Daily Updates

Subject:     GH:Update for Monday, 4/22/96 and 4/28/96
Sent:        5/2/96 2:27 PM
From:        Tahnda Bailey, tahnda@batgirl.water.ca.gov

My newsfeeders been a little flakey lately, so here's the updates for the past 2 Mondays (4/28/96 is below 4/22/96)

General Hospital
Update for Monday, 4/22/96
by Tahnda Bailey

First, a little commentary.  I've been thinking that I need to
loosen up a bit and go with the flow more.  I have expectations of
what I think should be happening and its just not happening, so I'm
throwing out my expectations and trying to live in the moment (ala
Robin and Stone).  So here it goes, the cherry, happy update for
Monday...

Today was a day of Shockers!!

****Shocker #1!!!!!****
In what GH considers a major shocker and surprising twist, Laura is
arrested for the murder of Damien Smith.  On what grounds you ask?
Why her prints are all over the Louisville Slugger that insightful
PCPD (and Garcia) have pegged as the murder weapon.  Luke is amazed
(and so am I) that such a flimsy connection led to an arrest.  Why
he too had physical contact with the bat (remember, he purchased
the
thing), but no his prints are not there, just Laura's.  Of course
there is no mention that since she was a REGULAR volunteer at Ward
House, her prints were probably all over the joint.  Lucky is
understandable shocked, horrified, upset, and hostile (to Garcia),
who maintains that because of Laura's priors handcuff's are
mandatory.  Laura, being brave for the benefit of Lucky, quietly
submits to Garcia's demands, telling him (Lucky) a mistake has been
made and all will be as it should be soon.  Luke (in a move that
will make parents all over the world want to shake him) goes with
Laura to the jailhouse and leaves 13 year old Lucky home with Lulu
to fret over his parents' well being.  Lucky puts up a protest and
suggest that the Spencers get a sitter (what a novel idea) but they
quickly tell him that it is he and he alone that they trust this
most important job (keeping away those pesky media types and
keeping
the home fires burning) to.  He agrees to do his best, and they're
off to the races, oops I meant jail.  There Laura is humiliated
(yes, Garcia went by the book and had her go thru a strip-search)
and placed behind bars after asst. DA Dara Jensen tells those
present that its too late to roust a judge for a bail hearing (now
would have been a good time for Luke to call in his markers, surely
Sonny or EdQ could have roust a judge), but no, Luke is forced to
go
home wife-less, or wife-free, or wife-challenged...

****Shocker #2!!!!****
We join Robin and Jason once again on the bridge, which also seems
to run through the middle of town.  She is devastated by the death
of little Jenna, the aids baby from Ward house.  How much more will
she have to take?  Jason is amazed that she really seems to be mad.
Thats just because he don't know her do he?  She tells him that she
is always mad, every minute of every day.  Why?  Because she is the
kiss of death.   Everyone that she cares about seems to be taking a
powder.  Why don't you and I take a powder too? she asks Jason.
Then she proceeds to grab the brain-damaged one by the hand and get
up on the top of the stone border.  She begins to sway from side to
side and........Jason knocks her back to the ground.  He tells her
its stupid to take your life (apparently, you must court death a
while before it is no longer a stupid idea). Robin states that she
really wasn't going to do it (commit suicide), she just wanted to
piss God off and show him what he was bringing her to (personally,
I
thought this was a little over done, but I understood the motive,
so
I'm giving it 1 1/3 thumbs up) Oh, like losing Stone, your
boyfriend? Jason queries.  Yes, like that and like the fact that
I'm
HIV+.  Jason tenderly kisses her lips, and she gets really mad.
Donot use me to tempt death.  Jason shocks her with a thorough
knowledge of what HIV+ is all about.  He knows that kissing her is
no danger to anyone.  He did it because he wanted to feel those
trembling, but strong lips against his.  And they felt good, and it
made him feel good, and well you get the drift.  She admits that it
was nice to be touched/kissed/whatever.  The chatter some more and
Jason admits that he's connected to her in a way that he's never
been connected before (that he can remember anyway).  Robin is the
real reason that he got off that bus.  Robin admits that being with
Jason drags her into the moment, and out of the past.  Being with
him, she doesn't have to think about what she has faced and what
she
will be facing in the future.  Its scary, but its nice.  They
decide
to hold hands and just feel connected.  Robin suggest that she may
be moving too fast for Jason, but he grips her hand tighter and say
that he wants to touch her.  (I must comment here that Stone is
apparently a dim memory altho I did see the ring that he gave her.
So in honor of the new relationship that is being forged, I too
have
symbolically taken off my black mourning clothes and have decided
to
move on like everyone else is doing, Goodbye Stone)

****Shocker #3 and Surprising Twist to boot!!!****
We again join Justus placing a call to PCPD with critical info re:
the Damien Smith murder when EdQ disconnects the call.  Justus
wants
EdQ to stay out of it, but EdQ will do no such thing.  Why don't
you
run your statement by me before you tell it to Garcia.  Justus hems
and haws before he relents.  He talks about all that has been going
on in his life lately, and all the losses he has suffered, etc,
when
EdQ interrupts him to tell him to focus on the issues at hand.
Justus then gets down to brass tacks and tells what he knows about
the night of the Ward House fire.  As EdQ listens intently, Justus
relates what happens in flashbacks.  (It should be noted that
Justus's flashbacks are in COLOR, so this MUST BE the truth, unlike
Garcia's whose flashbacks were in B&W).

Justus relates how Damien had been coming to the office lately with
insulting offers to buy Ward House.  The day of his demise, he came
again, but it was different.  This time he touched Keisha.  Justus
wanted to bump him off then and there, but managed to restrain
himself.  He and Damien exchanged words and Damien took offense at
some remark that Justus made, tore up the check, and said that when
next they met, Ward House would just be a blip in Black History
(which was the LOTD when it was uttered).  Justus took the threat
seriously and later that night went to check on Ward House.  Sure
enough Damien was there, lighting a cloth to burn the joint down.
Well, Justus saw red (literally) and picked up the first handy
thing
(a Louisville slugger bat) and hit a home run using Damien's head
as
a ball (fortunately for him, he was wearing batting gloves...oops,
I
guess those were just regular gloves).  Next thing he knew, the
place was up in flames.  He tried to smoother the flames, but the
fire was out of control.  He ran outside to pull the fire alarm,
and
then returned to the house, where he met Luke and learned that
there
were others in the house.  They went in and well we all saw the
rest, or read about it in the paper.  EdQ understands and says that
there is no need to tell that story to the police.  Damien was evil
incarnate and deserved everything he got and a kick in the eye.
Justus agrees and feels no remorse for killing Damien.  But he
can't
let an innocent man go to jail.  He thought he could get away with
it because everyone and their brother wanted him dead, and PCPD
being what it is, no one would ever be able to narrow the field
down
to one.  Unfortunately, things aren't going the way Justus hoped
and
Luke is probably being arrested as we speak.  EdQ reminds Justus of
what MaryMae had done in similar circumstances: she kept her mouth
shut and hoped for the best all to keep the family name clean. If
Justus came forward now, after so much time had passed, he would be
punished to the fullest extent of the law for making the PCPD look
like fools (had he come forward in the beginning, he probably would
have gotten off with manslaughter or less because he came in while
Damien was committing a crime, maybe even self-defense).  Justus
knows all about it and has tried his best to emulate GrannyMae, but
he WILL NOT let an innocent man go to jail for his crime.  Just
then
the phone rings: its Luke with bad news, they didn't get him, they
got LAURA!!!  Justus hangs up numb, EdQ cackles with glee, this is
just the break we need.  What on earth is EdQ talking about.
Laura's innocent, and it shows in every fiber of her being.  No one
would dare convict her of this crime, in fact, she will probably be
named town hero, all Justus has to do is let nature take its course
and keep his mouth shut.  Justus wants to believe in a universal
right and wrong that will make it all come out in the wash, so he
caves in, FOR NOW.  He will act as Laura's attorney, keep his mouth
shut, and monitor the situation.  If it comes down to Laura frying
for the deed he will speak up and Darn the consequences.

As always, a totally impartial update by.....Tahnda@water.ca.gov
Feel free to send all comments, criticisms and flames!