Daily Updates

From: maclatch <maclatch@unbsj.ca>
Subject: PC: Update, Wednesday, 11 March 1998
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 08:44:17 -0400

PC, Update, Wednesday, 11 March 1998

Let me just say, that as a biologist, I find this whole "Karen and Jake"
lab story totally unbelievable and it really boggles my mind that the
writers write this garbage.  It actually started with Lucy's antidote,
and has gone downhill from there.  If writers can handle something like
Stone and Robin's HIV/AIDS (GH), and Bianca's anorexia (AMC) stories so
well, how can they deal so badly with not only pharmaceutical research
but also spinal cord injuries?  Oh well, IOAS, but what a missed
opportunity.

**A day of 0% chances: for both Lark and Keith**

Grace, Mike and Matt discuss Matt's situation.  Mike offers to help Matt
lay low.  Grace wants to go with him.  Matt doesn't think this is a good
idea.  Grace asks if she'll be safe _not_ going, as the Mancusis saw
them together.

Bobby Mancusi is on the phone outside Mike's.  As soon as he gets a good
shot, this chapter will be just about closed.

Keith is in the lobby by the nurse's station.  He is looking at a
magazine with a runner on the cover.  He gets upset and throws it.
Karen walks by and picks it up.  She offers to take him back to his
room, but he's bored, which is why he's out here.  He can't go home
until rehab is over.  He tells Karen he was the only one in the car who
was hurt ÷ everyone else walked away.  He keeps thinking: what if I'd
taken another seat?  Karen tells him that "what ifs" will eat you alive
÷ as she knows from past experience.  Keith says his spinal cord is
severed and there's a 0% chance that he'll walk again.  Karen tells him
that there is exciting work going on in spinal cord injuries; there are
no guarantees, but there's hope.

Frank and Julie are in their kitchen discussing Lark dropping the
towel.  Julie says that Lark has a thing for him.  Frank thinks she is
just testing her boundaries.  It's just a crush.  Julie says this is
getting dangerous; it's not an ordinary crush, and if social services
thinks something is wrong, Frank could face charges.  Julie thinks that
Frank should get her out of the house tonight.  Frank is not ready to
give up on her.  Eve comes in from her shift.  Julie tells her about the
towel.  Eve tired, but she is going to do one thing for them before
going to bed.  Eve walks over and opens the basement door, where Lark is
lurking and eavesdropping.  Lark proclaims again that the towel was an
accident ÷ and that she doesn't like being talked about.  Eve lets her
know that no woman lets a man see her naked unless she wants it.  Eve
says she has made the same mistake ÷ but had the good sense to regret
it.   Lark challenges them to throw her out.

Karen and Jake are in the lab.  Their experiment is working out.  Ready
to move on to animal testing.  Karen doesn't want to do the experiment
on their cute little lab mice.  Joe enters ÷ he's heard about this new
pizza place and wants to try it out.  They talk about the mice.  Joe
suggests that Jake give his friend who runs an all-night vet place a
call ÷ see if he has any injured animals.  Karen thanks him for his
support of her work.

Mike and Grace are being moved to a warehouse via large crates.  Jerry,
a friend of Mike's, is going to act as Matt's decoy.  Grace gets in a
crate.  Matt is worried they will be sitting ducks in the crate.  Mike
replies that they are sitting ducks now.  Matt gets in the other crate.

Jake brings (from the vet's) two ferrets that fell from a third-storey
window.  One they are going to treat with their miracle drug, the other
with standard meds.  They need some minor surgery, and Joe volunteers.

Lark is packing "to split".  She thinks she has to because Frank is mad
at her.  Frank sits her down and says that he is not mad, rather
disappointed.  If anyone gets a hint that something is going on, she's
headed back to the group home.  Is that what she wants?  She says no.
Frank lays down the law.  He won't put up with any more attempts to ruin
his relationship with Julie, as Julie is very important to him.  Lark is
a great kid, but there is 0% chance that anything is going to happen
between them.  He leaves.  Julie comes down.  She tells Lark that she
doesn't care if she doesn't respect herself (Julie), or even Frank.
What she thinks Lark should give some thought to is respecting her own
self.

At the food warehouse, Mike opens Grace and Matt's crates to let them
out.  They go into the office.  Mike gives them money, an address of a
discrete boarding house, and the keys to a car out back ÷ all in case
they have to make a quick get-away.  Mike leaves and Matt tells Grace
that he knows that the people trying to kill him won't hesitate to kill
her as well.  He is going to call the federal marshals for help.  Grace
wonders why he is calling ÷ he is not in the witness protection program,
so why would they help?  Matt replies that the federal marshals can use
his help to get the person than killed two of their own.

At the lab, the ferret injected with the miracle drug not only is having
nerve regeneration, but muscle and blood vessel regeneration as well.
Joe thinks (as do I!) that their work is unbelievable.  The other ferret
doesn't look so good.

Eve and Lark are in the kitchen making fun of the Cleavers ÷ Julie and
Frank.  Eve tells her that she messed up, don't do it again.  End of
short sermon.  Eve leaves and goes to the desk, reaches under, and picks
up what looks like a baggie containing a few reefers.  Julie walks in
and says: that better not be what it looks like.

Matt calls Harris the marshal.  Tells him that there is a cop killer in
town.  He volunteers to act as bait.  He's at 128 Wharf St., 2nd floor.
Turns out Bobby Mancusi is listening in on the conversation.  Harris
says he is on his way, and gets ready to leave.  Bobby comes in and
kills him.  He jokes that he should have been a cop ÷ he always gets his
man.

Grace wants to call Mike.  Matt says no ÷ he wants to draw Bobby Mancusi
out into the open.