Daily Updates

From: yarnot@babbage.ecs.csus.edu (Jan Yarnot)
Subject: GH: Update, Thanksgiving.  (At last!)
Date: 29 Nov 1994 00:40:20 GMT

We spent Thanksgiving at my daughter's house in Santa Clara.  Husband has
permission to watch football all day, so long as he doesn't watch during
the meal, which was to be late because of various Significant Other commit-
ments.  Halftime came partly into the GH hour, so he was going to go for a
walk with the dog, and I wanted to go along, but I turned to GH just for a
sec.  And there was Lucy leaving the Qs' with some sort of living bird in
a cage, and a pan of all the slightly stunned faces, with Monica summing
it up nicely "Nothing like a quiet family holiday, is there?"  I could
hardly WAIT to get home yesterday and watch the tape!!  And, as I said in
another posting, it didn't disappoint.
However, I didn't watch the last segment, because I had thought Ned's
"anyone for pizza?" was the end, and it wasn't till Saturday, when I insisted
that my daughter enjoy this Funniest Episode of the Year (possibly: the
Nurse's Ball had its moments and Lois in the Cake was a lot of fun) that I
saw it, though I was puzzled by all the remarks here about Lucy's departure.
Without further ado, then, here is the
                    GH THANKSGIVING UPDATE
What we don't see is Laura waking up on what should have been the best
Thanksgiving ever for her, to find Luke's note.  When they returned to
town, I thought there was a possibility of a home-loving family spark between
her and Tony, but that's not the way the story developed.  Still could, though.

Audrey and Steve are having dinner at the PC Grill with Simone and Tom, Jr.
[since Lucas was replaced, GH has the best kids!]  They haven't heard from
Tom, who has taken a page out of Frisco's book and is out saving the world
while ignoring his family. [I know, the actor walked because he wanted a story,
but has anyone seen him in anything else?]  Steve wants to get out quick so
he can watch the PCU game, and he's antsy till the end when he gets to go
watch in the kitchen.  Audrey is concerned about Simone's social life, but
Simone is fine, she says.

At the Brownstone, Tony and Bobbie and Robin and Stone are getting ready.
Bobbie is thankful that they're together and having therapy, Tony is glad
they are giving Lucas a nice day.  Felicia and Maxie and Lucas come in, bearing
sweet potatoes.  Maxie, who has Soap Aging Syndrome, has helped with the
marshmallows, as has Lucas (who doesn't), who ate some first.  Lucas says
"this is a _good_ day!"  Maxie is thankful for the new baby and her new
heart.  Robin and Stone are creating their own magic in the kitchen.  Mac
comes, discovers them, and is annoyed, the more so when Robin announces they
kiss all the time in the Outback.  Part of his anger is doubtless jealousy,
as Stone seems to be having a better time than Mac is.  Kevin comes in and
pompously announces he normally doesn't socialize with patients, but after
all he was their friend before he was their counsellor [and besides, he's
hungry.]  He asks Mac what Thanksgiving is all about.  Mac remembers a day he
was very thankful that had nothing to do with food, when he was a guide to this
gorgeous blonde scientist in the [Australian] Outback. It made you glad to
be alive.  Kevin remembers a like day in his own life when he discovered a
letter by Freud stuck in a missal in a forgotten corner of a library.  Mac
gets a truly puzzled look on his face.  But, he says, tell me, "how can one
be truly thankful when there's something fundamentally wrong with the
Universe?"  There are no women in their lives.  He knows about worm crawl.
The two break out into a rousing rendition of "There is Nothing Like a
Dame" [no, just kidding, but it was the virtual background music!]
 Mac goes to get Robin and Stone for dinner and loses his temper.  Robin
finds out Mac had known about the skunk, and she is amazed at how duplicitous
he is (and she's discovered the best defense is a good offense.)  The two
have a loud, screaming, public fight.

The show has opened with Lucy talking to a sunflower, saying how disappointed
she is in Thanksgiving.  The doorbell rings, and she's hoping it's Kevin so
she can tell him off.  However, it's a deliveryman with her Long Island
freerange duck.  He won't take it back, and to her horror, it's alive.  But,
well, "it eats worms, doesn't it?"  What to do with the duck?  She goes to
the PC Grill to have it dispatched.  (Simone: "don't look now, but Lucy Coe
has a handbag that moves!")  Carl is no help, and will not take the duck to
the chef to be killed, as they are busy (and have bets on the PCU game!)
and don't have time.  Lucy threatens with her ELQ stock, but gets no satis-
faction.

And the Quartermaines are all settled down to watch the game, including yelling
at Monica when she gets in the view, till Lila announces "no tv."  Edward
explains "It's not TV, it's football!"  Lila wants a civilized conversation.
Edward: "What could we possibly have to be civilized about?"  Lila suggests
they count their blessings, and Edward dons his sarcastic personna.
He is "thankful" to be in court defending himself against a murder charge,
and this is instilling humility [yeah, right!], and he is much better without
all that nasty corrupting money that he's dropping on legal fees, and as an
extra bonus, he got out early on Wednesday by keeling over!  Lila says
nonsense, he has his family [this is something to be *thankful* for?], good
health, and ELQ.  Monica adds that at least Edward isn't facing a death
sentence as she may be.  Alan simply pats M's hand and says HE is grateful
for how well she's holding up.  Monica then goes on to count her blessings.
Losing a breast took 8 pounds off and despite the possibilities, the chemo
took another 10 pounds, and she's always wanted to be a size 0.  AJ gets
right into the spirit of the thing (Ned: "round 2!") by being "thankful"
he hasn't had a drink in months (surely he should be happier about it!)
because he wouldn't want to be in an alcoholic haze and miss all
the dulcet tones of this family fun.  Alan comments about self pity, and
Edward, [who Just Doesn't Get It] says "if we aren't entitled to
self-pity, who is?"  Jason sees an opportunity to mention the folks in Charles
Street and Edward resents being the bad guy just because he's a rich white
Protestant male.  Ned says "some problems are more transient than others"
and A.J. says "Lois ain't never gonna forgive you, Ned."  (this after Edward
says something about "your trippy wife.")  Monica says "What? And miss her
opportunity to bond with this unique family?"  Lila, in distress, says
"I wish I'd never brought it up!"  Jason mutters to Alan:
"we're an Oprah show run amok" and A.J. says over his seltzer
"surely there's one family that's this dysfunctional."  This
is when we first see the Brownstone group.  Not even close, A.J.!

Reginald leaves this family fun to answer the door, a big mistake. It's
Ms. Coe with the duck.  She insists on seeing Edward right this minute.
Reginald says there's family in there and Lucy reminds him that "I used to
be a Mrs. Quartermaine."  Reginald agrees "I wasn't here, but I've heard the
stories."  They juggle the duck and Lucy's coat "May I take your duck?"
Lila, meanwhile, has said "You're all behaving quite petulantly!"  Monica
remarks that "If you were looking for a nice upbeat family, you picked the
wrong crowd."  Lila: "Surely there must be _something_ we can all be thankful
for!"  At this point, Reginald announces Lucy, and they all remember what they
are all thankful for!

"What's this urgent matter?" huffs Edward.  Lucy says "Duck!" and the family
hits the deck, along with me, laughing my head off.  Ned comments the duck
looks underdone.  Lucy dumps the bird in Edward's lap explaining how
traumatized she was by Carl's refusal to instantly take it for slaughter.
There's a Q game of pass the {b,d}uck: to Ned, to Reginald.  Reginald,
horrified: "You want _me_ to do in the duck?  I've got to draw the line at
canardicide."  [I thought the family was going to spill the beans about
Katybell right there].  Lila says "Reginald, I thought you drew the line at
worms."  Lila goes on, despite Edward's frantic hand signals, to invite
Lucy for a drink.  Lucy, filled with the joy of the season, decides to
share it with the family.  Starting with Edward, poor dear, and the trial.
On to Monica and her poor health, and when she finds out Alan won't be going
to New Mexico, she reminds him that he is a caring husband.  (He looks like
he could cheerfully strangle one ex-wife at this point.)  A.J. makes the only
unselfish remark of the day, probably in an effort to protect his mother
from any more of Lucy's solicitude, and says "We're thankful to be rid of
Damian and Katherine" and Lucy offers to drink to that with him.  Oops.
She tells Jason how nice it was to see him at Pier 52 with Keesha, and
how brave he is going up against the family like that, and isn't it
a little awkward as she's with the Ward family.  Tempers are rising, and
Lucy decides maybe she'd better get along with the duck.  A.J. tells her not
to quack up, and Jason explains he's always been a wise-quacker.  Lucy
fumbles her way out the door, the camera pans across the family's stunned
faces, and Monica remarks: "Nothing like a quiet family holiday, is there?"

It's gotten dark.  Lucy apologizes to the duck for not having a baby seat.
She rattles on, explaining the Lucy version of karma.  Wouldn't it be really
funny if the duck was a former enemy of hers that she could eat?  She glances
at the duck, and realizes it's the reincarnation of Victor Jerome!  But,
as she drives on, she begins to realize that she's bonding with the duck.
It's better company than Kevin.  "You have been more fun tonight than he
has been in an entire month."  On to the Brownstone, where she walks in on
the Mac-Robin fight.  She had wanted her favorite ex-husband, the surgeon,
to kill the duck, but she's really angry at finding Kevin there, that Kevin
has a place to go and she hasn't, and she throws the duck at Kevin "Pluck the
duck!"  and storms off to Puerto Rico.  [I wonder who gets a pet duck, Lucas,
Maxie, or Kevin!]

Meanwhile, back at the Qs', A.J. needles Ned that it's too bad Lois isn't
here.  Ned tells his grandfather that as soon as he's sure about Edward's
health, he'll be going to PR.  Edward forbids it, there's corporate business
to be done.  He builds up steam remembering all the corporate time that has
been wasted by Ned chasing after Lois.  [About time he noticed.  I'm
surprised the Hotel is still standing!]  Reginald announces dinner, Annabelle
sneaks out, Edward huffs "DAMN dinner too!" Monica comes over and yells at
Edward, who says she's pushing his good nature. She says "Tough noogie!
Chill out, Edward!"  Lila gets materfamilial and orders them to
"Plant yourselves and listen to me!"  Annabelle, who appears to be eating for
6 or 7 [OK, how long does canine gestation take?  This has been 2 weeks,
isn't she going to start looking fat pretty soon?] gazes at the feast.
Hypnotized, she gets closer and closer, and extends her nose... then her
tongue...

Lila delivers a Marymae speech but it's bearable coming from her.  "We are
the most fortunate people on the face of the earth," she starts, and tells them
to take a moment to remember how much they depend on each other, and how much,
despite some pardonable lapses, they love each other.  After a slow scan of the
shamed faces, she says "let's go to dinner."  Annabelle takes the leg and
vanishes, just as the family reaches the door and looks upon... disaster!
Ned picks up the picked clean carcass and says "Pizza, anyone?"

The pizza, when delivered, is big, sure, but my family of three would polish
it off in no time and want more.  Of course, I do have a teenager here.
ANYWAY, Reginald informs them that cook is planning to fall on her carving
knife.  Bet they wish they'd kept the duck!  Lila insists they should
sing the Psalm [How come this bunch, who do not darken the door of a
church from one year to the next, know all the words?]  This is pretty
much on a par with Doc Steve reading the Christmas story, an "awwwwwww"
scene.  And Annabelle is sharing the spoils with Foster. Happy Thanksgiving,
all!

Apologies for the lateness of this update, but I wanted to do it justice.
I'd thought it would be a snap, just a quick report on a PC holiday, but
there was so much memorable!  My compliments to the writers and actors!

--
Jan Yarnot, net.granny, RABbabe  | OK, I love you, bye-bye!
Nifty Fifty!                     |                  ---Mindy
yarnot@babbage.ecs.csus.edu      |
CSUS depends on my every word.   |