From: Vicky Korosei <vkorosei@SINCLAIR.EDU>

[Step #1 - Kill our beloved Frankie; Step #2 - Fade Cass into just a sexy 
memory? - I THINK NOT!! - SAVE CASS & FRANKIE! SAVE CASS & FRANKIE! SAVE 
CASS & FRANKIE!]


Here is the update for Another World for Friday, November 22, 1996:

* Josie urges John to get closer to Sharlene
* Jake gives Vicky an ultimatum
* Bobby tattles on Carl, Ryan tails Grant
* Look Out! Here comes the train! Here comes the train!


     HOSPITAL - Josie goes to visit Sharlene.  She hides her dismay that
the beautiful flowers are from Gun-boy, and assures Sharlene she's been
trying to be nice to him.  (She also doesn't mention that she and Gary are
investigating Grant on suspicion of hiring Mercer.) Shar is glad Josie
accepts that Grant saved both of their lives, they should be grateful. 
She tells Josie she thinks she had some feeling in her legs earlier, and
she's sure it won't be long before she's released and on the road to
recovery.  Josie's delighted.  Shar sends Josie out for another pillow,
while she thumbs contentedly through (Cass's?) photos of Greg from Josie's
non-wedding. 
     Meanwhile, Tom'as follows John into his office, asking about all
sorts of experimental treatments for paralysis he's been reading about
that might help Sharlene.  John assures him they're doing all they can for
Shar, Tom'as can help best by keeping her spirits up.  Josie bounces in
and tells them not to worry about Shar, she's starting to get feeling back
in her legs.  They look uncomfortable, and John explains that phantom
feeling is normal, but it's too soon for real sensation.  Encourage her,
keep her hopeful, says John, but keep it realistic. 
     In her room, Shar tries to will her legs to move, but no response. 
She slaps at the lifeless limbs, whimpering in frustration. 
     Josie isn't sure Sharlene is ready to accept her condition.  John
says she needs to face the truth, it won't be easy, but only then can she
start to fight back - like you did.  But my problem was psychological, not
physical, says Josie, and I had Gary; Mama's all alone - not to make you
feel guilty or anything [oh, why the heck not?!], but she needs YOU to
help her recover.  John isn't so sure Shar could trust him, or even accept
his friendship - and that's what she needs now. 
     Tom'as visits Shar in her room, and gives her his stack of articles
on her condition and the new treatment options.  He assures her she'll be
fine, they're all pulling for her, and Josie will stop by later to say
goodnight.  He kisses her cheek and exits.  Shar slides the articles onto
the floor with a hopeless sigh. 
     Later Josie comes in to see Shar, but she's asleep.  She kisses her
mom goodnight, promises to return tomorrow, and exits as John is entering. 
Shar is dreaming she's out in the courtyard shooting hoops w/ Gregory.  He
wants to continue, but she hears a phone ringing and insists she has to
answer it.  She starts tossing and turning in bed, mumbling about
answering the phone.  As she reaches for the phone and nearly falls out of
bed, John throws himself across her body to stop her.  She wakes to find
him lying on top of her, face to face.  She looks mortified. 


     TOWN SQUARE - Jake, dressed to kill and carrying 2 bouquets of roses,
runs into Bobby, and hints that he expects a big night with Vicky, maybe
Bobby should call first before he reports for work at Vicky's tomorrow
morning...  Bobby pushes past him, snarling that he has an appointment
[see below].  Jake grins. 


     VICKY'S HOUSE - Vicky and Etta Mae are helping Steven get ready for
his visit to the old train depot with Carl tonight.  Vicky admits to E-M
that she'd rather be going with them than have to face the evening she's
about to have (i.e., her meeting w/ Jake). 
     Outside, Grant brings Kirkland back from their visit.  Grant tells
him he expects to be able to spend a lot more time with him soon.  Kirk is
still miffed he's not invited on the outing w/ Steven and Grandpa Carl. 
He's not your Grandpa, Grant snaps, Michael and Spencer are, don't call
Carl "Grandpa" anymore - besides, I don't think we'll be seeing as much of
Carl in the future.  And why is that, asks Carl, appearing behind Grant to
his surprise.  "Grandpa Carl!" cries Kirk, running to give Carl a hug -
then he turns back to Grant guiltily - I mean, "Carl," he corrects
himself.  Grant gives Kirk a final hug and sends him into the house.  You
can't brainwash that one, says Carl, Vicky and I won't let you.  Vicky
won't have much say in it, smirks Grant.  You can't make everyone who
cares about Kirk disappear, says Carl.  Uh, I just mean that Kirk is
growing up fast, he'll soon be too busy to have time for "superfluous
people" in his life, Grant covers; besides, you tried to brainwash
Sharlene against me, but it failed!  God willing, Sharlene will recover,
physically AND mentally, Carl counters; don't think I'm as gullible as the
kids or your old buddy Gabe, you're no hero, *I KNOW* what you are! (Ryan
appears, backing up Carl with his own unheard commentary as Carl and Grant
argue.) Vicky hears the noise and comes out of the house to break it up,
telling Carl maybe he and Steven should cancel their adventure.  Carl
objects, and he and Vicky go inside to discuss it.  Ryan continues to dog
Grant - why are you smiling and checking your watch, what do you have
planned - you're going after Carl, aren't you??  Grant smirks and exits;
Ryan trails after him, vowing to be "the gum on your shoe" - you aren't
going anywhere without me tonight! [see below]
     Inside, things have calmed down, and the trip to the depot is back
on.  Carl says spending time with her kids makes him feel closer to Ryan,
especially since he'll never be a real grandfather.  Vicky assures him
they all consider him her kids' grandfather.  Carl gives Steven an
engineer's cap, and they exit, passing Jake in the doorway.  Jake presents
Vicky with flowers and candy, telling her she's more beautiful than the
roses.  I think there's been a misunderstanding, she tells him
uncomfortably.  He presses his suit, about how magical their kiss was for
him last night - sounds corny, but the earth actually moved...  She turns
away - are you saying you didn't feel the same? he asks.  You're trying to
make me hurt you, she protests, reminding him that she'd told him in
Lassiter that she wasn't ready yet for a serious relationship; maybe
sometime in the future...  He scoffs, they'd each planned a "future" with
other people, who aren't around anymore; we could be having the life we
want right now.  He insists that she tell him tonight if they can ever be
more than friends. 


     TOWN SQUARE - Ryan follows Grant to a secret meeting w/ "Igor" 
(William, Grant's maitre d'/lackey at the Harbor Club).  William
reluctantly agrees to help Grant's scheme by delivering a message to help
get Carl out of the way - it's better if you don't know too much about my
part, says Grant secretively.  [I think William may believe he's helping a
wronged father get more access to his beloved son...] Ryan darts around,
urging them to spill a few more details, guessing that Grant is plotting
to get rid of Carl and Vicky so he can get Kirk all to himself.  Grant
uses the pay phone to call Rachel's, hanging up when he hears her answer. 
Good, he sneers, the pigeons are in the coop - I'm going to enjoy this
evening.  Ryan shadows the whole thing, making snide comments (unseen and
unheard, of course). 


     CORY MANSION - As Rachel takes the fake call from Grant and hangs up,
we see that Bobby is there.  He's apparently tattling on Carl - first Carl
blew up at Grant, then he blew up at Matt over the "Grant is a hero"
headline in Matt's paper.  Carl's lost control, frets Bobby, he's
restrained himself because of his promise to you, but I'm more worried
about what Grant will do, if Carl pushes him too far; innocent people
could get hurt, he warns, specifically Vicky and the kids.  Rachel says
she's tried for months to get Carl to drop this destructive vendetta. 
Bobby understands Carl's need to see justice for Ryan's murder, but Rachel
can't condone Carl's taking the law into his own hands.  Bobby urges
Rachel to get Carl out of town on a vacation, a desert island or whatever
- if he's gone long enough, says Bobby, I just might be able to take care
of the problem.  What on earth are you talking about, demands Rachel,
baffled.  The doorbell interrupts them.  It's Grant's lackey - I think
your husband is about to do something terrible, he tells Rachel.  William
claims Carl called Grant at the Harbor Club, very angry, demanding to see
him immediately - then supposedly Grant dashed out, mentioning only an
abandoned train depot.  Bobby, alarmed, goes to the phone to call Vicky. 


     VICKY'S HOUSE - Vicky is torn by Jake's demand.  She says she sees
Jake as part of her future, her oldest, truest, best friend.  Jake reads
this as been able to be best man at her wedding to someone else, and it's
not enough for him.  She repeats that she's not ready for marriage, maybe
she never will be, and resents being put in this position:  say yes, and
she's in a marriage she's not sure she wants; say no, and she loses his
friendship.  I have to know if we can be more than friends, he insists,
search your soul, talk with your kids, just give me an answer - in 24
hours!  As she bristles over the forced deadline, the phone rings.  She
answers: it's Bobby.  He tells her he's just learned Grant is headed for
the depot.  Vicky, in a panic, grabs her coat and alerts Etta Mae to watch
Kirk, don't let Grant take him if he comes by.  She dashes out, followed
by Jake. 


     ABANDONED TRAIN DEPOT - Carl and Steven sit on a bench in the dark,
deserted train station, waiting for the train to pass.  Carl paints him a
romantic, exciting picture of the heyday of steam engines, when travel was
a great adventure.  Suddenly Grant appears in the doorway.  What are you
doing here, Carl growls gently.  Grant claims their meeting is a
coincidence.  Carl doesn't buy it - ignore him, he tells Steven.  That's
what mom says, answers Steven.  Grant makes a nasty crack about how
irresponsible Vicky is - you're mean and nasty, Steven tells him
[perceptively].  Just as I thought, sneers Mr. Paranoia, Vicky's
brainwashed him against me, and she intends to do the same with Kirkland -
yet, look who she entrusts Steven with, how ironic!  Carl tells Steven to
sit still while he takes Grant out on the platform to straighten him out
[fat chance], don't worry, we'll still watch the train pass together. 
Carl and Grant exit, and Steven dashes to the window to watch.  Carl
berates Grant for bad-mouthing Vicky in front of Steven.  Vicky's a loser,
Grant sneers, taunting him for his and Vicky's failure to turn Kirk
against him - read the papers, I'm a hero!  Kirk will learn the truth for
himself when he's old enough, Carl predicts.  As Grant continues to goad
Carl, Ryan begs Carl to walk away, let it go, he's not worth it.  Carl
continues to waver between anger and restraint, then says he's left Steven
alone long enough, and he and Ryan start back into the depot.  This is
about my brother, taunts Grant.  Carl and Ryan freeze at the doorway, then
turn back together to face Grant.  You lost your soul when you killed
Ryan, snarls Carl, you have no right to call him "brother."  Grant,
baiting Carl, claims that Ryan stole Vicky from him, stole Steven, would
have stolen Kirk if I hadn't accidentally killed him.  You are so *good*
at this, Ryan marvels at Grant (unheard).  That's a lie, Carl insists, you
know Ryan would never have interfered between you and Kirkland.  It
actually worked out rather well, Grant continues to goad, now I have Kirk,
my son - pity you lost yours, that you'll never have a grandson of your
own...  It's because of YOU, shouts Ryan.  I should have killed you long
ago, growls Carl.  Grant dares Carl to assault him, it'll give him a
perfect excuse to take Carl out, claiming self-defense.  Don't hurt my
grandpa! cries Steven from inside.  Carl starts away, then darts back and
clutches Grant by the lapel, raising his fist.  As they struggle, Ryan
again begs Carl to walk away, he's playing right into Grant's [slimy]
hands.  Steven cries out, then runs across the room to the opposite
window.  He spots a phone across the tracks, and climbs out through the
window to go call for help.  Ryan senses Steven is in trouble, and leaves
Carl and Grant on the platform while he goes to look for the boy.  Carl
struggles to control his fury, even as he has Grant by the throat.  I'm
glad I killed Ryan, chokes out Grant, I'm glad he's dead!  Carl gives him
a forehand wallop across the face, then a backhand, then gets him down on
the platform as if to throttle him to death.  Bobby and Rachel arrive on
the platform and pull them apart [pity]. 
     Meanwhile, Steven starts across the tracks to get to the phone, but
he trips on the first rail and his foot gets stuck.  Ryan arrives and
tries to help release him, but his spectral hands go right through the
track.  The lights start flashing and the gates come down as the oncoming
train appears.  Ryan shouts at Steven to get his damn boot out, but he's
still stuck.  As the train bears down on them, its whistle and headlamp
looming closer and closer, Ryan tries waving his arms at it to flag it
down.  FREEZE FRAME. 



Classic melodrama at its best!  Until next time,

Vicky (vkorosei@sinclair.edu)
mff1





