Daily Updates

From: rika1@mindspring.com (Rika)
Subject: PC: Update, Thursday, 12/18/97
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 19:35:44 GMT
X-Server-Date: 19 Dec 1997 19:36:33 GMT

                       PORT CHARLES UPDATE
                     Thursday, Dec. 18, 1997

TODAY'S STORYLINES:
-------------------
* A Table for One
* The Day of Reckoning

A TABLE FOR ONE
---------------
Lucy wakes up in the morning and sleepily reaches across the bed for
Kevin - but he's not there.   As she becomes fully awake, she realizes
where she is:  in her room at the Port Charles Hotel.  She sits up,
frustrated and grumpy, and grabs the room service menu.  Then she
changes her mind - she needs to go to the restaurant alone and face
everyone.  But first she needs fortification.  She calls room service
to order herbal tea; in response to a question, she spits back in
annoyance, "Yes, service for one - I'm all by myself.  Alone."  She
slams down the phone and looks sadly at the other side of the bed.

Down in the restaurant, Rollins and Rex are having breakfast together.
Rex is reading a report from an operative, describing the view through
Kevin and Lucy's window during their staged break-up.  Rex inserts
editorial comments (when he reads that Lucy threw things, he remarks,
"I told you she was feisty"; when he reads that Kevin threw things
too, he remarks, "Bad form").  Rex tells Rollins that he doesn't buy
the break-up, but he is "starting to enjoy this little game they're
playing."

Lucy arrives in the restaurant, wearing a very tight, very short dark
green dress.  She is escorted to a table, and the waiter asks the
dreaded question:  "Just one, ma'am?"  She orders a surprisingly light
breakfast, given what we know about Lucy's appetite.  After the waiter
leaves, Rex approaches and asks, "Are you eating alone?"  (Lucy is
getting VERY tired of that question.)  Rex offers his sympathies for
the problems with her business that he's heard about.  He claims not
to wish to offend her; she retorts that his very presence offends her.
She asks the waiter to have her food delivered to her room, she signs
the check, and she leaves.  Rex looks at the check, smugly noting her
room number.  (By the way, a fruit plate costs $7.95 at the PC Grill.)

Scott visits Lucy in her room.  He remarks that she looks pretty good
for someone who "just broke up with the love of her life."  Lucy
explains that the plan seems to be working - at breakfast, Rex
couldn't keep his eyes off Lucy's legs.  Scott doesn't find that
surprising, given the outfit Lucy's wearing.  The dress is bait to
lure Rex in, Lucy explains.  Scott, of all people, begins to lecture
Lucy that this isn't a game, and Rex isn't just some shark on a
fishing line.  Rex is dangerous and unpredictable, and Lucy should be
careful not to get in trouble just because she's good at conning
people.  Lucy knows that, and she'll be careful.  Scott will have his
security people sweep the room daily for bugs.

There is a knock at the door.  Lucy answers while Scott hides.  It's a
huge bouquet of flowers.  Scott thinks it's a bad idea for Kevin to be
sending flowers, but Lucy checks the card and finds out the flowers
are from Rex.

Lucy reminds Scott that Rex may have the lobby staked out, so he
should be going soon.  Before Scott leaves, Lucy makes him admit that
she's good at game playing, but she promises that she's going to put
"Lucy the grifter" away as soon as this is over.  Scott thanks her for
what she's doing and leaves, after checking the hall to make sure no
one is there.  Then Lucy sits, looking at the flowers, and murmurs to
herself, "Okay, Mr. Rexy, make your next move."

THE DAY OF RECKONING
--------------------
At the hospital, Eve greets Kevin, remarking that he looks tired.  He
explains that he isn't used to sleeping without Lucy, so he spent the
night "working the remote control."  Eve worries that this plan might
harm Kevin and Lucy's relationship, but he assures her that it is only
an act.

Karen, Matt, Chris, and Jake get off the elevator together.  Chris
asks them if they need advice on facing the review board.  Karen
assures him that nobody could match his skills in sucking up.  Chris
smugly retorts that she shouldn't be spiteful just because he will get
the best evaluation, due to his superior skills.  Jake figures that
honor will go to Matt, but Matt isn't sure Boardman is ready to
overlook the wheelchair.  Chris reminds Matt that he saved Boardman's
life, and that might make Boardman go easy on him.  Matt doesn't think
that it will matter - or that it should.  Karen turns to Chris and
remarks, "That's called integrity, Chris."  She starts to spell the
word for him until Chris stops him; Jake snickers in the background.

Meanwhile, Joe and Julie are sharing their insecurities.  Joe figures
they have nothing to lose at this point, because the reviews are
already done.  Thus, nothing can be changed, and whatever happens,
happens.  When Ellen calls Joe's name, he gets that
deer-in-the-headlights look and goes into the room to face the firing
squad of Burgess, Boardman, and Devlin.  (Sounds like a law firm,
doesn't it?)

Joe's evaluation:
 Burgess -  good medical skills and patient interaction, but he
            needs to learn to control his temper
 Devlin -   good work in the OR; on the right track ("despite an
            early reputation for improvisation").
 Boardman - Joe's patient care is "adequate," but he has a short
            fuse and lacks respect for his superiors.  (Joe proves
            Boardman's point by trying to defend himself.)

Out in the lobby, Kevin and Karen are chatting.  She asks about his
first intern evaluation.  It was overseas, he replies, but just as
nerve-wracking.  Scott gets off the elevator, bringing Karen a daisy
to cheer her up on evaluation day (awwwww).  Scott and Kevin reassure
Karen that she's a good doctor; she wishes they were on the review
board.  Scott suggests that Kevin ask Lucy to "look in her crystal
ball" to see what's going to happen.  Kevin tells Scott to ask Lucy
himself, since Lucy has moved out.  Karen, stunned, is about to
express her concern, but Scott interrupts to continue the little play
the guys are putting on for her benefit.  Scott starts to give Kevin
patronizing advice about dealing with Lucy until Kevin angrily stops
him.  He tells Scott that part of the problem in his relationship with
Lucy is her relationship with Scott, so Scott should stay out of it.
Kevin strides off angrily, leaving a speechless Karen in his wake.

Julie's evaluation:
  Boardman - hesitant, tentative, lacking confidence in her judgment.
             Surgeons need to be bold and confident, not always
             looking to others for confirmation.
  Burgess  - concentration has been erratic; she cannot afford to
             bring her private life to work.
  Devlin   - starts by remarking that he is in an awkward position
             as her father, and then he *blasts* her.  Her focus on
             her work is "shaky at best."  When Frank came into the
             ER, her emotional state interfered with the trauma team's
             ability to do its job.  She could be an excellent doctor,
             but she needs to behave like one every day.

Eve, Karen, and Jake are outside the conference room obsessing,
griping about the process, and claiming not to be worried.  Ellen
calls Karen in for her evaluation.

Karen's evaluation:
  Devlin   - Karen is "willful and insubordinate" in the ER, which
             is unacceptable.  (He must figure she gets this from
             her dad.)
  Burgess  - Admires Karen's dedication and ease with patients.  A
             good diagnostician.  Conducts herself with assuredness
             and confidence, which is mistaken for willfulness by
             some people.  (This was a nice little snipe at
             Devlin.)
  Boardman - Excellent diagnostician; works hard on research and
             preparation.

Karen comes out in the hall and remarks that it went okay, "if you can
listen to people criticize you and not be able to smack them in the
head."  She explains that Devlin was the tough one; Eve figures that,
in that case, she (Eve, that is) is dead.

Julie and Joe, meanwhile, are telling Chris and Matt about their
evaluations.  Julie walks off, furious, telling them to "expect the
unexpected" from her father.

Jake's evaluation:
  Burgess  - Jake has had a difficult six months, but a doctor needs
             to push personal issues aside to care for patients.
             Jake is effective when he concentrates on his patients,
             but he doesn't seem to do that naturally.
  Boardman - ditto, suggesting that perhaps Jake should choose a
             branch of medicine not requiring patient interaction
  Devlin   - ditto.

Eve's evaluation:
  Boardman - Excellent diagnostic skills, patient care, research,
             and follow-ups.
  Burgess  - Consistently calm, direct, professional work.
  Devlin   - "Rarely have I seen an intern of such talent and poise."

Eve starts to make a speech, but Boardman stops her - "Leave before
someone changes their mind."  She comes out of the room beaming, and
brags to Chris and Matt about how well it went.

Matt's evaluation:
  Burgess  - Great dedication, outstanding patient skills and
             perservence.
  Boardman - Still getting used to having a "disabled surgeon" in the
             OR, but admires Matt's dedication and considers him an
             excellent doctor - and a "gifted and decisive surgeon."
  Devlin   - *If* Matt had anything to prove, he has proved it.

Ellen follows Matt out into the hall and congratulates him.  Matt
tells Chris how well it went, and then Chris (who is getting very
nervous) follows Ellen back into the conference room.

Chris's evaluation:
  Boardman - His performance "has been nothing short of perfect."
             A unique talent for surgery, and an excellent student.
             (I guess that fly tying paid off.)
  Burgess  - Conscientious doctor, but needs more of a team mentality.
  Devlin   - "A showboating manipulator who seems to take delight in
             capitalizing on other people's weaknesses."  He will
             never work on Devlin's team, and Devlin promises to share
             his opinion with others at the hospital, including Alan
             Quartermaine.

Boardman and Burgess exchange shocked glances during these remarks.
Chris listens in stony silence.  When Devlin is finished, Chris coldly
asks if he is allowed to respond.  Devlin smirks, "Give it your best
shot."  Chris, with cold eyes and a truly frightening smile on his
face, thanks the doctors for their input, "especially Dr. Devlin,"
remarking that their comments will only make him a better doctor.  He
leaves the room; when he gets outside, he makes a remark casting doubt
on the legitimacy of their birth, if you catch my drift.

Eve asks him how it went.  Chris coldly assures her that nobody will
cut him out of the Quartermaine fellowship.  He walks off; Eve watches
him go, concerned.

So it looks like Eve and Matt are the front-runners for the Q
residency - at least, until Chris does something about that.

--------------------
by Rika, Thursday updater