From: Susan Richmond <susan@WEBSPAN.NET>

Happy Halloween everyone! Here we go.....


				THE CITY UPDATE	
		 	   Thursday, October 31, 1996

THE COWBOY AND THE DAME
Location: Buck's bedroom

*Tess and Buck are lying in bed together.  Tess asks him if he really meant what he 
said last night, that he loves her. "Heck no, woman.  I only said it so I could have 
my way with you", Buck teases her.  Tess tells him that's the only reason she's heard 
someone say 'I love you' to her before.  Buck tells her that he's said it to her 
before, the night of Jacob and Angie's wedding while she was sleeping.  Buck wasted 
an 'I love you' while she was asleep? Buck claims that he was afraid to tell her 
while she was awake, cowboys like him aren't too good with words. Tess tells him it 
sounded good to her. "I do love you Tess", Buck says, seriously.  Tess asks him if 
he's sure he could love a 'dame' like her. Forget about what that voice coach said, 
Buck tells her.  Tess wishes she could, "but he hit a little too close to home, and 
it hurts, it always hurt". 

*Buck's not going to let her put herself down.  It's not just what the vocal coach 
said, Tess tells him, it's the impression she makes on people.  Buck asks her what 
she means.  Tess tells him about when she was about 11, she was very 'over-developed' 
compared to other girls her age.  All the guys used to tease her and she would wear 
big shirts to try to hide and be inconspicuous.  She wanted to be like the other 
girls, but she wasn't.  When she was 13 the boys stopped calling her names and just 
started staring at her, "and to be truthful, staring was better than name calling. 
So, out with the sweatshirts and in with the halter-tops".  It was the first time she 
had ever felt any real power, sex is a weapon. And she became very popular.  Buck 
says it doesn't sound like she enjoyed it very much.  She did sometimes, and 
sometimes it hurt, "but when you have power, it's really hard to give it up". And she 
never did, "until now".

*Buck's out of bed and buckling his pants (You'll have to use your imagination for 
this one, let's just say he looks GOOD, IMHO).  Buck asks Tess why she calls him 
"cowboy". Has she ever seen him wear a ten gallon hat or mosey on down the street on 
a horse?  No, Tess smiles, she gets the point.  Most people see Buck as "a good old 
boy, with hay in his hair" and Jacob as "a sharp city-slicker", but he and Jacob both 
do a "damn good job" keeping the books and handling the money.  So the moral is 'that 
looks are deceiving', Tess says.  Well, don't sell yourself short, Buck tells her.  
Buck doesn't remember her saying anything back last night after her told her that he 
loves her.  Does she have to, Tess asks. Not if she doesn't want to.  "I love you. I 
love you very much", Tess tells him and they kiss. 

*Buck, still shirtless, is making breakfast.  Tess comes out wearing just his shirt. 
She couldn't wait for him any longer.  She hugs him from behind and asks if she can't 
call him cowboy anymore, what should she call him? How about Bucko? Bucky? I suppose 
Buckeroo is out of the question? What's his real name? She doesn't want to know, 
she'll laugh.  She promises she won't laugh. It's Lyndon.(Hmmm...Did they bring this 
up for no reason, or is this a hint that "L"yndon is Zoey's father?)  She tries to 
say it's not that bad, but she finally bursts out laughing.  OK, he tells her, it's 
still 'cowboy'.  "I love you, cowboy", Tess says, kissing him. 


CARLA AND TRACY
Location: Tony and Danny's apartment

*Carla's pouring herself a cup of coffee when Tony comes in the door with a couple of 
bags.  Carla tells him that she ordered breakfast for them.  Tony reminds her that 
he's having breakfast with Ally at the agency (I guess they moved the detective 
agency downstairs? Carla mentions it's on the 3rd floor), Carla heard him discuss it 
with Ally last night.  She forgot, Carla claims. Tony offers Carla a donut, which she 
accepts.  When Tony leaves the room, Carla says "well I guess it's a start".

*Carla's sitting on the couch when the doorbell rings.  It's Tracy, she hopes it's 
not to early.  "Oh, not at all", Carla assures her, "I've been up since dawn stomping 
grapes".  Tracy shouldn't have said such a thing, she's come to apologize.  Carla 
can't wait to hear it.  "Step into my parlor", Carla says as Tracy enters. 

*Carla asks why Tracy is bothering to apologize to "a little nobody that you can chew 
up and spit out". Not only did Tracy insult Carla, but she also insulted Carla's 
father.  Tracy apologizes again, she was having a very bad day. Tracy wants them to 
start off fresh since they'll be neighbors.  She gives Carla the silver box as a 
'peace offering'.  Tracy tells her it's been in her family for generations.  Carla 
opens the lid. "It's engraved S.C., Sydney Chase, by any chance?"

*Tracy thinks fast, "It's stands for Sterling C(?), my maternal great-grandfather". 
Carla doesn't buy it.  Tracy's trying to apologize and all Carla does is insult her, 
Tracy complains.  Carla "got her number the other night". No thanks, says Carla as 
she returns the box to Tracy, I gave up smoking when I was twelve.  Tracy walks up to 
Carla, "Strike two, and in my book, two strikes and you're out", she warns Carla 
before leaving.  

DANNY, TONY AND ALLY
Location: Tess's old agency

*Danny's examining the bottom of the darkroom door and wonders how they got stuck in 
there.  Danny hooks the phone up in the darkroom so no one will be stuck in there 
again.  He hands the phone to Ally and calls her from the phone on the desk to make 
sure it works.  They have a cute little conversation, complete with accents, and are 
laughing when Tony walks in and wants to know what is going on.

*Tony wonders what is up with the two of them, every time they look at each other, 
they start laughing.  Ally explains it's because they were locked in the darkroom 
last night and Danny had to "use the facilities".   And Ally was trying to help him 
keep his mind off it.  By pouring the developing fluid? Just the sound he needed to 
hear, Danny complains.  And then Ally started taking pictures of him. She wanted to 
preserve some of the funny expressions he was making, Ally says, laughing.  Tony says 
it sounds like it was a real riot. He tells her that he tried to call, but she must 
not have been able to answer because she was locked in.  He thought she must have 
gone to a movie. And Tony had dinner alone with Carla, "How cozy", says Ally. It was 
a celebration dinner, Carla agreed to the divorce.  Ally's so happy, she hugs Tony.  
They even made it through dinner without throwing any plates. Tony and Ally kiss in 
the darkroom. Danny comes back into the room, sees them, then quietly goes away. 

*(Back out in the office)Ally wants to know how Tony got Carla to agree to the 
divorce.  He didn't really have to do anything, sometimes he forgets she's human.  
"Barely", says Ally, what's the catch.  There's just one thing, she wants them to act 
a little more married in public.  Carla wants Tony to be her escort when she has to 
attend social functions.  So Ally can sit home alone, Ally's not happy with that.  
Ally can come with them, Tony tells her.  Carla's even the one that suggested it, she 
suggested that Danny be Ally's date.  Danny's sitting at the desk interviewing Rick, 
who's a writer.  He brings Rick over to meet Ally, he thought maybe Ally and Rick 
could team up on an article.  "I have a feeling we'd make a good team", Rick says, 
his eyes never leaving Ally.  Danny half pushes him toward the door, telling him 
they'll set up a meeting. After Rick leaves, Tony's jealous. Rick was practically 
undressing her with his eyes.  He's sorry if he's being a jerk, but all these guys 
are going to think she's available and be hitting on her.  She's not available, she 
says as she kisses him.  Danny walks back over and interrupts them. Ally tells Danny 
the news that Carla has agreed to the divorce in a year and asks Danny to be her 
date.  

*Tony tells Danny he doesn't have to do it if he doesn't want to, it might screw up 
Danny's social life.  Danny wants to do it, and you can't screw up something you 
don't have.  Danny answers the phone and Tony and Ally walk to the other side of the 
room.  Ally wants to know what's wrong with Tony.  He's tired of playing these games, 
of everything being so phoney, nothing's spontaneous anymore.  Ally kisses him. That 
was spontaneous, wasn't it, she asks. They kiss some more.   


TRACY, BETH AND GINO
Location: Tracy's penthouse

*Tracy tells Beth that it is very sweet of her to do this, especially after Tracy was 
yelling at her the other day.  Tracy picks up the phone, dial a number and hands the 
phone to Beth.  Beth pretends that she is Tracy's 'social secretary' and asks to 
speak to Gino Soleito.  Gino's not available, so Beth leaves a message, Tracy would 
like to invite Gino to her apartment tonight for dinner. Beth leaves the phone number 
for Gino to call back. Tracy is very happy with the call.  She asks Beth to stay by 
the phone while she goes and makes a social call.  She should bring a gift, Tracy 
says and picks up a little silver box from the desk.  "This is hideous, perfect for a 
mafia princess."(see above) 

*Tracy walks back into the penthouse after seeing Carla, (see above), just in time to 
hear the phone ring.  She has Beth pick it up and say "Quartermaine residence".  It's 
Gino, he'd like to talk to Tracy.  Tracy gets on and tells him his timing's perfect, 
she's inbetween board meetings.  Gino's surprised to hear from her so soon.  Tracy 
tells him she hopes she's not being too forward.  No, Gino's delighted she called, 
it's the best offer he's had in years, he says.  Tracy says she'll see him at 8:00.
Beth asks if everything went OK. No, says Tracy, Carla will be a problem. "But by the 
time I get through with the father, the daughter won't matter."

-- 
Susan

FCC Tony


