fight for Serena. Outside the courtroom, Serena is brought to Lucy and Gail. The social worker tells Gail that she and Lee have been given temporary custody of Serena, pending further evaluation. Lucy rants about the word "temporary, since Gail is the world's most wonderful grandmother (and as her FGC, your updater will certainly not disagree). Serena wants to know where Scott is, and Lucy tries to reassure her. Rex and Danielle arrive outside the courtroom. Rex rants about what a terrible father Scott is; Serena insists that Scott did not kidnap her. Lucy suggests that Gail take Serena home; after they leave, Lucy snarls at Rex. Scott arrives, accompanied by his entourage; when he sees Rex, he throws a fit and has to be restrained from attacking him. They all enter the courtroom, and the arraignment starts. (Oh, goody. I'm sitting in court all day, and then I get to do an update of a court scene in the evening. Sigh.....) The prosecutor asks that Scott be held without bail; Justus obviously argues the reverse. The judge then says he is ready to rule on the request for bail. This all takes about thirty seconds, which your updater can assure you is faster than ANYTHING happens in a courtroom. We are not told the judge's decision; I suppose we'll find out tomorrow. Back at home (so apparently the arraignment did end off-camera), Rex is schmoozing with a reporter from the Port Charles Herald. We learn that he called her to talk about Scott and Serena. He reminds the reporter of Scott's unsavory past, and frets about his poor, innocent great-niece. The reporter, who has an interest in child welfare stories, agrees to write something for the editorial page. TO BE SUED OR NOT TO BE SUED ---------------------------- Matt has finally gotten to have his say at the hospital board meeting. Apparently the board has been taken over by aliens, because the Q's aren't there (other than Alan), nor is Stefan, nor is Amanda Barrington. The aliens - er, board members - ask Matt why they should spend money and take risks to let him assist in the O.R. Matt discusses how he became interested in medicine and healing during his lengthy hospitalization and rehabilitation after his accident. This interest has only grown since he enrolled in medical school, and he is especially interested in surgery. "Objection, Your Honor - non-responsive to the question." -- oh, sorry, that's court-speak, not board-speak. But that's more or less what one of the board members says to Matt - they didn't ask about his interests, they asked about their costs and risks - of a malpractice suit if something went wrong, for example. (That's nothing more than an "if only." If legal action is their main concern, how about the near-certain discrimination suit they will face if they stand in Matt's way?) Matt has spoken to hospitals with disabled doctors, and their malpractice insurance rates aren't appreciably higher. What about mobility? Well, says Matt, surgeons are rarely required to rush across the O.R. How long can he stand with the chair lift? For hours. Also, he was an athlete before his accident - in fact, he still is. His upper body is very strong, and he's got excellent stamina and good hand/eye coordination, which means he has very steady hands. Ellen and Alan both smile as they listen to Matt's explanations. Ellen comes out of the boardroom to find Mike waiting. She tells Mike that they're waiting for a decision. Frank arrives, asking for news on Matt and also asking if anyone has seen Julie. A little later, Matt comes out of the boardroom and sees Ellen and Mike waiting. Matt isn't sure if he convinced them; he has to wait till tomorrow to find out. Alan Quartermaine comes out of the board room looking solemn. A FUTURE CRIMINAL CASE IN THE MAKING ------------------------------------ Julie is handcuffed to a pole in the basement of Cooper's house. Tragically, Cooper removes her gag and she tries to convince him to let her go. He is unimpressed with her suggestion, he figures this is all Julie's fault for recognizing him, and he is "very, very angry" with her. (Hey, he may be crazy, but at least he's in touch with his anger.) Cooper is angry because he was having fun sabotaging the interns, and Julie interrupted that. He got Karen. Then he got Chris, planting the files in his locker. "You did that?" Julie asks. (Duh. Your updater rolls her eyes in astonishment that Julie even needs to ask. Evidently doctors are not rocket scientists.) And Cooper was setting up Eve when Julie found him. Too bad, because he thinks Julie is nice - and pretty, too. But now she's a problem - and, after all, how do you solve a problem like Julie? Julie checks in with the brilliant suggestion, "Let me go?" "Get real!" advises Cooper, in unison with your updater. She keeps trying - everybody thinks he's dead, so he could just sneak away, yadda yadda yadda. And here he is, "stuck with the problem of Julie." Before your updater can yet again burst into song, Cooper leaves, and Julie cries to herself, "I WILL get out of here." Then she asks Frank to come get her. Perhaps in the interim she can simply remember her favorite things, and then she won't feel so bad. Julie looks around the room, trying to find a way to escape. She has just spotted a hammer on a table when Cooper brings her some food. She can't eat with her hands cuffed, she says; he tells her he'll feed her. She'd rather starve. Okay, then, Cooper says, I'll give you one free hand. He uncuffs her and drags her over to the bed; he cuffs one hand to the bedframe. Frank, back at home, knocks on the door to Julie's apartment and calls out to her. When there is no answer, he opens the door and calls down the stairs. He writes her a note, asking her to call when she gets home, and tapes it to her door. Back at Cooper's, Julie is eating, one wrist cuffed to the bed. Cooper wonders what to do with her. He should kill her, like the others, but it doesn't seem that she deserves it (and the others did?). He complains of a headache, and prepares to go upstairs for the night. He is about to cuff her other hand to the bed. She begs to be allowed to keep one free hand for itching and scratching and so on; while his back is turned, Julie manages to grab the hammer and push it under the bed. Cooper finally decides she isn't a threat with just one free hand. Famous last words. -------------- by Rika, Tuesday updater
