From: James Lynch <lynch@calvin.math.vt.edu>

			 Guiding Light Update

				for

			Tuesday, February 14th


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(It's a fence.)

Didn't pay no attention to OJ today, so I can't make a flippant remark. 
Anyway...

Mindy and Nick at adoption agency:

	The twosome is nervous. Especially miss Mindy. But she's happy too.
She wants to go over the questions, and Nick says "again?" Mindy coaches
Nick: "No child would be more loved [than in their home]". He looks nervous.
Enter the interviewer, Ms. DeWitt. She says she's happy that they are the
ones, because she has always thought that they would be wonderful parents.

Lucy at work:

	Lucy is berating herself for something as Alan-Michael walks in. He
announces "You are in big trouble". Lucy shrinks.

Ross and Blake at the love palace [Marler residence]:

	They admire the final check from Spaulding, and Ross tells Blake
that she better "puree" her credit cards, because they won't be seeing
"so many zeroes" for a long time. However, Blake has an idea. She thinks
Ross should consider making a commercial. Ross tackles her.

Fletcher at the Country Club:

	Roger comes in and greets Fletch with "If it isn't Clark Kent" 
[which I can't explain, except that he is a reporter and a good guy?].
Sid comes and sits at Fletchers table, and Holly comes in and joins
Roger. Fletcher sneers as Holly kisses Roger hello.

Blake and Ross:

	Ross shaves with one of those expensive feathery things [the object
which applies the shaving cream]. Blake continues to hound him about making
a commercial: "You are the best of lawyers, but nobody knows it". She says
that working for Spaulding for so long has taken his name out of circulation
for John Q. Public. Ross says he could think of a dozen reasons not to.
She says he needs a "jump start" [he balks at being compared to a used car].
He says, "something sleazy, something crass, like an ambulance chaser".
Blake turns on the kitten. "Can't you see it my way?" Blake, please. She
tries the kid voice. She says he will appear as the "son a mother never
had" in the commercial. Ross says that it's "undignified and that's all
there is to it". Blake swings a compromise. They film a commercial and if
he doesn't like it, they can just forget it. Okay, he'll give it a go.
Good, she booked studio time at 9am.

Alan-Michael and Lucy:

	Alan-Michael complains that Lucy set him up for a boring meeting,
and Lucy breathes a sigh of relief. He says that he enjoyed dancing on the
desk with Lucy, but no way does he enjoy "50 longwinded speeches" of people
patting themselves on the back for his accomplishments. Alex joins in at
this comment. She thought it was lovely, and he should at least pretend
to be grateful. It could have been worse.

Fletcher, et. al. at the country club:

	It turns out that Sid got a year of community service for his crimes.
Fletcher, who is supposed to be interviewing him, pays no attention. Sid
continues. He wants people to keep in mind all of the inequities that got
him started in the first place. He started the dumpster fires out of 
desperation, and now he appreciates the Journal keeping his story out there.
Fletcher stays at Holly and Roger.

	Across the room, Roger apologizes for showing up unannounced at the
ski resort. Holly says it's okay, but it would be more considerate if next
time... She says she just needed time to think, "to work this outta my
system". "Did it work?" "Yes, it helped." Roger says that he's sure
something has changed. Maybe, she has reached a decision. "Yes, I've
made a decision." Roger waits.

Lucy and Alex and Alan-Michael:

	Alex and Alan-Michael argue over a steel company and dropping them.
Alex thinks that though they have been in the red for a while, they are old
friends and should not be deserted. Alan-Michael disagrees vehemently and
tells Lucy to remove their file. Alex tells her not too, and they continue.
Alan-Michael tells her she is retired and it's not her decision to make.
She's just trying to offer the advice of her experience. He says that she
doesn't advise, she tells. "Not that I'm knocking it, I'm trying it on for
size." He tells her the decision is made, and she should go "expand her
wardrobe and play croquet". Alex decides it is time to go for a plate of
Eggs Benedict. Lucy watches her leave and remarks that she almost feels sorry
for her. Alan-Michael says that's the way it has to be, and his first
lesson about his family is to "get rid of them fast". 

	He returns to the subject of Lucy. He wants to know how the date was.
She spins a yarn about a date [the perfect date, I would guess] that was
easy to talk to, who she had lots in common with ("what?" "you know, values
and stuff"), and who she finally took to the Diner. The Diner? What time,
Alan-Michael asks. Lucy frames herself, and Alan-Michael calls her bluff
(he was there last night getting criticized by Frank and Buzz).

Cutter and Levy at the Country Club:

	Cutter is amazed at how crowded the place is in the morning. He is
looking for Roger to ask him a few questions about WSPR (which had a minor
robbery last night). A waiter asks them if they want coffee and Cutter insists
on instant, which the waiter isn't too sure about. But it's all the detective
will drink. Cutter sees Roger with Holly, and he wonders why she would stay
with a creep like him.

	Fletcher asks Sid "What do you do when things aren't working out?"
Sid says that depending on the options "something more desperate". Fletcher
seems to take his advice, and he gets up and leaves, thanking Sid for the
interview.

	Roger wonders if Holly will be leaving him all together. No, she
just has some things left to work on. Cutter comes over and interrupts them.
Roger doesn't want Holly to go, but she runs off in Fletcher's direction.
Roger says this is no way to start the day.

Mindy and Nick:

	Ms. DeWitt says that they should prepare themselves, for her
questions will be "intrusive". But she has to ask them to make sure the
environment is right for a child. They seem totally willing. She asks them
about family life, since neither of them really had a "normal" childhood. 
Nick says that though his biological parents aren't normal, his adoptive
ones had a wonderful relationship and that is how it will be with him. Mindy
apologizes for her many marriages. Ms. DeWitt asks how they will take care
of the child, and Mindy says she has already interviewed for a Nanny. She
asks about education and religion. Everything okay. She asks how they will
deal with Nick's odd work hours, and Mindy thinks 9-5 ain't so bad. Oops,
Mindy has forgotten that Nick is now a journalist with wild hours. Nick
comes to her rescue saying that he just recently returned to the newspaper
and his old routine is hard forgotten. He is pretty smooth. Ms. DeWitt asks
about home environment and family and Mindy talks about Uncle Josh and Mother-
in-law Alex who is so supportive. Nick pulls at his collar.

Ross at WSPR:

	Ross thinks he sounds like "Alvin the Chipmunk keeping up with
the teleprompter". Blake babies him, and tells him to try it again. They
start to roll the camera, and Ross sits in a chair reading the teleprompter
(script by Mrs. Marler), while the background is of fires and accidents.
He just can't do it. He reads slowly, and his head is all crooked, and he
shakes. The director stops him again and again and gives him advice. He tries
again: "Your life has been forever altered by a single event..."

Fletcher and Holly at the seashore:

	Fletcher throws a piece of wood down in anger. Holly watches and
wonders if that wood were her. He tells her to go away. Holly tries to
explain what happened, that Roger showed up. Fletcher doesn't care. The
point is she went with him. "He's still the one for you. See you." Fletcher
begins to go, but Holly calls to him.

Lucy and Alan-Michael:

	Lucy goes to her desk; Alan-Michael follows her. "Lucy?" "Yes, sir?"
He begs her to quit it with the "sir" stuff, and asks her why she lied. She
says it's the truth, she just got the time wrong, that's all. He says he is
sorry about invading her personal life, which he promised he wouldn't do, but
he can't help it, when he sees how upset she is. Okay, okay, she admits it.
"You're right, I lied. I didn't have a date, it was something stupid, worse
than bad." She tells him about Cutter (without naming him). "Things started
to heat up, and I didn't handle it well." He says that a lot of guys are
jerks and she shouldn't blame herself. Lucy says she is probably turning an
"anthill into a forest," and would he please just not ask her anymore 
questions. He goes back to his office, looking back at her.

Cutter and Levy:

	Roger leaves with "have a rotten day, gentlemen". Cutter gives him
the bird [metaphorically anyway] and says "just when you think that guy is
going to be human..." They talk about Lucy: "She led me on, and then pushed
me away like I'm an animal or something".  Levy thinks maybe he should tell
Frank about it, before she does. Levy says "they've got a name for girls like
that, and it ain't a pretty one".

Roger:

	Roger grabs Alex and rattles on about her plot to ruin his chances
with Holly. Alex tells him that he needs to calm down and she starts chanting
a mantra. She giggles to herself.

Fletcher and Holly:

	Holly says she had to go with Roger, "he would have killed you".
"Yeah, but even if he did, you still would've gone with him." Holly
doesn't understand, and Fletcher finally just blurts it out. "I love you,
Holly. I don't want to, but I do." Holly says "don't say that". But it's
too late. The wind blows. Holly whines and looks at him. Fletcher leaves.
Holly sucks on her hair.

Alex and Roger:

	Roger continues his flurry of accusations. Alex catches on and 
laughs even harder. She wishes she had thought of it; "you cuckolded",
she chuckles to herself. He begins to buy she doesn't have anything to do
with it, and says he doesn't understand why she is so happy. "You are such
a smart man, and you don't know anything. You deserve to pay and pay and
pay. Now you'll know what it's like to have someone you thought cared lie
straight to your face." Roger says that when he finds out who it is
"no one is going to be laughing".

Ross:

	Ross watches his performance and isn't pleased. He says, to the
floodlights, "Marty, can we do one more?" But this time, he wants better
lighting, and better copy. "Marty, another thought, stay with me on 
this, on the edge of this desk, not behind it, holding a book. Marty, a
book." [Mr. Van Dorn clearly enjoying himself in this scene, as was I.]
"I think we should be going for a mix of Orson Welles in "Compulsion"
and Jimmy Stewart in "Anatomy of a Murder"". Ross, the method actor, takes
a moment to collect himself, seated on the edge of a desk. Then, he is
ready.

Nick and Mindy:

	Ms. DeWitt is very pleased. She says she isn't supposed to say 
anything, but she thinks they are a wonderful couple. She is impressed
by Nick's desire to go back to writing. And she likes that theirs is an
"old marriage". All that's left is to do the follow-up home study.
Nick asks for a moment with his wife alone.

Lucy and Alan-Michael:

	Lucy drops a folder. Alex and Brett come in, Alex leading the
young mare, by the nose. He has budget projections for the boss, and
Alex has nothing but accolades for Brett. He's an "Einstein". But
Alan-Michael pays no attention. His attention is fixed on Lucy who stands
in a corner looking very sad, shaking her head.

Nick and Mindy:

	"What are you doing? Did I say something wrong?" "All that lying
was making my head spin." [Oh no, that one is too rich to touch.] He says
that they can't pretend, he needs to know if they can do it. "Don't answer
until you can be honest."

Holly:

	Tears creep down her face as the wind blows.

Fletcher:

	He walks into the parking lot of the Journal, and Roger is waiting
for him in the shadows. "It's time, Reade. Talk to me." 


