Daily Updates

From: hmccoy@mindspring.com (Roser)
Subject: GH: Update Wednesday 2/25
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 22:06:44 -0500
X-Server-Date: 27 Feb 1998 03:07:31 GMT

Last night I had the great pleasure of meeting Lovely Miss Lorelei
and MaryB.  Mary plied me with drinks and got me to agree to write
the Wednesday update for her. <vbg>  Here it is:

           GENERAL HOSPITAL, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25th

HAPPY HOUR AT THE QUARTERMAINES

It is (hopefully) late in the day at the Q mansion; the family
congregates around the bar, choosing their poisons and complaining
of their stressful lives.  Emily requests tequila (I am not making
this up).  AJ says, "I have spent so much time wondering, Why am I
a drunk?, when the real question is, Why aren't we all?"

The usual delightfully dysfunctional Q verbal brawl ensues.  Emily
is right there in the middle of the fray, dishing it out like a
lifelong Q.

Alan and Monica kinda make a toast to AJ's first day back at ELQ.
AJ asks them to *not* drink to him, please.  Ned seconds that,
hoisting his drink.  Alan is about to drink to not drinking to AJ,
but Monica stops him.

Emily tells Ned that the problem with the Q family is that it has a
"culture of abuse."  After Emily expounds on this, Ned remarks, "We
want you to get good grades, but not to be clever."

SMOOTH OPERATOR

At the PC Grill, Carly is marauding a plate of Swiss confections (hey,
they have to explain the actress' IRL expanding waistline somehow...)
when Edward "happens"  to come by.  He is sweeter than any Swiss
confection.  Carly has been shopping again.   On the table she has a
book of fabric samples.  Yes, as predicted by this guest updater, she
has plans about redecorating the Penthouse.  Edward steers the
conversation to money, saying that it's only use is to allow a rich
guy "to watch someone like you discover her hidden talents."  Carly,
who seems to be enjoying Edward's company, nonetheless comes right
out and asks him to state what it is that he wants.

Edward tells her all about his family, and how they all have
disappointed him in his search for an heir. Carly listens, rapt,
only speaking when Edward mentions Monica.  "She scares me to death,"
Carly whispers with awe in her voice.  Edward says of his children
and grandchildren, "It's not their fault that they didn't turn out
to be what I had in mind when I thought about having an heir. "  And
then he says to Carly,  "Who would have known that what I had in
mind would turn out to be you?"

Carly, rather stunned, asks, "In mind for what?"

Just then Lila rolls in, hellbent on terror.  She manipulates
Edward right out of the room, then gives Carly a stern warning
not to underestimate Edward and, should Carly betray Jason, not
to underestimate her(Lila)self.  As we eventually learn, both Edward
and Lila are paying off the same waiter to inform them about,
respectively, Carly's presence at the Grill and Edward's meeting
with Carly.

LAWYERS, GUNS, AND MONEY

At the penthouse, Jason digs through a drawer of baby toys to find a
rubber band with which to bundle up an envelope of cash.  Jax barges
in.  Jax warns Jason that Sam of the Docks is a threat.  Jax claims
he is being Jason's friend in this because he cares about Robin.
Jax leaves.

Jason discusses the Sam Situation with Justus.  He asks Justus to
crash a meeting between Sam and the union officers in order to find
out what is going on.  This plan involves having Justus lie to Sam;
Justus has no problem with this, saying that he feels working for
Jason is more honest than working for ELQ.  Justus leaves on his
mission.

LOVE CHILD

Nikolas is sitting on the new/old bench.  Stefan joins him.  They
reminisce about Greece; Stefan has flashbacks to his time with Laura.
He speaks to Nik about Nik's father, in that ClassicStefan way in
which nothing is a lie, but is designed to be misinterpreted.  Stefan
speaks of Nik's father as if he were referring to Stavros, though Nik
has his (mostly unspoken) suspicions.  Stefan assures Nikolas that he
is a child of love, and tells him "that is Laura's last, most
desperate secret."

Nikolas returns to the wine cellar and has another look at the
portrait of Laura.  Stefan finds him there.  If Stefan didn't
intend for Nik to find this painting, he hides it well.  He asks
Nikolas if he likes the painting and launches into a discussion of
the painting's technical merits.  He says, "It wasn't done from life,
unlike the first."  Nikolas asks, "Why is this here?"

Stefan tells him he had had it commissioned for Nikolas, but given
their current frosty relationship with Laura, he decided to leave
it in the cellar for now.

CORPORATE KILLER

Ned and AJ trade barbs about AJ's first day at the ELQ office.
Edward and Lila return.  Jax barges in wanting to talk about money
and business.  Alan exits, saying, "I don't care about getting
richer; I'm interested in raising my cholesterol.  Anybody else for
dinner?"  The womenfolk follow him, leaving Jax, Edward, Ned, and AJ
to talk shop.

Jax tells them that he "made some inquiries, managed to identify the
most disaffected of Jason's right-hand men.  I approached him, fanned
the flames, made some suggestions, some promises...  And then I went
to Jason and told him there was a traitor in his midst."  The Q men
are angry that this could trigger a mob war, maybe even get Jason
killed.  "Who cares?" Jax says.  "The point is, whoever is left
standing will think he owes it all to me."

STYLE VS SUBSTANCE, Lesson One

Dara is at the PC Grill having dinner with a pile of paperwork.
Taggert invites himself to join her.  He tells Dara that he smells
trouble on the docks; he was tailing Justus and saw him crash the
union meeting.  Dara wants to know, since when does the PCPD tail
Counselor Ward?  "Since once-upon-a-time in an elevator shaft,"
Taggert replies.

Taggert goes on to say, "The man is blowing smoke up your skirt."
(Your guest updater is somewhat confused about what the purpose
of blowing smoke up someone's skirt would be...)  Taggert claims,
"He is using you.  Can you not see that?  As long as he has the number
one ADA looking all starry-eyed at him, he's as good as legitimate."

Dara asks Taggert to leave.  He leans back in his chair and stares at
her chest.  Dara asks him what he is doing.  He says he is trying to
imagine her undressed.  He asks her to unbutton her blouse.  She asks
him if he knows how close he is to being out of a job.  He continues
his harassment.  She says she will see him in the commissioner's
office in the morning.  He offers her "an object lesson."  She asks
him for "an apology, or a note from a psychiatrist."

"You," Taggert says, determined to deliver the lesson, "choose style
over substance.  You see, I'm one of the good guys, but you don't
like me.  I've never taken dirty money, I've never fixed a parking
ticket, not even for my mother.  I've never let a perp off the hook
because your office said you didn't have a case.  Instead, I *make*
you a case.  And you know that about me.  But you still look at me
like I'm dirt because of what comes out of my mouth -- call it bluntness,
crudeness, whatever it is -- but it has never taken a buck out of
anybody's pocket and it has never put a bullet in anybody's back.
Whereas your Mr. Ward -- the ten-dollar words just flow off of his lips.
He's so courteous, so genteel, so well-dressed, so charming.  He may
not be one of the good guys, he may be breaking the law from the time
he shaves in the morning to his midnight snack, but he does it so damn
handsomely, doesn't he?  I don't want him to take you down with him.
Now, you can tell *that* to the commissioner too, if you want."

Dara simply says, "Go."

Taggert gets up to leave, saying, "Eating alone really sucks,
doesn't it?"

STYLE VS SUBSTANCE, Lesson Deux

Carly returns home to the penthouse.  She asks Jason if she can do some
redecorating.  Jason is not too keen on the idea.  Carly tries to tell
Jason about her encounter with Edward, but Jason is too preoccupied to
listen.  Justus returns and Jason dismisses Carly.  She goes upstairs.

Justus tells Jason not to go to his meeting with the union guys on Friday
because, "I don't think you'll walk out of there alive."  Jason wants to
know what he has done wrong.  Justus tells him that these guys actually
do like him, but they see him "as a soldier, not a leader."  Justus offers
Jason a lesson:

"Leadership is nine-tenths status, and status is nine-tenths perception."
He tells Jason that back in law school, he dressed in jeans and t-shirts
until one day his advisor's secretary mistook him for an air-conditioner
repairman.  "See, it's all theater, Jason, theater -- it's about symbols.
I had to dress better than anyone else just to fit in.  *You* have got to
do more than just lead.  You've got to *look* like a leader.  You've got
to carry yourself.  Do you understand what I'm trying to say to you?"

Jason shakes his head.  "No.  But yeah, I understand."

Justus leaves.

CO-HABITATING WITH THE MOB

Carly comes downstairs.  Jason asks her if she would help him.

With great earnestness, Carly says, "I'd do anything for you.  I swear,
I would kill for you."

With equally great earnestness, Jason asks, "Would you shop for me?"

                    END OF EPISODE

Whew -- this updating thing is a lot of work.  My hat is off to those of
you who do this on a regular basis.

Roser