From: Kristen.K.Patterson@dartmouth.edu (Kristen K. Patterson)

the city: Update for Thursday, November 16, 1995

(Normally I do storyline by storyline, but this one jumped
around so much, it's chronological.  Plus, it's the middle
of the night, so I'm not too worried about it...)

Jacob followed Nick to the park, and is bugging him.  Nick is
saying how he's seen this before, how fans used to follow him
all the time, one woman followed him to Japan, and had his name
tattooed on her... never mind.  Nick says "the concert's over."

Angie is on the phone in the clinic, calling Children's Welfare.
She starts to tell them about the kid she treated, but then
reads something off a paper and hangs up the phone.

Unpacking is going on at the agency.  Tony is on the phone,
getting kicked out of whoever's place he's staying at. Danny
is telling Tess he has a problem working with Ally.  Tess says
it's a new city, get a fresh start.  Danny says she stinks as
a photographer.  Ally comes over, talking about how crazy a
city New York is, she got on the wrong train.  Tess says re-
member, I didn't want to hire you in the first place; if you
want to keep your job, get to it, and stop hassling "the talent."
Ally says if she sees any talent, she'll keep it in mind.  Tess
says to find him something decent to wear.  Ally thought she
was going to shoot Azure, but Tess wants them shot together.
Tess sends Azure to makeup, and tells Steffi to help her. Tess
reiterates that she expects everyone to be at Sydney's party.

Richard is working away on a Powerbook.  Sydney comes over and
shuts the lid.  Sydney says "Richard, do you know what I like
about you?"  Richard asks "what's that," and Sydney says "gee,
I don't remember, I was hoping you could remind me.  Why did
I let you lease this building?  Why did I actually think you
would keep your word?  You promised me a renovation, what I've
got here is a revolution."  Richard looks sorta stunned.

Opening credits

Richard wants to know what the problem is... she said she want-
ed to give something back to the community.  She wanted to ren-
ovate the building, not give it away... besides, these people
aren't even from the community, they're from Ohio.  "Pennsyl-
vania," Richard corrects her.  Richard says they're paying rent
for it.  Sydney says he could have gotten 3 times what they're
paying for that space.  Richard guesses he just doesn't have
her business savvy.  Sydney says "you're really enjoying this,
aren't you."  Richard says he thought she'd be pleased.  "You
did not," she says, he knew this building was her sanctuary,
the one place she could escape to.  She's most irritated by the
fact that he came to her with the offer to renovate, and she
said "fine, finally my son is taking some kind of interest in
something I care about..." Richard apologizes.  Sydney says
"don't insult my intelligence... you did it to spite me.  But
this is a little game that can be played by 2... and I'm very
good at games."  Richard looks ticked.

Azure is nervous about modeling.  Steffi reassures her that 
waiting is the hardest part, and she'll be fine once she gets
out there.  Azure asks when she's due (December 31), and says
she's going to make a wonderful mother, and Tony will be an
amazing daddy.  Steffi says he's not the father.  Azure apolo-
gizes for assuming, but he acts like... Steffi knows.  Steffi
feels a sudden, compelling need to go find a darker lipstick
for Azure.  Tony's on the phone looking for a place to live.
Steffi comes and leans on him. Tony asks her what's the matter.
Steffi says nothing, everything... nothing fits, nothing's
right.  Tony says she's pregnant, her hormones are playing
ping-pong, and she's upset because Tess pulled the rug out on
her.  Speaking of rugs, Steffi says, and brings up the dead
guy rolled up in the carpet, which wasn't what she needed
after what happened with Gwyn.  Tony says that's over now,
what's really bothering you?  Other than that, Steffi says,
I feel like a beached whale, like I should have my own zip
code... she apologizes, and says Tony's probably sick of
hearing it.  Steffi wants the baby, but wants to be able to
take the stomach off and hang it on the wall, like the girls
who replaced her in the modeling job.  Tony says the hormones
are making her beautiful.  He tells her to sit and not move,
and he'll be back.

Jacob asks Nick why he lied to him, why he didn't tell him
who he was.  Nick says because he's not who he was anymore.
Jacob asks what happened to who he was?  Nick says he now
gets played on the "where are they now?" radio blocs.  Jacob
says there was a time he couldn't turn on the radio without
hearing "Lazy Sunday," his gold record.  Nick wishes he'd
never written it; it went gold and killed his career, because
he was put in a box and told "this is what you do, now do it
again."  Nick says he didn't quit, the business quit him. If
you had it to do over, Jacob asks... Nick says he'd invest
in Apple Computer, there's not much money in memories. Jacob
bugs him to play "Beantown Blues."  Nick says he doesn't do
requests, and takes off.

Danny is trying to pick out clothes with Ally, who doesn't
care what he wears.  Danny asks what her problem is.  Ally
blows up that he is her problem, and being around him and
working with him.  Danny says you're mad at the world, and
taking it out on me.  Ally says he doesn't know a damned
thing about what's going on inside her.  Danny says he knows
she misses Tyler, and her family, and her home.  Ally has to
agree.  Danny lists all the bad things about New York, and
says she's probably wondering if she made the right decision
about coming here.  Am I right?  he asks.  Maybe, Ally says.
Danny says it's okay, he's been there, and he thinks he knows
where she's coming from. Let's make it easier on each other,
he suggests, by calling a truce.  He strokes her hair.

Richard asks Sydney if she thinks he'd really go to all this
trouble just to irritate her?  Sydney says there isn't a doubt
in her mind.  Richard says he's brought some legitimate busi-
ness here, a modeling agency, a free clinic... Sydney says
it's the new SoHo Zoo.  Richard suggests she take the time to
get to know them... Sydney says she's already met Goldilocks,
nice touch letting her into my apartment.  Richard says her
name's Tess.  Richard says he's sorry about that.  Sydney
says she gets home from Barcelona tired, and what does she
find?  Some blonde, who thinks her son is her lover, trying
on her new chinchilla.  Richard chuckles.  Sydney goes on
about the police then arriving because of some dead body that
his friends dragged in off the street in a rug they found in
a dumpster.  Richard is laughing.  Sydney asks what's on the
agenda for tomorrow, maybe a letter bomb, or an ebola virus?

Jacob's still following Nick around, and asks him if he'd be
interested in a job.  Nick says that depends, would it involve
work?  Jacob offers him a gig at the club, he'll hold a night
for him.  Nick doesn't look impressed.  Jacob says if he
changes his mind, Nick knows where to find him.  Jacob asks
if he has a place to crash?  Nick says he has plenty of places
to crash, so Jacob takes off.  "I just need a place to burn,"
Nick says.

Angie is looking over the paper, when Tess comes in looking
for Jacob and Buck.  They're not there.  Tess asks if she and
Jacob are going to Sydney's party.  Angie says she doesn't know
about Jacob, but she doesn't think she'll be there.  Tess tries
to get her to go, saying there will be a lot of movers and
shakers there... Angie says skip the pitch, I'm not going.  
Tess asks if she's okay, and Angie snaps at her.  Angie apolo-
gizes, and says she's very busy.  "You know what they say about
all work and no play," Tess says, "it makes the doctor a real
witch."  (Angie doesn't hear that last part. :-))  Angie picks
up the phone again and calls a "Dr. Fox" about her test results.
Angie wants him/her to run the test again; she left her new
address and phone number with the secretary.  Jacob is standing
in the doorway with a bouquet of flowers.  He jokes that they
were on sale, but sees that Angie is upset.  "What's going on?"
he asks.

Ally asks Danny why he's being so nice to her.  Danny says was
I being nice?  I didn't mean to.  Ally says that's what she's
afraid of.  Danny's just tired of the game.  We both want the
same thing, don't we?  What's that, Ally asks.  Danny says
someone to take care of us, someone to take care of... he sees
the way she looks at Steffi and Tony.  Ally asks if he's offer-
ing his services?  Danny says don't laugh, but he's trying to
be her friend.  He kisses her, and she starts to respond, but
then breaks away and says she can't do this.  Danny apologizes.
Ally says it's okay.  Danny says you're not going to call the
cops, are you?  Ally says of course not.  Danny says he thought
she wanted him to kiss her, he didn't mean to force himself on
her.  "You didn't... I did..." Ally says.  "You did what?" he
asks.  "I wanted you to kiss me," Ally says.  "You did?" Danny
asks, and moves in for another one.  But that doesn't mean you
can do it again, she says.  Ally says this is crazy.  Danny
says he knows, but he can't help it, he wants her.  Ally says
they can't do this.  Then tell me to stop, Danny says, and lays
one on her.

Clothes are coming off, and Danny and Ally fall to a couch.
Danny pulls away.  Ally asks what's wrong.  Nothing, Danny says,
he thought it went pretty well.  I don't mean to blow my own
horn, he says, but I thought I was pretty damned brilliant.
Ally doesn't know what he's talking about.  "I want you, I
want you so bad, and I just don't think I can pretend anymore,"
he says in a monotone.  Ally is pretty shocked, jumps up, and
starts buttoning her blouse.  Danny asks how it feels to have
the shoe on the other foot; "hurts like anything, don't it?"
Now, Danny says, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to take
some pictures.  Ally is most nonplussed.  [Brrr... stone cold]

Steffi tells Azure she looks great.  Azure says who wouldn't
wearing this?  Steffi says I can think of two people, and
they're both me.  Azure apologizes.  She's nervous, but Steffi
reassures her.  Steffi (acting as receptionist) says she needs
Azure's home phone number and address.  Azure asks what for?
Steffi says paychecks, work schedule, that sort of thing.
Azure says she'll pick those up, and gives Steffi her beeper
number.  Steffi asks who she's bringing to the party?  Azure
says she doesn't think she'll be able to make it.  Steffi says
if she has other plans, cancel them, because an invitation from
Tess is like a direct order from the Fuhrer, only Tess isn't as
understanding.  Azure looks displeased.

Tony must be asking Bernardo for either a place to stay or a
suggestion, because Bernardo says "I thought you were staying
at your cousin's?  He meet a new girl or something?"  Tony says
something like that.   Bernardo says he'll have Tony new digs
by the end of the week.  Tony tells him he's a "super super."
Bernardo says it's just a temporary thing, he's an idea man.
He talks about getting into greeting cards. He pitches an idea
to Tony, who doesn't look particularly impressed, but Azure
comes up and says it sounds cool.  Bernardo is kind of flustered.
Tony leaves them alone.  Azure says you're the super?  Bernardo
says he prefers to think of himself as a facilitator; you want
something... anything... I'm your man.

Tony finds Steffi working, and says she moved, so she doesn't
get her surprise.  Steffi says Tess doesn't appreciate workers
who don't move, but begs for her surprise.  Tony says she'll
have to wait till tonight.  Steffi says she's had her fill of
surprises for the day.  Tony says this one will definitely be
worth the wait.

Angie tell Jacob to stop fussing, she's just worried about the
little girl who was in there. Jacob says he thought Angie fixed
her up?  Angie says she barely got a bandage on her before she
ran out.  She tried to call the police, who weren't helpful, and
she tried to find the girl that brought her in... Jacob says her
problem is that she can't stop trying to take care of everyone
and everything.  He says she needs to get a cold or something,
so he can start taking care of her.  Angie gets that "I have
a secret" look.

A homeless guy gets rousted off a bench by Nick.  He says it's
his bench, go find your own.  He lays on the bench, drinking
a beer.

Richard tells his mother that he's terribly sorry, whatever can
he do to make it up to her?  Sydney says he can start by wiping
that perpetual smirk off his face [you go, Sydney!].  Richard
says this is the smile he saves just for her.  Sydney asks how
long they're going to play this game?  What game is that? Rich
asks.  I don't know, what do you call it, she asks.  "Step on
a crack..." Richard suggests.  Sydney wonders what she ever did
to deserve this.  Richard asks how she can say that with a
straight face.  Sydney says "all I ever did was..."  Richard
interrupts that all she ever did was whatever she damned pleased,
without any concern for how it affected anyone else.  Sydney
says she'd like to plan the rest of her life, so does he have
any idea how long he's going to make her pay?  Richard says for
the rest of your miserable bloody life.  He kisses her on the
cheek and goes.  Sydney looks sadly after him.  The chauffeur/
butler, Samuel comes in, and says "it's not your fault."  "Oh
Samuel," Sydney says, "we both know it's all my fault."

See you next week!

-Kristy

