From: kristyp@dartmouth.edu (Kristy Patterson)

(A copy of this message has also been posted to the following newsgroups:
rec.arts.tv.soaps.abc)

It's Valentine's Day in the City:


LONELY HEARTS FIND EACH OTHER... AWWWW
======================================
Tony and Ally are sitting on the stairs, looking in the paper for a movie to
see.  They can't find anything to do - no movies, no sporting events, no
restaurants - that won't remind them of either Casey or Steffi.  They comment
that they have enough money in the pasta box to do something really cool, but
their little pact is getting expensive.  Tony finally asks Ally if their "date"
is going to be the two of them, or a double-date with Steffi and Casey?  Ally
doesn't think that's a good idea, and tells Tony about Alex's advice to start
living again.  He apparently gave the same speech to Tony, and they agree
(again) to move on.  Tony realizes that, since Danny and Molly are on a date,
they have his place to themselves.  They decide to rent some movies, get some
beer, and hang out.  They joke about what they could rent that wouldn't remind
them of...

Later, they're watching a movie that sounds like a western, and Tony's zoning
out, thinking about Steffi and the baby and everything.  He talks about his
brother trying to get him to move back to Brooklyn and be closer to the family,
and he was tempted, but he feels like his home is at the loft now, even if he
is miserable.  Ally's glad (that he feels at home with them, not that he's
miserable), and gives him a toy (of the paddle/ball-on-string variety); seems
he always liked playing with them, but it drove Steffi crazy.  Now he can
paddle to his heart's content.  Tony proposes a toast: "to Valentine's Day,
may it be stricken from the calendar forever."  They toast.


IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF SECRETS, LEARN TO DISGUISE YOUR REACTIONS BETTER
or
IF THIS ISN'T A MOLESTATION PLOT, I DON'T KNOW MY SOAPS
=====================================================================
Jocelyn is lighting candles on the table, getting all ready for her romantic
dinner with Alex.  In her head, she remembers Tony's veiled warning that Alex
is his best friend, and they look out for each other.  She's nervous.  The
doorbell rings; it's Alex, bearing flowers.  They comment on how great the
other one looks, and that they have the place to themselves since all the
roomies are out.  They board the train to smooch city, and get comfy with some
wine.  This is what they needed, Jocelyn says, commenting that it often feels
like a college dorm around there.  Alex is concerned about how distracted she's
been lately.  Jocelyn blames work, and maintains that it has nothing to do
with Alex; he probably doesn't know how much he means to her.  Alex wants a
demonstration.  Smooch, smooch... they decide to let dinner burn.  The phone
rings; it's Jocelyn's father, calling to wish his "special little girl" a
Happy Valentine's Day (my soap instincts must be off, because I was banking on
Malcolm).  Anyway, this triggers a black & white flashback for Jocelyn, of her
as a little girl, with her daddy stroking her face and calling her his "special
little girl."  The little girl in the flashback looks sad... Jocelyn starts to
freak, and gets up to turn down the machine, then wanders over to check on
dinner.  Alex wants to know what just happened; her mood turned 180 degrees.
Jocelyn's upset, and says there's something he doesn't know about her... but
then tries to change the subject.  Alex insists she tell him what's wrong
between her and her father.  Jocelyn insists it's not her father, he loves her.
Alex didn't say he didn't.  Jocelyn blames herself, but she can't tell him
why.  (Was anyone else screaming at the TV for her to just TELL HIM, it can't
be any worse than this?  Or was it just me?)  Alex says she can tell him
anything; neither of them is perfect.  Jocelyn says she can't even explain it
to herself.  This whole thing is a mistake, she says, this trying to pretend.
Pretend? asks Alex, do you want me to leave?  He goes, commenting that he's
a good listener if she ever decides to talk to him.  Jocelyn wanders around
the apartment, touching the flowers, then plays the machine message over and
over; she sinks to the floor sobbing...


(Updaters note: never write "J&A" in your update notes on a day when Jocelyn
and Alex, and Jacob and Angie are both on, or your update will make very little
sense.  Anyway...)


BOOHOO, I'M THE WORLD'S WORST MOM (AND THE WORLD'S MOST MISERABLE FIANCEE)
==========================================================================
Angie comes down from putting Kayla to bed.  Angie is worried about Frank's
trouble with the police.  Jacob looks on the bright side; at least Frank didn't
get arrested, no thanks to James' spouting off.  Angie's thankful to Melanie;
if not for her, Frank would be in jail.  Jacob says that Frank has been acting
immature and hotheaded lately.  Angie blames herself (what else is new).  Jacob
tells her she's too hard on herself.  Angie thinks she was deluding herself
thinking she could have a career, a relationship, and well-adjusted kids.  She
was never there for Frank, and that's why he got into trouble in San Francisco;
she was too busy with her career.  Jacob reminds her that Frank's a grownup 
now.  Angie thinks she raised him wrong.  Jacob blames James, and his radical
ideas.  Angie comments that she agrees with James about some of those things.
So does Jacob, but she shouldn't feel guilty for giving Frank his freedom.
Angie claims he wouldn't make so many mistakes if she hadn't tried to shelter
him.  She sees herself making the same mistake with Kayla; the social worker
wants Kayla to see more of the Hansens (who are serious about adopting her),
and Angie is too scared to tell her, and feels guilty that she hasn't.  Jacob
reassures her that she helped Kayla when she needed it.  Angie says she's
selfish; it's about her needs, not Kayla's.  Taking care of Kayla keeps Angie
from thinking too much, and makes New York City seem more like home.  But
Kayla needs love and time, and with the clinic and Jacob, Angie doesn't have
enough of that to spare,  She says that maybe it's time for Kayla to go...
which, in a masterful stroke of SOT (soap opera timing), Kayla has come down
in time to overhear...

Kayla can't sleep, so Angie offers her some milk.  Angie talks to her about the
social worker wanting Kayla to start spending weekends at the Hansens' farm.
Kayla already knew; the social worker told her, but Kayla was afraid to hurt
Angie's feelings.  Angie reassures Kayla that she wants her to do whatever will
make her happy; that will make Angie happy.  Kayla says the Hansens are nice.
Jacob brings milk and cookies.  Angie sends Kayla back to bed with the plate
(possibly assuming that crumbs in the bed will make her sleep better), and
says she'll be up soon.  Kayla tells Angie she loves her, and goes.  Jacob says
a "real" mom couldn't have done any better.  Jacob proclaims that all of them -
Kayla, Frank, Jacob, Angie - will be fine.  Jacob has a present for Angie.
When his Grandma Foster saw how low he was on life, before he came to Corinth,
she promised him that there was a new one around the corner, and gave him
something.  He never though he'd need it, but he was wrong.  Jacob produces
a big ring.  Angie, predictably, begins to weep, and says it's the most
beautiful thing she's ever seen.  Not even close, says Jacob.


DOES SPIKE LEE DIRECT MOVIES BY WHITE WRITERS?
==============================================
Melanie is following Frank around and bugging him.  Frank isn't grateful to
her for lying to the cops, and wants to know why she did it.  Melanie says
sarcastically that she did it because he's such a sweet guy, and much too
self-righteous to resort to violence.  Seriously, she wants him to make her
film.  Frank assumes from this that she's going to blackmail him into doing
it.  Melanie says he'd be doing himself a favor to make it; it's a good script.
Melanie accuses him of being down on it because it wasn't written by a black
man, which is both racist and sexist.  Frank says he's neither of those things,
but he won't direct a film by a white person about black urban life, because
she can't understand it.  Melanie points out that she depicted it well enough
to fool him.  It's a good script, with good market value; it's true.  She
encourages Frank not to pass it up.  Frank comments that she has a pretty high
opinion of herself.  Melanie agrees with that; Frank thinks she's self-
delusional.  Melanie urges him to strike while the issue is hot and peaking.
Frank gets upset, saying that to her it's just an issue, but to him it's the
life he lives, day in and day out.  Whatever, says Melanie.  Frank is
incredulous; he says she's some piece of work.  Melanie takes that as a
compliment.  Frank asks her what she knows about racism, besides her research
and interviews?  He points out that the cops didn't believe his story for 3
hours that he didn't beat up the white kid, and then she comes in and says a
couple of words, and suddenly he's free to go.  What is that? Frank asks.
Melanie agrees that that's racism, but then gets all excited that they can use
that very scene in the film!  Frank says she's like a shark smelling blood.
Melanie accuses him of the same thing, of wanting to use this film to make his
mark when he first read it, but he won't do it with her because she's white.
No, Frank says, because you're trouble.  Frank leaves (by the way, that scene
took place in the bar).


Celluloid-hanger!


-Kristy

-- 
----------------
Kristy Patterson
Systems Designer, Center for the Evaluative Clinical Sciences
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~kristyp/

